Impact Of Health Information Management In Healthcare Delivery
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
The health information management industry can trace its root back to the 1920s, when healthcare professionals realized that documenting patients care benefited both patients and providers. Patient records established the details, complications and outcome of patient care (Adeyemi, 2012).
Health records are essential for good healthcare. Their quality depends on accurate and prompt documentation of the care provided and regular analysis of content. Good quality healthcare data play a vital role in the planning, development and maintenance of optimal healthcare (Ajayi, 2000). HIM professionals are healthcare providers dedicated to the effective management of patient health information and healthcare data needed to deliver high-quality treatment and care to the public
Health information management is the heart of a health organization. With each beat, it supplies much needed information to users such as physicians, staff nurses, insurance companies, and health administrators. Health information management (HIM) plays asignificant role in the maintenance of health information, health information deals with the collection of clinical information pertaining to patients physical and mental health compiled from different sources (Aremu 2017).
Health information management (HIM)is essential for healthcare providers and other Health insurance portability & Accountability Act (HIPAA) covered entities to ensure patient information privacy and security. HIM involves medical coding and billing, ensuring compliance with government regulations and handling customer requests for personal Health information (PHI). (Hersh 2002)
This field also involves medical records retention and transition to electronic formats, as well as analysis of health care trends and the implementation of improvements, because healthcare information overlaps many different areas in healthcare cycle. Health information managers would oversee all facets organization’s collection, and retention of records as well as security, privacy, analysis and implementations, coding, billing and compliance (Edna, 2002).
Health information management professionals (HIM) provide services in all aspects of records management – including data collection and data quality management, integrity, standards, disclosure, coding, disposition, and privacy of health information. They perform detailed analysis of the information in the health record to facilitate health care delivery, patient safety and decision support. They play a role in ensuring the confidentiality of health information within the patient record and are advocates of the patient’s right to private, secure and confidential information (Bernard 2010).
Health information management is the heart of a health organization. With each beat, it supplies much needed information to users such as physicians, staff nurses, insurance Companies, and health administrators (Alanazy, 2006).
Documentation became widely popular and was used throughout the nation after healthcare professionals realized they were better able to treat patient with complete and accurate medical history. Health records were soon recognized as being critical to the safety and quality of the patient healthcare.
Good health pertaining to individual and the community at large rests on health information. Health information has strong scientific traditions which are capable of changing the face of healthcare industry, through timely and accurate information in an attempt to identify ways to better utilize resources, reveal public health patterns and designing new medical treatment and intervention programs.
The quality of patient’s healthcare delivery system depends on proper management of patient’s health records, therefore efficient healthcare delivery system rest solemnly on a good system of health records storage and preservation (Osundina 2008).
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
It has been observed over the years that there are complications in record keeping which affects healthcare delivery, some of these issues have been traced to inaccessibility of patients’ record, unsecured Patients’ data, absence of health information coordination/ management, untrained personnel.
This study seeks to address the above problems and proffer solutions that will aid good record keeping and also secure health information management in order to impact healthcare delivery
1.3 OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
The general objective of the study is to Determine the Impact of Health Information Management in Healthcare Delivery.
The followings are the specific objectives that guided this research. They include:
To Determine the Impact of Health Information Management in Healthcare Delivery.
To Find out if Health Information Management is limited to Card issuing or Registration and Documentation.
To Find out the Consequences of not Documenting and Keeping Health Record Properly in health care delivery system.
To Find out the Roles and Responsibility of Health Information Management Professionals in the Development and Maintenance of Health Record System.
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
What are the impacts of Health Information Management in Healthcare Delivery?
Is Health Information Management Practice limited to Documentation and Registration alone?
What are the Perceptions of Health Workers on the Impact of Health Information Management in Healthcare Delivery?
Do you think Health Information Managers in this Healthcare Facility discharge their duties in the best interest of the patient and hospital?
SCOPE OF THE STUDY
This research will concentrate mainly on University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin, Edo – State in order to assess the impact of health information management in the healthcare being delivered at the hospital
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
This study when complete will serve as a tool useful for the following reasons:
Enlightening other health workers about the impact of health information management in healthcare service delivery beyond reasonable doubt.
It shall stimulate health information managers to know how valuable they are to healthcare delivery.
It will help to identify ideal methods of maintaining health information management.
It will serve as reference material for any research work to be conducted on or related to this research work.
It will also help to know the challenges being faced in health information management.
1.7 OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF TERMS
Health: according to WHO, health is the complete state of physical, social and mental well being of an individual and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.
Information: Data that are interpreted, organized, structured and given meaning.
Health Information: Data related to a person’s medical history including symptoms, diagnosis, procedures, and outcomes.
Management: The process of dealing with or controlling things or people.
Health information management: according to AHIMA “health information management is the practice of acquiring, analyzing, and protecting digital and traditional medical information vital to providing quality patient care”.
Electronic health records: This is the systematized collection of patient and population electronically stored health information in a digital format.
Registration: The act of recording names and details on official list (Longman Dictiionary).
Healthcare: The organized provision of medical care to individuals or a community.
Healthcare delivery: this visible function of health system concentrates on patient flows as well as the organization and delivery of all services dealing with the diagnoses and treatment of diseases, or the promotion, maintenance and restoration of health (Wikipedia).
Healthcare provider: this is an individual health professional or a health facility organization licensed to provide healthcare diagnosis and treatment services including medication, surgery and medical devices (Wikipedia).
Documentation: a piece of paper that has official information on it.
Confidentiality: confidentiality in health care refers to the obligation of professionals who have access to patients’ record you hold that information in confidence.
AHIMA: American Health Information Management Association
HIPAA: Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
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