Benchmarks and Productivity

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When looking at productivity standards for an HIM department, you need to take into consideration if the department has a paper based environment (medical record is created and maintained in paper form), hybrid environment (medical record is a combination of electronic and paper documents) or EMR environment (medical records are fully computerized either through direct entry by clinicians into the electronic medical record software, scanning of paper documents to the electronic medical record or a combination of both and after discharge HIM processes are based on an electronic medical record).

There are two parts to this assignment. The first part will be developing productivity standards and the second part will be developing benchmarking standards for the HIM department.

Part 1

For part one of this assignment, refer to the following AHIMA article Management Practices for the Release of Information , Bock, Linda J, RHIA; Demster, Barbara, MS, RHIA, CHCQM; Dinh, Angela K, MHA, RHIA; Gorton, Elisa R, RHIA, MAHSM; Lantis, James R, Jr, MHA, RHIA. Journal of AHIMA79.11, http://search.proquest.com.ezproxy.rasmussen.edu/docview/212608050?accountid=40836 to work on the assignment of developing productivity standards for the new position that was hired to work for you. You can also use other sources for this information and include your references on your paper. In this paper, be sure to include the following:

  • Develop productivity standards for the newly hired position.
  • Include standards for low, medium, and high performers.

Part 2

For part two of this assignment, you will need to develop a benchmark for the Release of Information position. Benchmarks or Best Practices are based on the performance of similar organizations by gathering data on the standards by national or local professional associations and standard setting organizations. The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals has a standard stating that History and Physical examinations need to be done within 24 hours of admission to a hospital. Thus, HIM Directors have used this guideline to measure the hospital compliance with this standard. When establishing benchmark for the HIM Department, the manager should first select key functions that will be benchmarked and relating this to the specific function. When the key indicators have been identified, research can then began on the benchmarks by reviewing published sources. The following benchmarks steps can be followed:

  • Identify departments that have achieved outstanding performance based on the key indicators (98% achievement).
  • Studying the best practice used that make it possible to achieve the outcome desired.
  • Implementing the best practice in the HIM department to achieve the goal.