Journal of AHIMA examines the problems related to value-based care requirements and the role of EHRs in solving them
Electronic health records (EHRs) play a critical role in providing the required data for some value-based care programs. But variations in EHR systems, vendors, and healthcare organizations make it increasingly difficult to access reporting and compliance information mandated by some value-based care programs.
In the article Are We There Yet? Evaluating Whether EHRs are Meeting the Needs of Value Based Care, in the November-December issue of the Journal of AHIMA (@AHIMAResources), Mary Butler examines the complexities of managing data requirements for value-based care programs and the role of EHRs and HIM professionals in the process of providing greater interoperability within health information exchanges (HIEs).
Experts say that value-based care requires reporting and analysis based on the integration of multiple types of data, including EHRs. Additionally, EHRs provide the ability to conduct predictive analytics and clinical decision support, which also supports value-based care.
HIEs are integral to this process, according to the article. “Through their interaction with regulations, health information exchanges, physicians, vendors, and IT and finance departments, HIM holds the key to unlocking value-based care and offering insight on how it’s progressing,” Butler writes.
Experts say that HIEs are a vehicle for delivering quality-based care since they are able to cover more individuals in a region and exchange more meaningful data than hospitals whose EHRs can’t communicate.
“HIM professionals have a unique opportunity to use their expertise with EHRs to advance the effectiveness of HIEs,” said AHIMA CEO Wylecia Wiggs Harris, PhD, CAE. “As we embrace value-based care programs, it is vital to have leaders in HIM to effectively manage and share required data.”
HIEs address many of the challenges related to value-based care requirements including:
- Health systems that use more than one EHR vendor across various care settings
- Lack of governance around documentation procedures
- Different quality indicators for different payers
- Coding to reflect social determinants of health
Read this article and more in the November-December of the Journal of AHIMA or online at journal.ahima.org.
About AHIMA
The American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) represents more than 103,000 health information professionals in the United States and around the world. AHIMA is committed to promoting and advocating for best practices in health information and to actively contributing to the development and advancement of health information professionals worldwide.