By Connie Renda, MA, RHIA, CHDA

Challenges in HI Staffing

Understaffing

Understaffing is a perennial issue that plagues healthcare information management. The demand for skilled professionals often surpasses the available talent pool. A report from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) notes that finding suitable candidates and retaining employees will be paramount for organizations in 2023. However, this search for top talent often collides with budget constraints, creating significant challenges, especially in an era marked by concerns over inflation. Many organizations find themselves handcuffed by hiring freezes or grappling with staff shortages due to employees on FMLA leave, compounding the problem further. The critical HIM duties cannot be deferred and require a dependable workforce, which isn’t always readily accessible when needed.

Skill Gaps

In the ever-evolving healthcare landscape, skill gaps are another major headache for healthcare information leaders. As Forbes aptly points out, the industry is grappling with substantial talent shortages as skill sets struggle to keep pace with rapidly advancing technology. This disconnect between the demands of modern healthcare and the available skill sets places additional pressure on organizations striving to maintain efficiency and compliance in their operations.

Fluctuating Workloads

Fluctuating workloads compound the woes of healthcare information leaders. The volume of work can oscillate dramatically, leading to unexpected spikes in demand that strain an already stretched workforce. Coping with these variations efficiently while maintaining a high standard of service becomes an ongoing challenge.

What Can We Do?

Develop a Flexible Workforce Strategy

Maintaining staff agility is one way to ensure operational continuity and peace of mind. My colleagues had many great ideas to achieve this from cross training to assigning multiple job roles. More experienced staff (or outsourced partners) are motivated by new learning experiences and can help address staff shortages, workload surges, and unique projects. In fact, this is such an effective strategy that Verisma launched a team dedicated for this purpose called Verisma bench.  

Consider Efficiency Gains Through Outsourcing

In addition to ROI, many other administrative HIM tasks can frustrate staff who could be spending more time working at the top of their license. Outside partners can alleviate these burdens and improve efficiency, while eliminating the headaches of hiring and training. Verisma, for instance, can manage tasks like prior authorizations, purge projects, inbound document management, and referral management. so staff can focus on what matters most – patient care. 

Leverage Technology-Enabled Strategic Partnerships

Strategic partnerships are more than supplemental staff. They’re relationships built on experience, consistency, time, and effort. Better yet, technology-enabled service companies do more than complete tasks – they build for the future. Working with a trusted company like Verisma to help with staffing challenges makes sense and allows you to share the burden of finding a qualified, reliable team to address talent shortages. 

Verisma Academy recently hosted an informative webinar featuring Timothy Noonan, the Deputy Director for Health Information Privacy, Data, and Cybersecurity at the HHS Office for Civil Rights. The session provided attendees with crucial updates on the proposed rulemaking and guidance from OCR (Office for Civil Rights), shedding light on various aspects such as reproductive health, Part 2 records, and the use of tracking technologies. In this blog post, we’ll delve into the key takeaways from the webinar and explore the implications of these developments in the realm of healthcare information management (HIM).

Strengthening Privacy Protections for Reproductive Health:

One significant aspect discussed during the webinar was the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) regarding reproductive health. The primary objective of this proposal is to enhance privacy protections by restricting the use or disclosure of Protected Health Information (PHI) by regulated entities for investigations related to reproductive health care. To enforce this prohibition, the NPRM suggests that regulated entities obtain a signed attestation ensuring that the requested PHI is not intended for prohibited purposes. This attestation requirement applies to various circumstances, including health oversight activities, judicial and administrative proceedings, law enforcement purposes, and disclosures to coroners and medical examiners. The comment period for this proposal ends on June 16, 2023.

Understanding the Impact on HIM and Release of Information Processing:

From an HIM perspective, numerous questions arise regarding the content of the attestation and its impact on the release of information processing. To gain more insights and details on this matter, interested individuals can refer to the official Federal Register document available here.

Transitioning from COVID-19 Telehealth Measures:

Timothy Noonan also provided updates on the conclusion of the COVID-19 health emergency with regards to telehealth. Attendees were reminded that personal health information (PHI) stored on mobile devices such as cell phones and tablets is not protected under HIPAA. This serves as a critical reminder for healthcare professionals to ensure appropriate safeguards are in place when handling PHI on personal devices.

Enhanced Coordination for Substance Use Treatment:

The webinar covered proposed modifications to 42 CFR Part 2 records, which deal with substance use and disorders. The objective of these modifications is to enhance coordination among providers involved in the treatment of substance use, thus reducing existing challenges. By potentially increasing patient protections regarding the disclosure of records, these changes aim to prevent discrimination in treatment. More information on the proposed modifications can be found here.

Understanding Online Tracking Technologies and Protecting ePHI:

Another crucial topic discussed in the webinar was the use of online tracking technologies, such as Google Analytics and Meta, on entity websites or apps. Attendees were reminded that using tracking technologies in a manner that leads to impermissible disclosures of electronic Protected Health Information (ePHI) to tracking vendors is strictly prohibited. The webinar provided insights into the nature and usage of tracking technologies, as well as the necessary steps that regulated entities must take to safeguard ePHI. For additional information, visit the OCR’s website here.

Escalating Breach Incidents and the Need for Robust HIPAA Security:

The number of PHI breaches has seen a concerning increase, with hacking breaches accounting for a significant portion. In 2022 alone, there were 712 reported breaches, a sharp rise from 369 in 2018. Hacking incidents accounted for 49% of all breaches in 2022, and from January 1 to April 30, 2023, hacking incidents constituted a staggering 67% of all breaches. Moreover, during the same period, there were 559 breaches affecting 400 or more individuals, with 57% being network server-related and 21% related to email. These alarming figures highlight the urgency for organizations to fortify their security measures and conduct regular HIPAA security assessments to identify and mitigate risks.

Looking Ahead and Staying Informed:

While the finalization of the HIPAA NPRM and its potential impact on turnaround times and other significant changes remains uncertain, organizations should stay updated and watch for the upcoming Spring Unified Agenda release, which may offer more clarity. In the meantime, the industry must stay vigilant about evolving areas such as reproductive health, Part 2 records, and HIPAA security to ensure compliance and protect sensitive health information.

Verisma Academy’s webinar featuring Timothy Noonan shed light on the latest proposed rulemaking and guidance from OCR regarding HIPAA. Attendees gained valuable insights into reproductive health privacy protections, substance use records modifications, the usage of online tracking technologies, and the increasing importance of robust HIPAA security measures. In this dynamic healthcare landscape, it is crucial for organizations to stay informed, adapt to changing regulations, and prioritize the protection of patients’ health information.

The recording of this event is available on-demand and CEU-eligible through May 2024.

Many providers are exploring HIM support from outside partners to take all or some of the weight off their shoulders. The right Release of Information (ROI) and HIM partner can be a reliable and cost-effective solution for ensuring your quality standards are met without burdening you or your internal staff.

Imagine a world where your team’s health information management responsibilities are supported by industry-leading experts at Verisma. What would that look like?

1. You would spend less time recruiting, hiring, training, retaining and scheduling employees.

Finding and hiring new talent has never been more challenging. HIM partners ensure you have the resources required to meet the demands on your organization. Your employees take time off for vacations, illnesses, and leaves of absence, but Verisma is always ready. We have the people and resources to meet your needs every day.

2. You could finally address your backlog.

When you partner with Verisma, you can breathe. Because Verisma:

• Allows your in-house staff to focus on patient care
• Keeps your medical records department current on requests
• Assumes responsibility for HIPAA compliance
• Fills the gaps in your department while you still maintain your own processes and standards

A dedicated team of experts can improve turnaround time and thus reduce staff stress while improving patient satisfaction.

3. You would reduce risk and achieve or maintain compliance.

As stewards of data integrity, health information managers understand that Protected Health Information (PHI) responsibilities—from compliance, workflows, training, and coding to document completion—are top priorities. But, realistically, each one of these PHI responsibilities is a full-time job. Recent regulatory changes related to release of information (ROI) are a potentially expensive pitfall as there are steep fines for violations. Verisma has in-house experts dedicated solely to staying on top of compliance and legislative activities. Working with an outsourced team of knowledgeable HIM experts can help you feel confident that your organization meets the new requirements for releasing electronic information. Furthermore, your organization will be compliant with laws regulating strict timeframes under which requests and information must be handled to avoid stiff fines.

4. You would have happier, more focused employees who are more likely to stay with your team.

Additional HIM functions, such as prior authorizations and faxing and scan filing, often fall on staff members with multiple other responsibilities. This necessity to multitask drains staff and contributes to lower job satisfaction.

By working with Verisma, you’ll know dedicated experts are:

• Completing forms and requests efficiently and accurately
• Improving your physicians’ satisfaction by eliminating the additional work and stress of tracking down accurate patient information
• Helping ensure your processes are compliant with current regulations
• Available to help train internal staff on new technology or processes

Get back to being in one place and thinking about one thing at a time. Reach out to us today to get started.