Question

Chapter 21: Ethical Issues in Health Information Management 21.1: Real-World Case Kelly was a new coder who had never held an HIM job before. She had just graduated from college and passed her RHIT when she was hired by a local clinic and was so excited to start working. A few weeks later, her manager asked to meet with her. The manager closed the door and told Kelly that she wanted her to code charts for a particular procedure using two codes instead of one so the reimbursement would be higher. The manager then proceeded to divulge information that the clinic was struggling financially so anything extra would help. Kelly got the impression that if she did not comply they would let her go; and she really needed this job. Also, since it was her boss asking, she felt obligated to do as she was told. 21.1: Discussion Questions 1. What are the ethical issues associated with this case? 2. What are the facts? 3. Who are the stakeholders? 5. What are the options? 6. What is the decision (HIM values at stake)? What justifies the choice? 7. What can be done in terms of prevention so issue is not repeated?

Answer 1

Health Information Management is the practice of acquiring, analyzing and protecting digital and traditional information vital to providing quality patient care. The HIM professionals who are working in the organization are doing their daily operations based on management of health information and electronic health records (EHRs). Health Information Management professionals are responsible for the quality, integrity, and protection of patient's health information.

1. The Ethical Issues In Health Information Management 21.1: Case Kelly

Here due to the present condition of the organization and the her job responsibilities she has to be forcing her to violate some ethical principles and thus results in ethical issues. Here she violates ethical principles such as :

IV. Refuse to participate in or conceal ethical practices or procedures and reports such practices

4.8) Participate in, condone or be associated with dishonesty, fraud, and abuse or deception (optimizing or coding to impact reimbursement or impact payment.

VIII.Perform honorably health information management association responsibilities either appointed or elected and preserve the confidentiality of any privileged information made known in any official capacity

8.1) Perform responsibly all duties as assigned by the professional association operating within the bylaws and policies and procedures of the association and any pertinent laws

8.7) Avoiding lending the prestige of the association to advance or appear to advance the private interests of others by endorsing any product or service in return for remuneration.

2. Facts

Here Kelly has just completed her education and she joined as HIM professional in a local area clinic. The clinic is struggling financially and they would need extra help from Kelly. She wanted her to code charts for a particular procedure using two codes instead of one so the reimbursement would be higher. If she did not comply she will lose her job or working in an organization she has to be obligated to do her responsibilities whatever is assigning.

3.Stakeholders

*Trustees and senior staff who represent the hospital interest

*Hospital staff

*Suppliers

*Competitors

*Special interest groups

5. She really needed this job and she has to satisfy the organizational interests. She is obliged to do the responsibilities assigned to her. She has to meet the demands of the organization.

*Uphold the values of her knowledge and profession

*Better to do violate the ethical principles she can try to say the manager regarding the lawsuit affected after committed for an ethical issue

6. Anyway she obliged for her organization and she upholds the values of her knowledge and profession instead of violating the principles she can try to improve the productivity of the organization by some other way, that giving suggestion by improving the performance of the staff who are working in the organization

7. By improving the performance from each of the staff, Positive appraisal to each staff to improve the productivity we can prevent the financial burden of the organization thus avoid this illegal practice of violating the principles of ethics