The Practical Guide to Release of Information

The Practical Guide to Release of Information: ROI in a HITECH World provides an in-depth look at release of information from a legal, technological, and cost-effectiveness standpoint. This definitive guide discusses regulations that affect ROI, how to design an effective ROI department, the role of ROI in a legal environment, and technological applications for ROI. It addresses practical management issues related to quality control, backlog, turnaround times, and productivity. It also provides relevant policies and procedures, job descriptions, tracking logs, and more.

This book will help you do the following:

• Information on recent regulatory changes affecting ROI
• ROI specialist job descriptions, productivity expectations, cost analysis and copy charges, cross training, and other information needed to increase the efficiency of your department
• Role of new technologies and efficiencies in ROI
• Easy-to-understand analysis of the role that ROI plays in subpoenas, depositions, and court appearances
• Strategies for safeguarding against lawsuits
• Breakdown of state regulations regarding ROI

Published: November 2022

Page count: 248
Dimensions: 8.5x11
ISBN: 978-1-64535-196-2

Table of Contents

Chapter 1: What Is Release of Information?

Chapter 2: Release of Information: The Process

Chapter 3: A Blueprint for Establishing Release of Information Services

Chapter 4: Resources Necessary for Release of Information

Chapter 5: Why We Need to Know About Costs Associated  With Release of Information

Chapter 6: Release of Information Challenges

Chapter 7: Anatomy of the Copy Cost Lawsuit

Chapter 8: Patient Portals and ROI in Alternative Healthcare Settings

Chapter 9: E-Discovery

Chapter 10: Federal Preemption of State Release of Information Laws

Chapter 11: The HIPAA Omnibus Rule and the HITECH Act

Chapter 12: Regulatory Impact on Release of Information

Appendix

About the Authors

Rose T. Dunn, MBA, RHIA, CPA, CGMA, CHPS, FACHE, FHFMA, FAHIMA
Rose T. Dunn is a nationally recognized professional in the health information industry. She started her career as the director of health information management (HIM) at Barnes Hospital, a 1,200-bed teaching hospital, and progressed to vice president overseeing clinical ancillary services, food and nutrition, the residency program, new business ventures, and quality. Dunn also served as chief financial officer of a dual-hospital system and took the facility through a bond issue. Additionally, Dunn has experience in the payer industry, where she was the national assistant vice president for a national HMO located in 16 states and was responsible for credentialing, provider relations, and medical management.

During her career of more than 40 years, she has made numerous presentations and has authored a prolific list of publications on healthcare management, HIM, coding-related topics, and several online courses. She has authored more than a dozen published texts. 

Dunn is the chief operating officer of First Class Solutions, Inc., where she oversees the company’s leadership team and sets strategy for the firm and its 40-plus employees. Dunn’s consulting engagements are typically operationally oriented to assess current operations and provide guidance to the client to improve workflows, adjust staffing, and achieve regulatory and operational compliance. 

She has served as president and board member of the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) and its charitable foundation. In 2011, she served as AHIMA’s interim CEO, where she was responsible for rightsizing and restructuring the organization, addressing financial management processes, and bringing the association back on task with service and product offerings.

Dunn has held professor and instructor positions, at the baccalaureate and masters’ levels, at University of Minnesota’s Health Administration program, St. Louis University’s School of Business graduate program, and Stephens College’s Health Information Management program. 

In 1997, Dunn was awarded AHIMA’s highest honor: the Distinguished Member Award. Additionally, she received AHIMA’s 2008 Legacy Award and 2011 Outstanding Service Award. She has received awards from the Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA) and the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) as well. She is a Fellow in ACHE, HFMA, and AHIMA. She is certified in privacy and security as well as Franklin-Covey’s 4 Disciplines of Execution.

Deanna Peterson, MHA, RHIA, CHPS, LNHA
Since 2005, Deanna Peterson has been an engaged health information professional. She started her career working in the document imaging center of an acute care facility. Shortly after, she moved on to work as a supervisor at an LTACH, where she quickly was promoted to manager and oversaw the HIM departments at two hospitals.

Peterson joined First Class Solutions in 2009, where she currently serves as the vice president for HIM services and privacy officer. She conducts operational assessments, has served in HIM interim

management positions, and provides ongoing guidance on operations, compliance and regulatory issues, and privacy and security for a variety of settings.

Her true passion is working with her post-acute care clients. Since 2009, she has grown the post-acute care service division of the firm to serve close to 100 facilities in multiple states. Her clients seek her expertise on documentation best practices, survey readiness, quality improvement processes, EHR optimization, and MDS support. She has helped coordinate statewide education in Missouri for ICD-10 and spoken for several associations on post-acute care and HIM-related issues. 

Peterson received her BS in Health Information Management and MHA from St. Louis University. She carries credentials and advanced certifications from AHIMA and is a Licensed Nursing Home Administrator (LNHA) in Missouri.

She is an active member of the Missouri Health Information Management Association (MoHIMA) and AHIMA, having held several positions in both organizations. She served as president of MoHIMA in 2020 and helped guide the association through the COVID-19 pandemic and its first virtual annual meeting. She has been both a member and co-chair of AHIMA’s Long-Term Post-Acute Care Practice Council and its Privacy and Security Practice Council. 

Peterson received the 2016 Outstanding Volunteer Award from MoHIMA and the 2017 Emerging Leader Award from AHIMA. In 2022, she was presented with MoHIMA’s highest honor, the Distinguished Service Award.