AHIMA's Consumer Engagement Toolkit plugs HIM pros into strategy
AHIMA has introduced its Consumer Engagement Toolkit, which addresses how the culture change driven by EHRs, apps and other technologies is creating opportunities for health information management (HIM) professionals to be more actively involved with consumers.
The increasing role of social media, patient portals and email are driving the need for provider organizations to rethink their social media strategy, according to the professional asociation for health information management professionals.
More than a series of release of information requests and questions answered through a patient portal, healthcare consumer engagement has evolved into the need for an ongoing dialogue between patients and their providers, said AHIMA CEO Lynne Thomas Gordon, MBA, RHIA, CAE, FACHE, FAHIMA, in a release.
“Traditionally the clinical care team played the major role in the patient experience,” Thomas Gordon said. “But the change in the way patients consume their health information means today’s HIM professional plays an important role in giving healthcare consumers the tools needed to make all interactions and communications with their providers meaningful and efficient. The HIM professional is an important part of a team of care professionals at an organization that promotes a culture of valuable service to the patient.”
The toolkit provides resources to develop a healthcare consumer engagement initiative and outlines some of the changing roles for HIM professionals, including the following:
- A patient healthcare navigator or advocate to collaborate with clinical staff to ensure patients receive copies of their health records and assist patients in reviewing those records.
- A release of information specialist to guide consumers in appropriately accessing their records in compliance with regulatory guidelines.
- A leadership role in training employees on the importance of consumer engagement as well as on new technologies and initiatives such as health information exchanges.
Access the toolkit.
Editor
Editor Beth earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism and master’s in health communication. She has worked in hospital, academic and publishing settings over the past 20 years. Beth joined TriMed in 2005, as editor of CMIO and Clinical Innovation + Technology. When not covering all things related to health IT, she spends time with her husband and three children.