Quiz 1 - Unit 4 - Allied Health

data acquisition

the collection of information to be analyzed and used

database

a structured set of data that is organized and stored in a computer

health informatics

work and study that deals with methods and resources used to acquire, store, retrieve, and use healthcare information

medical coder

a specially trained professional who translates medical terms and narratives into the appropriate codes various uses

none governmental agencies

a legally constituted organization that operates independently from government and non-profit businesses

standards

a certain level of quality that is agreed upon by multiple parties

Health informatics brings together medicine, information technology, and business to create systems that _____.

benefit the practice of overall medicine and individual healthcare.

By ______, it can be stored reliably in database format and understood by those who have access to the information.

coding the information

The codes are developed and maintained by the American Medical Association.

As medicine is constantly evolving, new codes are added while current ones are revised or removed from use.

The choice of codes is not always _____, so the medical coding professional may need to _____ with healthcare providers or review the overall content of the _____ to determine if a specific code is ______.

obvious, confer, record, supported.

In addition to being familiar with the coding procedure, coding professionals are educated in ________, and other specifics related to diseases.

anatomy and physiology, pathology, symptoms, treatments

______ can be found in various settings, including actual in-patient and out-patient facilities, third-party payers, healthcare software vendors, etc.

Medical Coders

Medical coding professionals generally fall under the heading of

"medical records and health information technicians,"

For example, in addition to being ______, Medical coder students will generally need an ______ in health information technology.

professionally certified by an accredited program, associate’s degree

Academia –

Those with an interest in teaching at the post-secondary level will likely need to have an advanced degree and teaching experience. It is reasonable to have real-world experience in healthcare informatics.

Consulting Companies –

There are many companies that offer healthcare organizations advice and support in developing their systems and analyzing the data collected. The knowledge of information systems allows them to make recommendations on topics from data management to working with employees.

Insurance Companies –

Those who choose to work with third-party payers such as insurance companies will find a number of opportunities. The most common experience in insurance involves reviewing health records and health insurance claims.

Medical Software Companies –

Those with strong computer programming skills can implement new healthcare software and improve the quality of products that already exist.

Public Health Organizations –

The collection and analysis of data is very important in public health. Health informatics professionals in this area assist in design and implementation of systems for recognizing and reporting diseases and determining policies to be implemented for public safety.

What organization develops and maintains the codes used in medicine?

AMA

American Dental Education Association

a U.S.-based association dedicated to dental education that incorporates a variety of fields including dentists, informatics specialists, assistants, hygienists and lab techs

dental informatics

a career field focused on developing and applying technologies that improve dental practices, education, and research methods

forensics

the use of science and technology to investigate and establish facts in criminal or civil courts of law

information technologies

a career field focused on the general application of telecommunication and computer technologies

international relations

an academic and public policy field that works towards establishing relationships between countries

teledentistry

a virtual platform used for educating dental students remotely or utilized by practicing physicians for distance diagnosis and continuing education studies

The dental program at the University of Pittsburgh says that Dental informatics is the mix of:

• dentistry,

• information science,

• computer science,

• cognitive science, and

• telecommunications.

Dental informatics specialists are responsible for the _____ in dental offices, which helps the doctor focus on the patient, but still make a record of the visit.

creation and execution of speech recognition software

Many people who seek careers in this field have completed their formal training in dentistry up to the doctoral level, and then they finish their doctoral degree in informatics.

Others who have completed their dental training go into dental informatics through advanced degrees in dental education.

The ADA also has committees on informatics, or a student could look at the general medical informatics association:

The American Medical Informatics Association.

One of the more innovative projects currently being explored is _______, a virtual teaching platform that useful to dental students or practicing dentists wanting to continue their _____.

teledentistry, industry-specific education

asynchronous telemedicine

a type of telemedicine in which medical history, symptoms, and sometimes medical scans are collected from a patient and evaluated by a medical professional via teleconference or video without the patient's presence

da Vinci Surgical System

a robotic device controlled by a health professional that allows for minimally invasive surgeries across a variety of specialties

distance learning

a means of allowing students from different locations to "attend" a conference or seminar via audio, video, or the Internet

HIPPA

the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, which tells the legal requirements for protecting and sharing a patient's health information

originating site

the location of the patient or his or her healthcare provider at the time of the consultation; also known as spoke site

real-time telemedicine

a consultation via electronic means that allows the patient and health professional to interact and see or hear each other

store and forward

a type of telemedicine in which still digital images are used for diagnosis by a clinician in a location other than where the patient is, commonly used for radiology, pathology, dermatology, and wound care

teleconference

a means of communicating remotely using audio or video between patients and health care providers or among health professionals

______ is the term for exchanging medical information via electronic means from one site to another with the aim of improving a patient's health.

Telemedicine

The most popular form of telemedicine that is used today is in the _____.

field of radiology

Other popular fields for telemedicine, according to the American Telemedicine Association, include _______.

cardiology, dermatology, mental health, ophthalmology, and pathology.

Real-time telemedicine involves teleconferencing or videoconferencing between the patient and doctor or other health professional.

Asynchronous, or "store and forward" telemedicine involves collecting a patient's history and medical records—sometimes with the inclusion of audio, video, or medical scans—that are then evaluated by the medical professional without the presence of the patient.

Another rapidly growing aspect of telemedicine is the ability for patients to go online and learn more about their symptoms and potential diagnosis ______.

before ever visiting the doctor's office

A final form of telemedicine has to do with the use of technology such as the da Vinci Surgical System.

This is a robot-assisted surgery option that is increasingly available across the country for a variety of surgical needs including cardiac and general surgery.

Before looking at those specific roles, you might want to clarify some of the options and settings that telemedicine might include:

• programs that link hospitals and clinics with rural or suburban medical facilities through networks such as computer, camera and phone networks, point-to-point connections that use private networks to provide specialized care either directly to individuals, or through the use of other health professionals

• teleconferencing directly with patients, either as a primary care or specialty physician

• providing health education to patients through online sources, distance learning, videos, or teleconferences

• using technology to monitor patients at home and evaluate them remotely

• using robotic surgery equipment

Other than the field of _____________, there is not really any extra __________ or required __________ involved in working in telemedicine, so long as you understand how the __________ works and are aware of the potential ethical and privacy __________ involved in using online and electronic means to store and transmit medical information.

robotic-assisted surgery, training, certification, technology, considerations.

What are some key considerations for a telemedicine professional regarding information access and security?

Limited access to information, authentication of identity through a unique password or code, tracking of use of confidential data, and encryption procedures.

According to HIPAA, all "______" is subject to the rules, and that includes _______ health conditions, treatments undertaken by the individual, and methods of payment

individually identifiable health information, past, present, and future

What is a key aspect of the Medicaid code regarding telemedicine?

The Medicaid code does not make any distinction between telemedical services and those provided in person; telemedicine is evaluated on the basis of efficiency, economy, and quality of care, which is crucial for its future.