Medical information management
is one of the fastest growing medical career fields in the United States. Medical information management specialists code, analyze and protect vital private medical information. People with training in medical information management work in a variety of settings from doctors' offices to hospitals and insurance companies.
History
Medical information management has its history in the early 20th century when medical record librarians would store patient medical records in the basement of the hospital. There was no uniform organizational standard and many records were incomplete. Clerks were untrained and poorly paid. In 1928, the Association of Record Librarians of North America was formed to formalize the collection and management of medical records. Now known as the American Health Information Management Association, the organization has transformed medical information management from an afterthought at most hospitals into a thriving profession.
Function
Medical information management records and saves an individual's entire medical history from one health care facility. Information may include any documented allergic reactions, surgeries, prescriptions and any medical advice that the patient may have received. Medical information management staff also analyze each chart to ensure that all information is complete and accurate. After being analyzed, records are coded by professionals as part of the billing process and for statistical analysis.
Types
There are many different types of medical information management. Each type of health care provider may collect different types of information. The medical information collected at a personal physician's office will often involve many visits over a number of years. Medical information management at this type of provider may include checking to make sure all information is consistent across visits. Mental health medical information management is different in that there is an added burden to make sure that the information contained in the record is private. Other types of medical information management include hospital records management and insurance records management.
Benefits
The benefits offered by medical information management are many. Without a complete, accurate medical record, a patient's health care may suffer. By having easy access to a patient's entire medical history, doctors may prevent drug interaction, allergic reactions and may be able to rule out diseases or symptom causes based on past medical problems. A complete and well-managed medical record can also make insurance payments faster and more accurate and can also allow for the collection of correct statistics that can improve heath care for everyone.
Potential
The potential for continuing growth in medical information management careers is high. Many health care providers are turning to electronic records in order to better maintain records and to share information between doctors, hospitals and insurance companies. As the population ages and rules governing the management of private health information become stricter, the need for trained medical information management professionals will continue to grow.
Tags: information management, information management, medical information management, health care, medical information, medical information
