Information and Administration Careers

Identify at least 10 terms related to health care information and administration.

Specify the role of selected information and administrative health care workers, including personal qualities, levels of education, and credentialing requirements.

Identify three personal characteristics needed in an efficient health occupations clerk.

Identify at least five forms used as part of the medical record.

Describe at least three methods of payment for health care.

Key Terms

Administration

(ad-min-ih-STRAY-shun) Management; performance of executive responsibilities and duties

Benefit

(BEN-uh-fit) Financial help in time of illness, retirement, or unemployment

Chart

Collection of written materials relating to the health care of a patient

Confidential

(kon-fuh-DEN-shul) Private and secret; may be protected by law

Customary

(KUS-tum-ay-ree) Fee charged by similar practitioners for a service in the same economic and geographic area

Deficient

(deh-FISH-unt) Lacking some important part

Dictation

(dik-TAY-shun) Speaking words to be written by another person; may be recorded

Incident

(IN-si-duhnt) An individual occurrence or event occurring in connection with something else; a reportable variance

Insurance

(in-SHUR-ins) Payment by contract by one party to another in which the second party guarantees the first party against financial loss from a specific event

Reasonable

(REE-sun-uh-bul) Fee that considers both the usual fee charged by a practitioner for a particular service and the fee charged by other practitioners for the same service

Transcribe

(tran-SKRIBE) To make a written copy of dictated or recorded matter

Health Information and Administration Terminology *

Term	Definition	Prefix	Root	Suffix
Abduction	Move away	ab	duc	tion
Adduction	Move toward	ad	duc	tion
Arthritis	Inflammation of the joint		arthr	itis
Arthrodesis	Fixation of the joint		arthr/o	desis
Cervical	Pertaining to the neck		cervic	al
Hypertrophy	Above normal amount of growth	hyper	troph	y
Myelogram	Picture of the bone marrow		myelo	gram
Neuralgia	Painful nerve		neur	algia
Osteopathy	Disease of the bone	osteo	path	y
Terminology	Study of words		termin	ology

^*A transition syllable or vowel may be added to or deleted from the word parts to make the combining form.

Abbreviations for Information and Administration Careers

Abbreviation	Meaning
ART	Accredited records technician
CAAHEP	Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs
CEO	Chief executive officer
CPT	Current procedure terminology
CTS	Carpel tunnel syndrome
HUC	Health unit coordinator
RHIT	Registered health information technician
RRA	Registered records administrator
RSI	Repetitive stress injury
URC	Usual, reasonable, customary

Careers

Even though health care administrators and information personnel often do not have direct contact with the patients, they are of critical importance to the quality of care delivered (Table 33-1). Health care managers need to be organized to work quickly and accurately. Good communication skills are necessary to provide information and leadership in the health care setting. Administrators must be able to form and maintain good working relationships with those in subordinate positions. Although administrators and information personnel may not have direct contact with the patient, they are subject to confidentiality and other Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) guidelines. More information about these guidelines is found in Chapter 2. With the exception of high-level managers, most health information and administrative service personnel work regular hours. Some examples of careers in administration include health care facility managers, supervisors, medical secretaries, unit coordinators, and medical records (health information) personnel (Box 33-1).

BOX 33-1 Information and Administration Careers

Administrator, drug and alcohol facility

Administrator, hospital

Biological photographer

Biophysicist

Chemist, food

Chief of nuclear medicine

Clerk, medical records

Coordinator of rehabilitation services

Coroner

Credentialing specialist

Dietary manager

Dietitian, research

Director, counseling

Director, community health nursing

Director, diagnostics clinics

Director, nursing registry

Director, nursing service

Director, occupational health nursing

Director, outpatient services

Director, pharmacy service

Director, placement

Director, radiology

Director, school of nursing

Director, speech and hearing

Director, volunteer services

District advisor

Executive director, Nurses Association

Food and drug inspector

Health information technician

Health physicist

Health unit coordinator

Hospital registration staff

Information scientist

In-service coordinator, auxiliary personnel

Instructor, psychiatric aides

Laboratory manager

Librarian

Librarian, special

Library technical assistant

Manager, dental laboratory

Medical physicist

Medical records administrator

Medical records technician

Medical staff services technician

Medical staff services coordinator

Medical technologist teaching supervisor

Nurse, consultant

Nurse, evening supervisor

Nurse, head

Nurse, instructor

Nurse, supervisor

Nursing home administrator

Patient resource agent

Photographer, scientific

Public relations representative

Radiology administrator

Rehabilitation center manager

Secretary, medical

Supervisor, artificial breast fabrication

Supervisor, central supply

Supervisor, hearing aid assembly

Supervisor, laundry

Utilization review coordinator

Ward clerk

Ward service supervisor

TABLE 33-1

Information and Administration Career Educational Cost and Earnings

Career	Educational Cost*	Earnings†
Registered health information technician (RHIT)	Bishop State Community College, associate degree, 77 credit hours Fees include: Tuition, books, & fees $8393	Median annual salary: Mobile, Ala.—$28,450

^*http://www.bscc.cc.al.us/tuition.html.

^†http://data.bls.gov:8080/oes/datatype.do.

Part of the responsibility of the health care administrator is to meet legal regulations. The Joint Commission accredits about 88% of hospitals in the United States. In 1997 they began considering the facility’s performance goals data as well as the standards for staff and equipment when granting approval. The new program considers patient outcomes as part of the data. The initiative is called ORYX, and it is being expanded into use by other types of agencies accredited by the Joint Commission such as home care, behavioral health, ambulatory and lab facilities.

Brain Byte

The Joint Commission was formerly called the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations.

Heath Service Managers

Administrators and managers are necessary in all health care facilities, including clinics, health maintenance organizations, hospitals, home care agencies, private practices, rehabilitation agencies, hospice services, long-term medical day care, and ambulatory care settings. The top executive is often referred to as the chief executive officer (CEO). Administrators develop and expand services with authority given to them by the governing board or agency owner. Administrators manage the facility budget, programs, and personnel. They are responsible for relations with other agencies and organizations.

Brain Byte

An Internal Revenue Service report showed that salaries for CEOs of nonprofit hospitals ranged from $490,000 to $16.4 million in 2006.

Administrators coordinate services, hiring, and training of personnel (Fig. 33-1). Administrators may be responsible for establishing the policies and procedures of the facility. The CEO must demonstrate public relations skills as well as leadership ability. Long, irregular hours are often required for public speaking and travel.

FIGURE 33-1 Administrators often participate in hiring decisions.

Positions for health managers who have obtained 4-year bachelor’s degrees are available in small institutions, but master- or doctoral-level preparation is preferred for employment in large facilities. Employment opportunities for managers will grow the fastest in residential care facilities and practitioner’s offices and clinics. More than 70 colleges and universities offer accredited master’s programs that specialize in health care administration. Master’s-level preparation is also available in long-term care administration, public health, public administration, or business administration. Other managers may study business, public administration, or human resources administration before becoming employed in the health care industry. An internship is required by many administrative programs, and postgraduate residents and fellows may occupy middle-management positions as part of the educational program. Although regulations vary from state to state, licensing is usually required for administrators of long-term care facilities. Duties of the health care manager may include hiring and coordination of personnel, budget preparation and implementation, and public relations.

Health Careers in Practice

Michelle E. Gombert RNC, MSN, ARNP

DIRECTOR OF PERINATAL SERVICES (CONSULTANT AND TRANSITIONAL LEADER)

ADVENTIST HEALTHCARE SYSTEM, FLORIDA HOSPITAL ALTAMONTE

Educational background

Nineteen years of education, including college, graduate school, and postgraduate nurse practitioner residency. Professional degrees and certifications include registered nurse certification (RNC), bachelor of science in nursing (BSN), master of science in nursing (MSN), advanced registered nurse practitioner (ARNP), and certified nurse administrator advanced (CNAA).

A typical day at work and job duties include

Clinical Nursing Rounds with professional and ancillary nursing staff

Clinical Patient Care Rounds with care providers

Unit Manager/Patient Satisfaction Rounds with patients and families

Facilities/Unit Safety and Compliance Rounds

Strategic planning meetings

Staff interviews, evaluation, counseling, and discipline

Staff meetings, education, and communication

The most gratifying part of my job

Staff and patient and family interactions leading to positive changes in the delivery of quality and satisfying patient care.

The biggest challenge(s) I face in doing my job

As a consultant and transitional leader, I have to “hit the ground running” and experience limitations of time and resources to impact the changes and enhancements I identify as needed in a given work situation.

What drew me to my career?

A strong desire to become involved in people’s lives and impact the quality of their health and well-being in a positive way, most specifically the well-being of mothers and their newborns.

Something I learned in my early education that I currently use in my career or that caused me to be interested in my career is

I learned early in my life that observing and assessing could teach me much about my fellow human beings and allow me to plan an approach that would maximize the achievement of a positive outcome. This practice continues to serve me well in the work I do and the outcomes I am able to achieve.

Other comments

It is an honor and a privilege to come into a patient’s and his or her family’s life when they are vulnerable and in need of our care and compassion. It is a sacred duty we take on when we provide care and comfort for our patients, and we must protect their trust and faith in us as we strive to provide the highest quality patient care.

Medical staff services personnel are responsible for maintaining the credentialing of all physicians and allied health practitioners in a healthcare facility. They maintain the records of licensing, continuing education, and training. They are responsible for reviewing and implementing federal standards. The National Association of Medical Staff Services awards the Certified Provider Credentialing Specialist.

Patient representatives, or advocates, help patients understand the health care policies and procedures of the facility, obtain services, and make informed decisions about their care. The work of the patient representative is varied on the basis of the needs of the current patients. Some duties might include assisting with the drafting of a living will or resolving a conflict between the facility staff and patient. Hospitals and other facilities set their own requirements for the education and experience background of this individual. Many patient representatives have a master’s degree in a health-related field.

Human resource and labor relations personnel recruit, screen, and hire qualified employees and match them to appropriate jobs. They may also provide training and development opportunities to increase employee satisfaction and decrease turnover. They may interview prospective employees, explain benefits of employment, and supervise background checks before hiring occurs (Box 33-2). In 2004 the Joint Commission mandated that criminal background checks be performed on any person who interacts with patients. This includes staff, students, and volunteers. The Fair Credit Reporting Act defines the guidelines for requesting or requiring background checks. In some cases human resource personnel may act as mediators or arbitrators to resolve employment disputes. The education required for human resources varies with the duties and level of responsibility required. A bachelor’s degree is a typical entry level, but master’s degrees in human resources administration are available. Certification is available for the Certified Employee Benefits Specialist, and the Society for Human Resource Management offers two levels of certification for more senior personnel.

BOX 33-2 Health Care Pre-employment or Student Background Check *