RHIA case studies
RHIA · Put your knowledge to work in context.
The Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA) is an AHIMA credential for professionals who manage health information and the people, systems, and operational units that depend on it. AHIMA describes RHIAs as a critical link between care providers, payers, and patients, with comprehensive knowledge of the medical, administrative, ethical, and legal requirements and standards related to healthcare delivery and the privacy of protected patient information. The RHIA case studies are 5 cases and about 3,875 words.
1Shutting Down a Legacy EHR Under an Active Legal Hold
A 320-bed community hospital is folding into a three-hospital system, and its 14-year-old EHR is scheduled for shutdown in 90 days. The legacy system holds about 4.1 million page-images plus discrete results, medication history, and audit logs for 640,000 patients.
756 words, about 4 min2Three Release-of-Information Requests in One Morning
the release-of-information desk receives three requests. (1) A plaintiff attorney serves a subpoena duces tecum for the complete record of a patient treated after a motor vehicle crash; the record includes behavioral health progress notes and psychotherapy notes.
842 words, about 4 min3Sepsis Alert Rollout After Six Months of Data
A 400-bed hospital deployed an EHR sepsis early-warning alert six months ago. Of 1,850 alerts fired, 210 corresponded to confirmed sepsis, a positive predictive value of about 11%.
768 words, about 4 min4Pressure to Query Every Account
A 210-bed hospital reports a case mix index of 2.10 against a 1.86 peer median. Its Medicare Advantage denial rate for inpatient short-stay admissions is 11.8% versus a 6% regional benchmark; 340 third-quarter admissions with a stay under two midnights were denied as not medically necessary.
770 words, about 4 min5DNFB Backlog, Remote Coders, and an Incoming Acquisition
You are the HIM director of a 300-bed hospital with 42 HIM FTEs across coding, release of information, and document imaging. Release-of-information turnover hit 28% last year, two coding positions are vacant, and unbilled discharges (DNFB) total $4.3 million, with 38% aged past 14 days.
739 words, about 4 min