HI125: Healthcare Delivery & Information Management Instructor: Karen Tepe Week 7 Seminar

Outstanding Questions?

Unit 7 Seminar Topics Master Patient Index (MPI) Filing Methods Storage of Paper Records

Master Patient Index A database of every patient who has been seen at a healthcare facility –Links information for a patient to the medical record number –Key to finding a patient’s medical record –Manual or computerized

Master Patient Index AHIMA recommends the following core data elements : –Medical Record Number –Patient Name –DOB –Gender –Race –Ethnicity –Address –Alias/previous name –SS# –Account number –Admission date –Discharge date –Service type –Patient disposition

Master Patient Index Allows for various reporting for business and/or marketing purposes Serves as notice that the patient has been at the facility previously Note: Watch for duplicate medical records

Numbering Methods Serial Numbering –New number every time –Records are filed in different locations Unit Numbering –One number used over and over –One location, easily retrieved –Cost effective – one folder per patient Serial-Unit Numbering –New number every time, with old records reassigned the new number –One location, easily retrieved –Cross reference required for old numbers

Numbering Methods Social Security Numbering –Used in VAMCs –Identity theft Family Numbering –Household assigned a number with a modifier for each member –Used in Family Practitioner’s offices most often

Filing Systems Alphabetic –No universally accepted rules –Usually Lastname, First Name, Middle Initial –Easy to learn –Does not require a MPI –Files do not expand at an even rate, must reorganize

Filing Systems Numeric –Straight Numeric Strict chronologic order lowest to highest Files expand easily by adding to the end Staff must consider all digits of a number to file Misfiles can increase as number of files increase Work space is restricted –Terminal Digit Filing Reverse numeric filing Number is broken into sections Files expand evenly as new records are added because they are distributed throughout the sections Work is evenly distributed Training is more complex

Filing Systems Terminal Digit Example: –Go to section 708 –Go to beginning of section 708 and put in order behind 255 Files would look like this:

Filing Systems Terminal Digit Example: –Go to section 18 –Within section 18, go to section 50 –Go to beginning of section 50 and put in order behind 30 Files would look like this:

Record Storage Centralized –One location –Tube system –Shadow records Decentralized –Located close to providers – problematic for patients at multiple clinics –Fragmented record –Lack of uniformity

Questions?