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View All ProductsHealthStream's proven methods for the improvement and overall engagement of your healthcare staff foster a positive workplace and increase retention rates.
View All ProductsThe leadership development program from HealthStream helps mold your high-potential healthcare employees into proven leaders.
View All ProductsFulfill compliance requirements with a variety of programs and courseware designed to address critical regulatory requirements as well as educate staff to recognize and mitigate risks.
View All ProductsBy increasing your healthcare staff's focus on quality and safety with HealthStream, they can help to reduce medical errors and readmission rates.
View All ProductsLearn about what HealthStream's healthcare policy management software and how it can help aid your organization efforts.
View All ProductsHealthStream's education helps address diversity, equity, and inclusion within your organization, as well as promoting health equity in the communities you serve.
View All ProductsDeliver custom or industry designed product training directly to patient and resident care environments to reinforce proper use.
View All ProductsTeach your healthcare staff about the revenue cycle and claim management through targeted training and video tools from HealthStream.
View All ProductsIn all areas of resuscitation, from neonatal to elderly care, clinical deterioration is a risk that can be avoided with the help of HealthStream's training programs.
View All ProductsNurture the skills of your nurses and medical staff to help mold them into effective leaders with development training from HealthStream.
View All ProductsMake sure your clinicians have the support they need to provide competent care with clinical competency training and development from HealthStream.
View All ProductsHealthStream’s learning management system and comprehensive suite of competency management tools empower your healthcare workforce to deliver the best patient care.
View All ProductsThe suite of healthcare onboarding solutions available from HealthStream aids in nurse retention and improved patient outcomes.
View All ProductsGive your healthcare staff the decision support and skills training they need with the online products available from HealthStream.
View All ProductsHealthStream leverages medical professional development in healthcare by providing staff training programs
View All ProductsCreate engaging and impactful learning experiences that meet the unique needs of your acute care staff.
View All ProductsExperience standardized and centralized healthcare provider credentialing, privileging, and enrollment that is smarter and faster than ever before.
View All ProductsAutomated, web-based provider credentialing and enrollment software for growing medical groups.
View All ProductsNCQA-certified CVO verification services for initial and re-credentialing files in an overflow or full-service capacity for healthcare organizations.
View All ProductsSearch, review, and add providers into the Epic provider master file with our Epic app integration, Provider Validate.
View All ProductsFinally, a comprehensive resource to support collecting, storing, and sharing credentialing data with ease.
View All ProductsHealthcare scheduling software designed to optimize staffing requirements & elevate patient care
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View All ProductsHealthStream’s free nurse schedule app, NurseGrid™, is built to help you care for your staff and engage with their specific needs.
View All ProductsMitigate risk and elevate your quality of care. Improving both clinical and business outcomes starts with a smarter, more integrated approach to regulatory training, continuing education and quality management.
Learn MoreApril 5, 2021 marks another significant compliance deadline for healthcare organizations. On that day, certain rule provisions take effect as part of the 21st Century Cures Act from the Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) for Health Information Technology. According to the ONC, “The rule supports secure patient access to their electronic medical record data. Patients will be able to use applications they authorize to receive data from their medical records.” As part of the rule, clinical notes must be made available electronically, free of charge to patients. To facilitate patient access, healthcare entities will need to incorporate secure, standardized application programming interfaces (APIs) that allow an automated and inexpensive way for patients to access their records.
A Focus on Prohibited Information Blocking
According to the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA), this final rule is focused on preventing information blocking, for which it includes eight defined exceptions, and “prohibits health providers, technology vendors, health information exchanges, and health information networks from practices that inhibit the exchange, use, or access of” electronic health information (EHI). AHIMA goes on to define information blocking as “a practice that:
What Information Is Protected from Being Blocked?
Until a subsequent deadline occurs on October 5, 2022, the EHI to which this regulation applies is somewhat limited. AHIMA shares that “These data elements include allergies and intolerances, assessment and plan of treatment, care team members, clinic notes, goals, health concerns, immunizations, laboratory, medications, patient demographics, problems, procedures, provenance, smoking status, unique device IDs for implantable devices, and vital signs.” The same source advises, however, that “After October 5, the standard narrows to electronic protected health information (ePHI) in a designated record set, excluding psychotherapy notes and information gathered for use in a civil, criminal, or administrative action.”
Suggested Measures for 21st Century Cures Act Compliance
AHIMA recommends that healthcare organizations establish the “infrastructure and governance standards to attest to and maintain compliance with the final rules.” Suggested measures include:
What the Rule Means for Patients and Those Interacting with Them
Providers should focus on their interactions with patients about the new rule, especially early after it takes effect. HealthStream partner nThrive reminds organizations that patients will have access to their clinical notes, and consistent communication will be critical for healthcare staff whose positions involve regular patient contact, including patient access, patient financial services, and extended business offices. Even though organizations may feel trepidation about this increased access, it can help patients make more informed decisions, which can also enhance clinical care and improve health outcomes.
Personnel will need to be provided with easy-to-follow instructions for assisting patients with access, and revenue cycle personnel should also know when to direct patients to health information management or the provider. Providers are advised to develop scripting and actions (e.g., when to transfer or refer a patient) around several likely scenarios:
In preparation, every healthcare organization should make sure that all applicable staff members are clear on the information they can share and how to communicate it. Consistent procedures and scripting will improve patient satisfaction, enhance accountability, and engage patients.
Training for Healthcare Revenue Cycle Staff
In addition to a wide range of education for patient access and other revenue cycle staff, HealthStream and our partner nThrive regularly offer updated training materials that incorporate regulatory changes. Learn how HealthStream and nThrive can help healthcare organizations optimize their revenue cycle staff training to improve outcomes.
To meet healthcare organizations’ compliance requirements, HealthStream provides online healthcare compliance training solutions to help health systems, facilities, and providers across the care continuum comply with government regulations and accrediting body requirements. These online training courses span the areas of Billing & Corporate Compliance, HIPAA, Privacy & Security, Research Compliance, and Workforce compliance. These courses are recognized for using video and other interactive elements to engage learners, increase retention, and change staff behavior.
HealthStream’s learning management system and comprehensive suite of competency management tools empower your healthcare workforce to deliver the best patient care.
View All Learning & PerformanceHealthStream offers performance learning management solutions to help develop your healthcare staff into leaders and reduce turnover.
View All ProductsHealthStream works with healthcare organizations to create engaging and high-quality training videos for your staff and management.
View All ProductsImprove care quality and save money by making informed decisions about your healthcare facility and staff with HealthStream's reporting analytics solution.
View All ProductsHealthStream's proven methods for the improvement and overall engagement of your healthcare staff foster a positive workplace and increase retention rates.
View All ProductsThe leadership development program from HealthStream helps mold your high-potential healthcare employees into proven leaders.
View All ProductsWhen you enact HealthStream's quality compliance solutions, you can do so with the confidence your healthcare organization will meet all standards of care.
View All Quality & ComplianceFulfill compliance requirements with a variety of programs and courseware designed to address critical regulatory requirements as well as educate staff to recognize and mitigate risks.
View All ProductsBy increasing your healthcare staff's focus on quality and safety with HealthStream, they can help to reduce medical errors and readmission rates.
View All ProductsLearn about what HealthStream's healthcare policy management software and how it can help aid your organization efforts.
View All ProductsHealthStream's education helps address diversity, equity, and inclusion within your organization, as well as promoting health equity in the communities you serve.
View All ProductsHealthStream offers professional training and education on how to best optimize your reimbursement process within your healthcare organization.
View All ReimbursementTeach your healthcare staff about the revenue cycle and claim management through targeted training and video tools from HealthStream.
View All ProductsLearn about our advanced resuscitation training solutions. Our solutions are designed to help improve patient outcomes.
View All ResuscitationIn all areas of resuscitation, from neonatal to elderly care, clinical deterioration is a risk that can be avoided with the help of HealthStream's training programs.
View All ProductsNurture the skills of your nurses and medical staff to help mold them into effective leaders with development training from HealthStream.
View All ProductsExpand the decision-making skills and effectiveness of your healthcare workforce with HealthStream's clinical development programs and services.
View All Clinical DevelopmentMake sure your clinicians have the support they need to provide competent care with clinical competency training and development from HealthStream.
View All ProductsHealthStream’s learning management system and comprehensive suite of competency management tools empower your healthcare workforce to deliver the best patient care.
View All ProductsThe suite of healthcare onboarding solutions available from HealthStream aids in nurse retention and improved patient outcomes.
View All ProductsGive your healthcare staff the decision support and skills training they need with the online products available from HealthStream.
View All ProductsHealthStream leverages medical professional development in healthcare by providing staff training programs
View All ProductsLearn more about HealthStream's provider credentialing, privileging, & enrollment solutions for healthcare organizations.
View All CredentialingExperience standardized and centralized healthcare provider credentialing, privileging, and enrollment that is smarter and faster than ever before.
View All ProductsAutomated, web-based provider credentialing and enrollment software for growing medical groups.
View All ProductsNCQA-certified CVO verification services for initial and re-credentialing files in an overflow or full-service capacity for healthcare organizations.
View All ProductsSearch, review, and add providers into the Epic provider master file with our Epic app integration, Provider Validate.
View All ProductsMake sure your healthcare staff can schedule out appointments and work schedules with ease using HealthStream's line of software solutions.
View All SchedulingHealthcare scheduling software designed to optimize staffing requirements & elevate patient care
View All ProductsPrecisely align staffing and needed resources to enable efficient patient flow and high-quality, cost-effective patient care.
View All ProductsHealthStream’s free nurse schedule app, NurseGrid™, is built to help you care for your staff and engage with their specific needs.
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