The Medical Transcriptionists Role With The Healthcare Record
The healthcare record is:
Chronological
Documents of a patient's initial database
Initial evaluation
Identified problems and needs
Objectives of care
Prescribed treatment
Results
The healthcare record belongs to the hospital, medical facility or office where it originated. It cannot be removed from the premises without a subpoena or court order. Although much of the healthcare record is maintained through computer software systems, most medical care facilities still maintain a paper healthcare record of some sort.
The healthcare record is maintained by the Health Information Department of hospitals and medical facilities and usually headed by a registered record administrator or an accredited record technician.
A former term for the healthcare record for over fifty years was Medical Record. The new term of healthcare record denotes both illness and wellness. The Medical Record Department name has also changed to Health Information Department.
What is the purpose of a healthcare record?
It is a measurement and documentation of care rendered in a medical facility. The healthcare record is used to plan, communicate and evaluate the quality of care given to each patient. It provides proof of work done for each patient. Documents are required to meet federal, state, and JCAHO (Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations) standards and regulations. In addition the documents contained in a healthcare record must meet regulations for reimbursement and third-party payer requirements.
The healthcare record is kept for legal protection for:
The medical care facility
The patient
The staff
The physician
The healthcare record can be used for:
Research
Compiling statistics
Evaluation of healthcare delivery
The healthcare record originates:
In the admissions department of hospitals
Outpatient registration
Emergency department
Private physician facilities reception area
The major role of all departments of healthcare record origins is to:
Collect patient identification and demographic information
Correct spelling of patients legal name and birth date is critical
The information collected is used to assign healthcare record numbers and is maintained for the lifetime of the patient. It is vital that the medical transcriptionist transcribe the identification and demographic information concerning a patient with complete accuracy as well as all other physician dictated reports. A transcribed incorrect date of birth or patient number can produce chaos in the Health Information Department and throughout the medical facility.
This article is FREE to publish with the resource box.
© 2007 Connie Limon All Rights Reserved
Share this: