Creating and Maintaining Your Personal Health Record
Steps you can take now to improve your healthcare experience and outcome:
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Create a personal health record (PHR). To learn how, visit MyPHR.com by the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA). Your PHR can be maintained in a paper-based file, a file on CD or jump drive, or online.
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Request electronic copies of healthcare documentation for continuity of care at the time of each encounter. Ask if there will be an additional charge. We believe patients have the right to access their health information free of charge. In February 2009, The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) was signed into law and requires covered entities under HIPAA to provide or transfer a consumer's health information in electronic format upon request ("The Empowered Patient," Journal of AHIMA, February 2010).
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Review your medical record documentation and your EOBs (Explanation Of Benefits) and medical bills promptly. If you have questions about the documentation, write to your physician. If you have questions about your bills, contact the business office and request an itemized bill if applicable. The line-item bill provides a detailed list of all services and supplies administered to the patient. Compare the itemized bill to medical record documentation of the encounter.
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Understand your health insurance benefits and coverage policies. Know your benefits, copays, coinsurances, deductibles, covered services, excluded services, and required precertifications and preauthorizations. Medical necessity guidelines may apply to services and procedures, and these guidelines may vary by state and payer.
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Communicate with your insurance company or carrier and request reconsideration when necessary.
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Communicate with your healthcare providers and request a financial counselor when necessary. Many hospitals will work with uninsured patients to help them find government assistance. Community care programs are also available at most hospitals. Do not delay in completing the paperwork required to apply for these various types of assistance. If you don't qualify for government or community care assistance, ask about discounts.
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Request amendments to your healthcare documentation if necessary.
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Document all of your communications.
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Contact a medical billing advocate for advice about how to proceed when you have questions about your medical bills.
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Contact a medical billing advocate for help comparing your itemized bills to your healthcare documentation.
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Contact a medical billing advocate for help creating and maintaining your PHR or EHR and understanding your medical records rights.
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Contact a credit counseling agency or an attorney about your healthcare bills and documentation, if needed, to receive legal advice, action, and resolution.
A new patient-centered approach is developing in regard to nationwide implementation of EHR. By taking charge of our personal health information, we help to propel the EHR initiative forward.
We believe the patient-centered approach to healthcare will lead to improvements in the quality and efficiency of healthcare services, experiences, and outcomes.
Additional helpful information:
