This paper explores the author's initial interest in healthcare sales work and subsequent reassessment of that career path. The paper examines key healthcare industry practices and regulations, including AHIMA authentication policies, mobile technology's role in medical records, advance directives and living wills, and the ICD-10-CM/ICD-10-PCS coding systems. The author ultimately reflects on personal values, educational commitment, and determination to contribute meaningfully to healthcare delivery despite recognizing potential obstacles.
Initially, I was attracted to the idea of working as a sales vendor for healthcare. I liked the idea of having a variety of clients, as well as the facets of travel and meeting different people that are involved with this kind of work. I also was intrigued by the role that sales vendors play in the delivery of healthcare—they help healthcare providers maintain a steady supply of products and equipment that the latter utilizes in their daily operations. Still, after researching a couple of different sources about this position, I actually do not think I am interested. The constant selling point that is the proverbial bottom line of this position interferes with, I believe, the role this position plays in healthcare delivery.
I found an authentication policy template from the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA). This document provides basic information about healthcare policy and the legalities involved with verifying it. It primarily provides information regarding electronic signatures. One must amend a patient's medical record by doing so in a manner that is legally and organizationally compliant. There are several regulatory agencies within the healthcare industry that have specific mandates about legalities pertaining to record keeping. One must act in accordance with these mandates when attempting to amend a patient's medical record so that it is accurate and current, and ideally maintains some sort of lineage about that person's medical history.
The impact of mobile technologies on the storage and retention of health records varies according to what type of records. Generally, these technologies have impacted the way that professionals can access these records through the means of mobile devices. There is limited use of mobile technologies to paper patient records—unless those records are input into electronic format. Electronic records and problem-oriented medical records are accessible through mobile devices. However, users must ensure that they conform to regulations regarding the retention of those records on their mobile devices, which involves issues of security and data governance.
One of the advance directives of my doctor's office involves filling out a living will. The importance in filling out this document is that it provides a degree of accountability of a patient's own accord in the event that there is something noxious (if not fatal) that occurs to him or her while undergoing diagnosis or treatment. It also helps to make provisions for such harmful situations. I do not have a living will nor do I necessarily fill out those types of forms. Not all doctor's offices require them; I do not want to think too much about such morbidity.
The ICD-10-CM is a replacement for the ICD-9-CM (volumes one and two) as a system for the international classification of disease. During the summer of 2014, there was a mandate from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services mandating this replacement to take effect in 2015. This code is used to classify mortality data found on death certificates. The ICD-10-PCS is another code that replaces the ICD-9-CM coding system. The former is radically different from the latter and focuses more on anatomy and physiology than the latter did.
"Educational persistence and service values"
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