As a country we continue to maneuver through the evolution of this COVID-19 pandemic and adjust to assist with containment of the virus. During this time, it is clear to us at UASI that Health Information Management (HIM) professionals will play a key role in the fight. On a daily basis our coding and consulting management teams are publishing new best practices on a variety of topics, including for example the proper coding of COVID-19, data validation steps for reliable COVID-19 data collection, and tips on remote working and managing a remote workforce.
U.S. HIM professionals working safely and securely from their homes offer the resiliency of a distributed workforce already operating under the conditions of social distancing. As many hospitals are experiencing a temporary lull before the anticipated influx of COVID-19 patients, many coding professionals are using this time to expand their skill sets to new service types or improve their knowledge of current conditions. Only U.S. workers, working from their homes, are properly prepared to insure the security and privacy of our patients. Requirements within the U.S. have long necessitated Social Security Number driven background checks, home office spaces that have been configured to meet security and privacy requirements and encryption methods that meet the highest standards. These professionals are ready.
Preparation for patient surge has caused many hospitals to suspend most outpatient and elective activity and reduce their inpatient census. This preparation has resulted in the temporary furlough of highly skilled United States HIM professionals. When the need returns and reliable coded data is needed to analyze the COVID-19 disease and response, it will be the work of these U.S. HIM professionals that will be at the vanguard.
A return to health is what we all desire. We will all work through these trials together. When it is time to move ahead, we all look forward to advancing the physical, psychological and economic health of our country and our profession. As front-line witnesses of our country’s medical workers’ commitment to our collective return to health we declare, as a company a profession and a country, WE ARE HERE TO HELP.