Course
Prefix/Number: ALHT 210
Course
Title: Legal
Aspects of Health Information
Division: Outreach
and Workforce Development
Program: Health Information Technology
Credit
Hours: 3.0
Initiation/Revised
Date: Fall
2007
Instructor:
Tracy
Clark, MS, RHIA
CLASSIFICATION OF
INSTRUCTION
This
course with laboratory components focuses study on medicolegal principles that
govern health information management, sources of law and the legal system, the
judicial process, liability, patient record requirements, access to health
information, consent, confidentiality, privacy and security issues, special
protections for patient records, fraud and abuse, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
(HIPAA) and
electronic health information issues which allow for widespread access and
integration of health data.
ALHT
110 Health Information Technology, ALHT 120 Health Information Technology Lab,
or Instructor consent.
Legal Aspects of Health
Care Administration, Tenth Edition,
George D. Pozgar, 2004, Jones and Bartlett Publishers, Inc. ISBN:
0763739278
Johns, Merida, PhD, RHIA, Health
Information Management Technology: An
Applied Approach.
Roach, William H., Jr. J.D., Medical
Records and the Law. 4rd
ed.
Kansas Healthcare Association
Consent Manual, current edition
Joint Commission
Comprehensive Accreditation Manual for Hospitals, current edition
American Health Information
Management Association, www.ahima.org
2. Identify and interpret the sources of law
related to health information management
3. Define and explain confidentiality, privacy,
and security
4. Explain the medical record as a legal document
5. Compare and contrast the different types of
requests for health information
6. Analyze patient data for appropriate release
to authorized users
7. Interpret and explain the retention
requirements for health care records from various agencies
8. Explain with regard to the use and disclosure
of health information:
a.
Regulatory agencies
b.
Statutory and regulatory law
c.
Public health reporting requirements
AHIMA DOMAINS
Domain 3: Health Services Organization and Delivery
Subdomain A: healthcare Delivery Systems
2. Apply policies
and procedures to comply with the changing regulations among various
payment systems for healthcare
services such as Centers for Medicare and Medicaid
Services (CMS), managed care.
Subdomain B. Healthcare Compliance,
Confidentiality, Ethical, Legal, and Privacy Issues
1.
Implement the
legal and regulatory requirements related to health information.
2.
Apply regulatory
policies and procedures for access and disclosure of protected health
information (PHI)
3.
Maintain user
access logs/systems to track access to and disclosure of patient-identifiable
data.
4.
Identify and
report privacy issues/problems
5.
Demonstrate and
promote legal and ethical standards of practice
6.
Report compliance
issues according to organizational policy
8. Implement health record documentation
guidelines and provide education to staff
Domain 4: Information Technology and Systems
Subdomain A: Information and Communication Technologies
5. Protect data
integrity using software or hardware technology (Note: Integrity means that
data should be complete,
accurate, consistent and up-to-date)
Subdomain C: Data Security
1. Apply
confidentiality and security measures to protected health information (PHI)
2. Apply
departmental and organizational data and information system security policies
I. Historical Perspective
II. Introduction to Law
III.
Tort Law/Tort Reform
IV.
Criminal Aspects of Health Care
V.
Contracts and Antitrust
VI.
Civil Procedure and Trial Practice
VII.
Corporate Liability
VIII. Medical Staff
IX.
Liability by Department and Health Care Professionals
X.
Information Management and Health Care Records
XI.
Patient Consent
XII.
Legal Reporting Requirements
XIII. Issues of Procreation
XIV. Patient Rights and Responsibilities
XV.
Acquired immune Deficiency Syndrome
XVI. Health Care Ethics
SCHEDULE
This class meets online for
weekly learning units. The class
materials for each unit will be available for a minimum of eight days, starting
____________ and ending ______________.
|
Week |
Topic/Exam |
Readings/Activities |
|
1 |
Course Introduction &
Orientation Historical Perspective |
Chapter 1 assignment / Test |
|
2 |
Introduction to Law |
Chapter 2 assignment/ Test |
|
3 |
Tort Law/Tort Reform |
Chapter 3 & 22
assignment / Test |
|
4 |
Criminal Aspects of Health
Care |
Chapter 4 assignment / Test |
|
5 |
Contracts and Antitrusts |
Chapter 5 assignment / Test |
|
6 |
Civil Procedure and Trial
Practice |
Chapter 6 assignment / Test |
|
7 |
Corporate Liability |
Chapter 7 assignment / Test |
|
8 |
Medical Staff |
Chapter 8 assignment / Test |
|
9 |
Liability by Department
& Health Care Professionals |
Chapter 10 assignment /
Test |
|
10 |
Information Management
& Health Care Records |
Chapter 11 assignment /
Test |
|
11 |
Patient Consents |
Chapter 12 assignment /
Test |
|
12 |
Legal Reporting
Requirements |
Chapter 13 assignment /
Test |
|
13 |
Issues of Procreation |
Chapter 14 assignment /
Test |
|
14 |
Patient Rights and
Responsibilities & Research Paper DUE |
Chapter 15 assignment /
Test |
|
15 |
Acquired Immune Deficiency
Syndrome |
Chapter 16 assignment /
Test |
|
16 |
Health Care Ethics |
Chapter 17 assignment /
Test |
|
17 |
Final |
Final |
A cumulative point system is
used. Your class assignments will
include reading, review questions, written reports, case studies, Website
research, projects, practice exercises, discussion questions, chapter quizzes
and examinations. The chapter
examinations will be a part of each learning unit and are completed after the
unit assignments, and prior to starting the next unit. Possible points for written reports, case
studies, projects, and exams will vary and tracking of your total points for
each assignment or exam will be available on the course Website. Class assignments will be evaluated for
accuracy, content, form, knowledge of subject matter, application of knowledge
and ability to communicate effectively.
Class participation is an
essential element to your success in this course. Participation in an online course means you
stay on schedule, turn assignments in on time, post discussion boards responses
timely, and share comments to your classmates’ discussion postings. You are expected to respond to discussion
board questions with at least one posting of your original thoughts and ideas. It is expected that there will b differences
of opinions on certain discussion board topics.
Please be respectful of the different opinions you read and respond
to. As the discussion is monitored,
inappropriate and rude postings will be deleted an no points will be given to
the offender.
A research paper of 5-7 pages
(double-spaced) is to be completed on a contemporary legal issue (e.g.,
patient’s rights, consent, HIPPA, emergency medical treatment and
transfers). The paper should be related
to a topic covered in this course with research of the topic coming from at
least three sources. Properly reference
your sources in your paper. The paper is
due _______________.
Complete assignments by the
due date. Late assignments will be
docked 10% and only accepted 1 day past due date. Make-ups for exams or assignments are only
permitted under special circumstances and with prior approval by the
instructor. Borderline grades will be
viewed in terms of timely completion of assignments and class participation.
Total points accumulated
during the semester will be calculated into a percent and graded on the scale
below.
Letter grades will be given
using the following scale:
A = 90-100%
B = 80-89%
C = 70-79%
D = 60-69%
F = 59% and below
Absences that occur due to students participating in official
college activities are excused except in those cases where outside bodies, such
as the State Board of Nursing, have requirements for minimum class minutes for
each student. Students who are excused will be given reasonable opportunity to
make up any missed work or receive substitute assignments from the instructor
and should not be penalized for the absence.
Proper procedure should be followed in notifying faculty in advance of
the student’s planned participation in the event. Ultimately it is the student’s responsibility
to notify the instructor in advance of the planned absence.
Unless students are participating in a school activity or are excused by the instructor,
they are expected to attend class. If a
student’s absences exceed one-hundred (100) minutes per credit hour for the
course or, in the case of on-line or other non-traditional courses, the student
is inactive for one-eighth of the total course duration, the instructor has the
right, but is not required, to withdraw a student from the course. Once the student has been dropped for
excessive absences, the registrar’s office will send a letter to the student,
stating that he or she has been dropped.
A student may petition the chief academic officer for reinstatement by
submitting a letter stating valid reasons for the absences within one week of
the registrar’s notification. If the
student is reinstated into the class, the instructor and the registrar will be
notified.
It is the responsibility of the student to properly drop the
course. Students, who are still enrolled
in this class after the final drop date, but fail to participate in class, are
at risk for a failing grade. Your grade
will be based on the total points accumulated through the last date of participation.
Student gain will be
determined by student improvement in each of the areas of student
competencies.
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
NCCC expects every student to
demonstrate ethical behavior with regard to academic pursuits. Academic integrity in coursework is a specific
requirement. Definitions, examples, and
possible consequences for violations of Academic Integrity, as well as the
appeals process, can be found in the College Catalog, Student Handbook, and/or
Code of Student Conduct and Discipline.
This online class allows you
to work independently or with other students in the class. For your own benefit, you need to complete
all assignments on your own unless otherwise indicated. Do not use the work of others and submit it
as your own. You may refer to the
textbook and resources when taking tests online, however the tests are timed
and you may lose points if you exceed the time limit. The true test of what you learn in this class
will be demonstrated when you take the AHIMA certification exam to become a
Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT). The expectation for this class is for you to
be professional and ethical – do your own work.
CELL PHONE POLICY:
Student cell phones and
pagers must be turned off during class times. Faculty may approve an exception
for special circumstances.
DISCLAIMER:
This syllabus is a broad
outline of subject matter intended to be covered. It does not mean that everything herein will
be covered, nor does it limit the content of the class to the material
described. Information and statements in
this document are subject to change at the discretion of NCCC. Because Introduction to Health Information is
basic to understanding many of the other courses in the Health Information
Technology program, a grade of C or better is required to continue the program.
NOTE: If
you are a student with a disability who may need accommodation(s) under the
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), please notify the Director of Advising and Counseling, Chanute Campus, Student
Union, 620-431-2820 ext 280 or the Dean,
Ottawa Campus, 785-242-2607 ext 312, as soon as possible. You will need to bring your documentation for
review in order to determine reasonable accommodations, and then we can assist
you in arranging any necessary accommodations.
Note: Information
and statements in this document are subject to change at the discretion of
NCCC. Changes will be published in
writing and made available to students.