About the Duties of Medical Information Officers

After the Health Information Privacy and Protection Act was implemented in 2003, the job of medical information officers became more difficult. These medical professionals must not only maintain accurate and up to date medical records for the patients in the practice they represent, but must also comply with federal regulations regarding who that information can be distributed to and how. This is an overview of the duties of medical information officers and a job description to help those considering a career in medical support.

History

Most medical professionals require a record of their past treatment of patients, and as a society, Americans have realized within the last few decades that their medical history can have a major impact on their current or future health issues. At first, these records were kept almost casually, often little more than a collection of the doctor's notes to himself regarding previous conditions and treatments. Over the years, these notes became more codified to indicate any medical allergies that the patient might have and, at minimum, the diagnosis and prescribed treatment for each physician's visit. In 2002, in an attempt to ensure a patient's right to privacy, Congress adopted the HIPPA laws. These laws forbid the doctor and his staff from discussing a patient's medical condition with anyone other than the patient, his insurance company, those involved in the patient's treatment and the people that the patient designates. Patients also must determine whether to allow the doctor to leave messages on answering machines or voicemail and even if they want medical information shared with spouses, parents or other family members.

Significance

The medical information officer's job is important in any medical practice because she is in charge of making sure the office is in compliance with HIPPA laws. Failure to comply with the laws can result in huge personal liability to the individual who violates the law, as well as huge fines for the medical practice. Perhaps more important is that the medical information officer is charged with the task of maintaining accurate health records for the use of medical staff in treating that patient. Maintaining an accurate list of allergies and other medical conditions helps protect the patients from receiving insufficient or even inappropriate care. The records can also help the health care staff to diagnose long-term or systemic illness. Improperly maintained records can lead to injury or death in patients and malpractice lawsuits for doctors. The medical records are also used as evidence in malpractice and insurance fraud cases, so the medical information officer must be certain that they are accurate and up to date.

Function

The medical information officer develops forms and record-keeping to assure that the office is in compliance with HIPPA regulations. The officer, working with the medical staff, will determine the best and most efficient ways to relay information to the medical professionals, including specific notations to denote allergies or potential drug interactions. The medical information officer coordinates the dispersal of medical records to patients and to other physicians when the patient is referred to a specialist. This means the officer must also keep abreast of state laws regarding fees for copying medical records. Under most state laws, the records technically belong to the doctor keeping them and he is entitled to charge a minimal fee for making copies of them. Most doctors will waive the fee if the patient is moving out of the region; most charge as much as they legally can when the patient is moving to a competing practice.

Misconceptions

Though the medical information officer works in a medical office, there is no need for this person to have specialized medical training. In fact, this is an almost exclusively administrative position that requires enormous amounts of organization and tact. Many people believe that their medical records should be their personal property. Having to explain this and other medical policies to the patients will often fall to the medical information officers. Medical information officers often handled correspondence with other health officials and medical offices as well.

Warning

Working as a medical information officer requires an enormous amount of organization and patience. At most medical practices, records cannot be released without permission from the doctors who took the initial notes. In addition, medical information officers can sometimes be called to testify in court regarding the records, certifying that to the best of their knowledge the records are accurate. In a large practice, the job can also be very stressful, as several people may need records simultaneously and with differing degrees of urgency. The medical information officer may be called on to prioritize work based on the medical urgency of the case.