Case Study 7.1 A day in the life of an HIM director

Laura Oliver is the HIM director for Cedar Hills Psychiatric Hospital, located in Columbus, Ohio. She has 15 years of experience in HIM with five of them as a director. Here is a typical day in her work life at this licensed by the state of Ohio, 200 bed, Medicare-participating facility.

7:45 a.m. While at home preparing to testify at court later this morning, Laura fields a phone call from a concerned release of information (ROI) clerk. The clerk has a police officer in her office requesting the blood type and physical characteristics of a woman who has been a former patient at the facility. The ROI clerk refused to release the information but the officer was insistent. Laura asks to speak directly to the police officer, who explains that the requested information is needed to help locate a paranoid schizophrenic woman who is missing from a group home.

1. Conduct an assessment as to Laura's obligation to fulfill this request. Supply relevant legal corroboration to support your position.

8:37 a.m. While waiting to be called to testify in the court proceeding, Laura works on a request from human resources to supply information needed for a new position in her department, that of Clinical Documentation Improvement Specialist. Human resources asked for education requirements, job experience, and the skills necessary for the position.