Blog Debra Primeau

We are excited to announce a new addition to our leadership team who will help strengthen our continued commitment to excellence for our healthcare partners and clients. Please join us

Key points: As AI continues to play a more important role in healthcare, the need for regulation and use becomes more critical. AI has been increasing the demand for HI

Key points: Data protection must address AI-specific risks. The most important reasons for AI governance are regulatory adherence, data security, ethical AI use and transparency. AI asks for a proactive,

  Key points: Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a serious game-changer in healthcare. Compliance and risk management are more crucial than ever. The foundation of compliance is an organized plan with

Key points: In 2025, Artificial Intelligence will continue to transform healthcare, HHS proposed strengthened HIPAA security rule to protect the security of individuals’ protected health information, and cybersecurity will be

Key points: The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into healthcare systems presents a complex landscape that requires careful consideration. Healthcare leaders need to define how to manage the data used

Key points: In the healthcare industry things are rapidly changing. To keep up, healthcare organizations often need high-level executive professionals without full-time commitment or high expense. Hiring fractional executives often

Key points: Health care inequities impact every individual’s potential to achieve health and well-being.   Certain groups of the population, especially those who have a lower socioeconomic status, tend to

Key points: The growing use of electronic health information systems, information technology (IT) and the Internet in healthcare increases the risk of security and privacy breaches, especially when it comes

Key points: Certain groups of the population tend to have a higher exposure to risk factors for disease. HI professionals are instrumental in collecting comprehensive data and creating action plans.

Key points: Health systems are increasingly prioritizing the development of artificial intelligence (AI) oversight efforts as they are exploring the new opportunities.   Healthcare AI is generating a lot of

Key points: Healthcare organizations have been resistant to the adoption of AI-backed digital technology. However, AI-driven customer issue resolution is increasingly becoming highly sought and desirable. The healthcare industry needs

Key points: Healthcare’s interest in generative AI will continue in 2024. Also, consumers are becoming more accustomed to digital-enabled conveniences that help them organize or manage their health data.  

Dear Primeau Community,   We are thrilled to announce a significant addition to our leadership team that will undoubtedly elevate our commitment to excellence for our healthcare partners and clients.

November is National Family Caregivers Month. Many seniors prefer to age in place, remaining in the comfort of their own homes. Family caregivers provide love and support to their older

What Healthcare Workers Need to Know About Laws and Implementation   In the modern healthcare landscape, data plays a pivotal role in providing efficient, patient-centric care. Application Programming Interfaces (APIs)

Privacy and security need to be considered for any app. App developers need to understand their legal obligations. The FTC released an updated Mobile Health App Interactive Tool that allows users

Now that we have reviewed the why of adolescent data segmentation, we can back it up with some important regulations that will aid in supporting the push facilities face in

Dear Healthcare Heroes,   In the ever-evolving landscape of healthcare, your dedication to providing the best care possible remains unwavering. As you continue to be the frontline warriors, it’s essential

Only 12 percent of adults have adequate health literacy. Low health literacy has been linked to poor healthcare outcomes, which leads to higher healthcare costs. Healthcare organizations must also be

The Plain Language Action and Information Network (PLAIN) is a community of federal employees dedicated to the idea that citizens deserve clear communication from government. Healthcare is complicated, and misunderstandings

Women have always been essential to the history of health care and medicine. Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell was the first woman in the United States to earn a medical degree. Dr.

Primeau Consulting Group, Inc. is pleased to announce that Kristen Borth, MS, RHIA has accepted the position of Chief Operating Officer. Ms. Borth is a health information and informatics professional

AHIMA Health Information Professionals Week (HIP WEEK) April 17 – 21, 2023 recognizes and celebrates health information professionals and their extraordinary impact on healthcare. Health information (HI) professionals play an

Gen Z is a game changer for the healthcare industry, bringing a whole new set of expectations. Being the first generation to be born into a world with the internet,

Telehealth lets your health care provider care for you without an in-person office visit. It’s done online with internet access on your computer, tablet, or smartphone via video chat, phone

The end of 2022 is looming, and it’s time to get out the crystal ball and share some thoughts on what to expect for healthcare in 2023. 2022 has allowed

What is health literacy? The definition of health literacy was updated in August 2020. The update addresses personal health literacy and organizational health literacy. According to the Centers for Disease

Healthcare business is a business of relationships. Today’s patients are much better-informed customers of healthcare services than ever before, with increasingly high expectations regarding health outcomes for them and their

A designated record set (DRS) is defined as “a group of records maintained by or for a covered entity that may include patient medical and billing records; the enrollment, payment,

The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology’s (ONC) final rule on interoperability, information blocking, and patient access to data implements certain provisions of the 21st Century Cures

Interoperability is crucial as healthcare becomes more global and more connected. And the pandemic has emphasized the importance of being able to exchange data accurately, securely and quickly.   The

The 1973 Roe v. Wade case saw the Supreme Court rule by a vote of seven to two that a woman’s right to terminate her pregnancy was protected by the

Leadership is essential to growth and success. Bad leadership can ruin even the most successful endeavor. Leadership is the make-or-break element. Often, it’s the difference between a successful organization and

There are always lots of changes in the healthcare industry. The list of new government regulations never seems to end. One of the bigger changes that leaves a huge impact

2021 was the worst ever year for healthcare industry data breaches. 714 databreaches of 500 or more records were reported to the Department of Health andHuman Services (HHS). About 46

The health care industry has experienced major changes over the past couple of years. The pandemic led many consumers to rely on virtual care. Health care consumer engagement has changed in three big ways: more virtual, more retail, more digital.

It’s a new year with new challenges. 2022 might be shaking up the healthcare industry with new cyber threats. “Every organization in the United States is at risk from cyber

The end of 2021 is looming, and it’s time to think about everything that has happened in healthcare over the past year in addition to COVID-19. As the COVID-19 pandemic

The 21st Century Cures Act, passed in 2016, includes a provision requiring that patients can electronically access all of their electronic health information (EHI), structured and/or unstructured, at no cost

“Social determinants of health” (SDOH) refers to the factors outside of traditional care that impact a patient’s health, like education, the place where people were born, live, work, learn, play,

The term “social determinants of health” (SDOH) refers to the factors outside of traditional care that impact a patient’s health, such as “the circumstances in which people are born, grow

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) defines telehealth as “the use of telecommunications and information technology to provide access to health assessment, diagnosis, intervention, consultation, supervision and information

The surge in telehealth use amid the pandemic has shown that interoperability is one of the biggest challenges to deliver high-quality healthcare. Healthcare professionals need interoperable patient data to deliver

The term “social determinants of health” (SDOH) refers to the factors outside of traditional care that impact a patient’s health, such as “the circumstances in which people are born, grow

American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) Patient ID Day will be held on Wednesday, March 24th, 2021. Join AHIMA on that day as HIM members reach out to Members of Congress asking

In March 2019, the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) issued a Proposed Rule, 21st Century Cures Act: Interoperability, Information Blocking, and the ONC Health IT

It’s time to get out the crystal ball and share some thoughts on what to expect for healthcare in 2021. In 2021, there will be a higher expectation for information

Application programing interfaces (APIs) are a set of standards that govern how software applications interact with each other. APIs are essential in health care data exchange, whether for data analytics,

“A master patient index (MPI) is an index of known patients within a single organization whose visits are linked together by a single identifier, typically the medical record number. MPI

Healthcare data is collected to improve the cost and quality of healthcare. But this leads to the question of how to incorporate data of different quality and accessibility, as the

Information blocking is “a practice by a health IT developer of certified health IT, health information network, health information exchange, or health care provider that, except as required by law

On July 15, 2020, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Robert Redfield and United States Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) Chief Information Officer Jose Arrieta provided

Website ADA compliance related lawsuits are on the rise. Federal lawsuits have jumped year after year as companies fail to meet website ADA compliance accessibility guidelines. In particular, persons with

Among many other things, COVID-19 has shown us the importance of data for healthcare to predict, prepare, and respond in an effective and structured manner to a global health crisis.

What is health data integrity? Data integrity refers to “the process of maintaining the accuracy, reliability and consistency of data over its entire ‘life-cycle.’ Applied to healthcare, this can include

Patients have more access to their healthcare data today than ever before, leading to more informed healthcare decisions. There are many reasons why people want access to their own information

News about a deadly virus that appeared in Wuhan, China in December 2019 (now called “coronavirus disease 2019”, or “COVID-19”) is everywhere as the number of cases rises. As of

It’s a new year with new challenges. 2020 might be shaking the healthcare industry with new privacy laws and regulations. New rules, new challenges. The Department of Health and Human

The end of 2019 is looming, and with all changes expected for 2020 the big question is: What can be expected in health care in 2020? One of the most

Artificial Intelligence (AI), sometimes called machine intelligence, makes it possible for machines to learn from experience, adjust to new inputs and perform human-like tasks. Computer systems are trained to accomplish

Are you one of the 2.7 million people that use a Fitbit wearable device to track your health goals? Then you are part of the new trend of consumerism in

Did you know that almost 32 million patient records were breached in the first half of 2019? That’s more than double the records breached over the entire 2018 calendar year,

“Learning and innovation go hand in hand. The arrogance of success is to think that what you did yesterday will be sufficient for tomorrow.” – William Pollard This quote by

When it comes to increasing your healthcare organization’s return on investment (ROI), implementing an information governance program might not be the first thing that comes into your mind. But did

Did you know that many people use the words “data” and “information” in the same way because they think that the terms are interchangeable? However, there is a difference in

Blockchain technology is a hot topic in the healthcare industry. It has the potential to transform healthcare by placing the patient at the center of the healthcare system and increasing

Can you imagine a world without mobile devices? Of course not. Mobile devices have taken over our world and are used everywhere. They are having a great influence in our

Health care organizations are collecting and storing large volumes of patient data. Information is when you take the data you have and process and interpret it to transform that data

Every kind of medical facility is a potential target for cyber-attacks. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), passed by Congress in 1996, requires the protection and confidential handling

What is telehealth? The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) defines telehealth as “the use of telecommunications and information technology to provide access to health assessment, diagnosis, intervention, consultation,

2018 is set to bring regulatory changes and some challenges for health care providers. Big data analytics will play a significant role in the coming year. Health care Information Governance

The Pew Research Center officially defined millennials as people born between 1981 and 1996. And although baby boomers are often considered the “largest generation” in number, millennials actually outnumber the

2015 was a banner year for healthcare computer hacks and experts predict that 2016 is going to be worse. Two Southern California hospitals have been recently attacked by hackers who

Many organizations are talking about addressing social determinants of healthcare. The term “social determinants” of health refers to “the circumstances in which people are born, grow up, live, work, and

Healthcare cybersecurity breaches continue to rise, concerning everyone in the healthcare community from providers to services to patients. While everyone hoped these attacks would subside there is still a lot of cyber-transgression occurring.

Many organizations need to consider upgrading their technology, especially regarding data integration- they can choose a structure that is flexible and adaptable to new applications as needed, or function as

Nearly everyone knows Amazon, the successful international e-commerce website for consumers and sellers, founded in 1994. The “Amazon effect” affects multiple industries, including health care.   What exactly is the

There’s a reason why the “Medicare Access & CHIP Reauthorization Act” (MACRA) is also called the “permanent doc fix”. MACRA permanently eliminates the sustainable growth rate (SGR) formula (and its

Most of us here in the United States are used to the traditional health care delivery model: A fee-for-service delivery system, where private insurance companies or patients themselves pay for

The Situation It was in March 2016 when two California hospitals, Chino Valley Medical Center in Chino and Desert Valley Hospital in Victorville, were attacked by hackers demanding a ransom.

About the HIPAA Privacy, Security, and Breach Notification Audit Program The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has begun its next phase of audits of covered

The increase in weather changes, along with recent natural disasters (think Hurricane Katrina, Irma, and Florence, the latest one), has accentuated the importance of electronic health records (EHRs) and their

The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has officially started phase two of its HIPAA audit program, with notification letters being sent to covered entities about their inclusion in the desk audit

ICD-10 grace period ends, but it’s not the end of the world During the first year following ICD-10 implementation in October 2015, physician practices have had nearly a year to

According to The American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA), patients have more opportunities today than ever before to use tools such as patient portals to access their health information. But

On October 14th, 2016, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released the Final Rule implementing the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA). The goal is

Based on the data from the first nine months of 2016, the number of ransomware attacks this year will be four times higher than last year, according to a study

The transition to a Republican administration and a Republican-controlled Congress in January 2017 is expected to bring some changes to the healthcare industry. So what implications on health IT, the

There is an increasing pressure for healthcare organizations to produce timely and accurate documentation. Hospital staff often feels burn-out fueled by documentation rework and retrospective queries. Staff burnout can lead

Phase 2 of the HIPAA audit program was rolled out in March 2016. There are currently more than 200 desk audits ongoing, 167 of those focused on providers, according to

According to the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC), Patient Generated Health Data (PGHD) are “health-related data created, recorded, or gathered by or from patients (or family members

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) health literacy is “the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health information

Information Governance (IG) is a large, complex area (as determined by a recent survey); awareness of it is high (almost 85 percent) and almost 75 percent were familiar with the

April is AHIMA Privacy and Security Month, a great opportunity to keep confidentiality and security on everyone’s radar. The American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) states, “The Privacy Rule sets

These days, digital information is gold. This is especially true in healthcare, where organizations strategically use health information to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and try to enhance the safety and

Obesity is serious – and costly. Weight that is higher than what is considered a healthy weight for a given height is described as overweight or obese. Body Mass Index,

Healthcare organizations are under attack. Hospitals, physician groups, insurance companies – every kind of medical facility is a potential target for cyber-attacks.  According to a report from Accenture, a global management

As the majority of us are aware, recent years have been increasingly challenging in relation to cyber security. Many hospitals across the country have been victims of a hacker attack.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently announced a proposed rule that would make changes in the second year of the Quality Payment Program as required by the Medicare

On average, clinicians spend 28.2 minutes per shift searching for correct patient records, according to the “2016 National Patient Misidentification Report”, a survey of 503 healthcare executives and providers conducted

October is just around the corner and this means that it is the last quarter of this year and also the beginning of fiscal year (FY) 2018 when changes for