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Named after the silos that keep grain safe from the outside world, data silos, also known as information silos, are large collections of information that can only be retrieved and viewed by authorized individuals. In healthcare, data silos generally refer to incompatible electronic health record (EHR) systems. Without data integration capabilities, it becomes significantly harder

History credits the invention of paper to Cai Lun, a Han dynasty court official, in the year 105. After watching how bees and wasps build their hives, he used plant fibers and rags to form the first sheets. Today, paper companies churn out over 300 million tons of paper annually. Yet, this is still not

HIPAA compliance is the most important part of handling protected health information. This law legally binds covered entities and their business associates to follow regulations when handling protected medical information. But what does HIPAA compliance involve? Table of Contents What is HIPAA? What are covered entities? The Privacy Rule The Security Rule The Breach Notification

Medical records exchange can be a complicated, burdensome process, even for healthcare professionals. This goes doubly so for people who are not used to how the healthcare system works. Legal professionals seeking to retrieve medical records for a case must adhere to HIPAA regulations just like healthcare providers. But where do you start? Table of

Healthcare providers and staff work hard every day to provide the best care possible, but nobody is perfect. Electronic health record (EHR) systems have made recording medical information easier than ever. Unfortunately, the copy and paste capabilities of EHRs have also made recurring mistakes more common. Thanks to the sheer number of EHRs at most

When medical records contain the key to winning a case, they can become key evidence in court. To get them, legal professionals can send a subpoena to a healthcare facility requesting a copy of the records. If you are a patient in this situation, you may be wondering what exactly this entails. While your medical

In the modern age, everything moves at lightning speed. Ever since telegraph hand operators started transmitting messages at a then-blistering 25-40 words per minute, our technology has improved by leaps and bounds. In 1924, a fax machine could transmit a single sheet of paper in about 6 minutes, and today a standard email can send

For most people, there is nothing a fax machine can do that a computer with an internet connection can’t do faster. Despite the improvements to the fax machine’s speed and capabilities over decades of development, most are likely collecting dust.  In its day though, the facsimile machine was groundbreaking technology. Samuel Morse sent the first

Requesting medical records is a complicated process, and requesting old records can be especially frustrating. It‘s frustrating to submit a request and wait weeks for a response, only to hear that the records are unavailable. This is especially true when discarded records are relevant to current treatment.  Healthcare providers must retain medical records by law,

Electronic health records (EHRs) are a paperless method of health information management (HIM). The EHR format is designed to be easily shared between healthcare providers, so EHRs include information from every clinician who has taken part in the patient’s care. If kept on an EHR database, any authorized healthcare staff can access the records in

In 1996, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) gave patients the right to obtain copies of most of their medical records. Since then, with the advent of new technology designed to put the power into patient hands, it’s easier than ever to request medical records for a personal health record (PHR). Patients no

Are you a patient wondering, “How can I get my medical records quickly?”  Perhaps you’re a parent trying to figure out the best way to get a doctor’s signature on a sports form for your child. Or maybe you’re an employee looking for a hassle-free way to get a disability form.  In all of these

When a patient needs specialized care from multiple healthcare providers, medical records are integral to ensuring a positive patient experience. With the frequently hectic and urgent nature of providing healthcare services, easy access to patient health information is invaluable. To help provide the highest-quality care possible, care coordination is key.  What is care coordination? Care

Healthcare facilities, like restaurants and retail stores, are dependent on the good reviews and repeat business that comes with providing people the best patient experience possible. Word of mouth advertising and online reviews drive new patient acquisition, especially in places with heavy competition. Accepting new patients is important for a medical practice, as is retaining

Electronic health information is at constant risk of attack by hackers worldwide hoping to make a profit. Whether the hacker uses ransomware to lock up data until the facility makes a cryptocurrency exchange or they sell the information on the black market, cybercriminals stand to make a lot of money by stealing the electronic version

Every patient deserves a high quality of medical care when they need treatment. In some nightmarish cases though, doctors make irreversible medical mistakes. This can cause horrible damages such as heart attack, brain injury, blood clots, or wrongful death. A 2016 study by Johns Hopkins estimated that preventable medical errors cause over 250,000 deaths annually

Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) are one of the most important safety nets in the United States healthcare system. By offering treatment regardless of patients’ ability to pay or their lack of insurance, the healthcare providers and support staff at FQHCs help keep underprivileged communities healthy. Between the increasing rate of patients without adequate insurance

Medical imaging systems offer healthcare providers invaluable insight regarding internal issues without requiring invasive techniques. Whether you’re a patient in need of an old x-ray or a referring physician trying to share patient imaging records with a specialist, you need your health records requests fulfilled as quickly as possible.  In the past, healthcare providers had

Requesting your medical records is oftentimes a complex, burdensome process. Because your protected health information (PHI) is highly sensitive, there are strict regulations regarding who may release it, who can access it, and under which circumstances it can be released.  As outlined by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), a healthcare provider that

With an extensive list of over 50 locations across southern and central California, Acuity Eye Group, a physician-owned and vertically integrated ophthalmology provider, has established itself as the largest ophthalmology group in the Western USA.  Starting in November 2005 as a single retina practice in Pasadena, they now employ over 100 ophthalmologists and optometrists with

Medical records retrieval is a complicated and time-consuming process that often requires additional action to ensure a timely return. When you are gathering medical documentation for your law firm, the last thing you want to do is get stuck waiting. Whether you retrieve medical charts for your firm personally or delegate the task to your

After a year defined by a worldwide pandemic, a new generation witnessed the havoc a contagion can wreak. Unfortunately, the future of public health may hold more grim chapters. Drug-resistant bacteria are a universal concern, as over 700,000 people die each year from previously curable infections and diseases. If antibiotic-resistant infections go unchecked, issues as

For many, adjusting to remote work has been a challenge. It involves adapting to a new routine and learning to use new programs to aid in collaboration and communication. Health information managers (HIM) and other remote release of information (ROI) staff members work with patient data every day. It’s essential for them to protect it.

Seven Strategies for Success It’s an essential step towards building your case – but it’s oftentimes the most burdensome. For lawyers and attorneys, retrieving your client’s medical records can be a lengthy and complicated process. Whether your client suffered an injury at work, in a motor vehicle accident, or is pursuing a malpractice lawsuit, you

Since the introduction of HIPAA, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has taken care to ensure its rules and regulations keep up with new technologies and practices. What you need to know The deadline has passed for comments regarding the proposed changes to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). The U.S.

Unburden your in-house staff with our medical data retrieval services for lawyers.

Your health records are protected under HIPAA and the HITECH Act. Here’s what you need to know about your rights regarding the privacy and security of your PHI.

From seeing a specialist to applying for life insurance, here are 7 common reasons you might need to fill out a release of information form. There are several common reasons for a release of information, including for medical treatment purposes, medical billing, insurance billing, health studies, legal proceedings, and marketing purposes. Sometimes a third party

The release of information process contains more than 40 steps that can be divided into five phases. Here’s a closer look at what happens during each stage.

Find out how the ChartRequest release of information platform can help you streamline your ROI workflows. See how quickly and easily it can be implemented.

Storing PHI in the cloud? Make sure the cloud is HIPAA compliant and observe these Security Rule, Privacy Rule, and Breach Notification Rule considerations.

Cash and in-person billing can promote the spread of the coronavirus. Learn how online bill payment during the ROI process can protect your staff and requestors.

The coronavirus can last for up to 96 hours on certain surfaces including screens and paper. Learn how to protect your staff and requestors against COVID-19.

Health information exchange occurs when healthcare providers securely share PHI online. Learn how HIE works, what the benefits are and how HIE systems protect PHI.

The demand for medical records isn’t decreasing anytime soon. According to a recent study by Pew Research Center, hospital and clinic executives see an increasing demand for accurate and secure medical records exchange.  How is your healthcare organization handling the release of this critical information? The fact is, many healthcare organizations will resort to mailing

Let ChartRequest Help You With Your Retirement Physicians spend their entire career working to care for their patients as a doctor and now as you are getting ready to retire and spend time with your loved ones or have planned out of a country trip or fulfill your long lost dreams. Physicians who are looking

If you were buying a cell phone, you most likely wouldn’t go with the oldest model available. You also wouldn’t let your dentist pull a tooth simply because you have a cavity. And you certainly wouldn’t spend 11 days on a boat to get to England when you could fly there in a matter of

ChartRequest is proud to be recognized on the Inc. 5000 List Inc. Magazine ranked MyHealth, the parent company of ChartRequest, 184th on its 38th annual Inc. 5000, the most prestigious ranking of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies. The list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the American economy’s most dynamic segment—

We are proud to announce the release of new user management enhancements. Now you have even more control over how your team members access and use ChartRequest, our release of information platform.

Serving aboard a nuclear powered, fast-attack submarine in the early 90’s, we once conducted naval war games with surface fleets of several nations off the coast of Portugal.  On one operation, our mission was to hunt and “destroy” an aircraft carrier (a rather large target), while avoiding anti-submarine warfare (ASW) tactics deployed by “enemy” aircraft

There are several approaches to releasing Protected Health Information (PHI).  Methods are often driven by the size or the specific needs to the organization.   Some providers have set up workflows, got them underway some time ago, and they sort of just worked.  Any pain revealed in the process may not be immediately evident, or perhaps