The lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (or questioning) (LGBTQ) population faces barriers to appropriate healthcare access.
EDITOR’S NOTE: The American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) has developed a practice brief on this issue, and ICD10monitor will continue to report on how recognition of this vulnerable population is being demonstrated by providers.
The American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) recognized the growing need to provide best practices and resources for our membership to provide proper communication and an inclusive environment for the LGBTQ patient population.
A volunteer workgroup is very active; publishing blogs, articles, practice briefs and presenting to component state associations on the topic. Last week in Miami, Florida at our 90th Annual Convention and Exhibit, the workgroup presented “Data Collection for Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in the EHR” to a packed house of engaged attendees.
The LGBTQ community face a variety of health disparities. There are challenges with receiving adequate health care including concerns for social stigma and discrimination that have been associated with mental health issues, substance abuse and unfortunately, even suicide.
The government has recognized the need for additional documentation capture to foster better care for this patient population.
For the first time, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through their Healthy People 2020 initiative, addressed LGBTQ health directly. HHS included sexual orientation/gender identity (SO/GI) data elements in the 2015 Edition of Certified Technology (CEHRT) and provided guidance on how to capture the data elements.
While the government’s steps are certainly a huge step forward, healthcare organizations have a long way to go to ensure they are addressing, communicating, documenting and caring for the LGBTQ population to the best of their abilities.
All caregivers who encounter patients should receive adequate sensitivity training to enable proper communication and foster trust with the LGBTQ patient population. For instance, if a transgender individual presents who may be undergoing transition (affirmation), the registration staff need to be trained properly to address and communicate with the patient. As discussed in AHIMA’s Journal articles and practice briefs on the topic, creating a diversity task force within each healthcare organization is a highly recommended first step.
HIM professionals must work diligently with their IT professionals to ensure proper data can be captured to adequately support operations and the revenue cycle. This collaborative and iterative approach should be inclusive of EHR and registration system vendors.
Fields such as preferred name and associated pronoun, legal name and sex, sex assigned at birth, and self-identified sexual orientation / gender identity status should all be considered. For now, workarounds for capturing and maintaining data needed to support orders, coding and billing for this patient population is necessary.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is proposing targeted changes to the Long-Term Care Hospital (LTCH) Quality Reporting Program (QRP) in the fiscal
Like many of you, I am deathly allergic to clinical documentation integrity (CDI), but do not worry; I premedicated with prednisone and an antihistamine prior
Please log in to your account to comment on this article.
Stop revenue leakage and boost hospital performance by mastering risk adjustment and HCCs. This essential webcast with expert Cheryl Ericson, RN, MS, CCDS, CDIP, will reveal how inaccurate patient acuity documentation leads to lost reimbursements through penalties from poor quality scores. Learn the critical differences between HCCs and traditional CCs/MCCs, adapt your CDI workflows, and ensure accurate payments in Medicare Advantage and value-based care models. Perfect for HIM leaders, coders, and CDI professionals. Don’t miss this chance to protect your hospital’s revenue and reputation!
Struggling with ICD-10-CM coding for diabetes and complications? This expert-led webcast clarifies complex combination codes, documentation gaps, and sequencing rules to reduce denials and ensure compliance. Dr. Angela Comfort will provide actionable strategies to accurately link diabetes to complications, improve provider documentation, and optimize reimbursement—helping coders, CDI specialists, and HIM leaders minimize audit risks and strengthen revenue integrity. Don’t miss this chance to master diabetes coding with real-world case studies, key takeaways, and live Q&A!
Uncover critical guidance. HIM coding expert, Kay Piper, RHIA, CDIP, CCS, provides an interactive review on important information in each of the AHA’s 2025 ICD-10-CM/PCS Quarterly Coding Clinics in easy-to-access on-demand webcasts, available shortly after each official publication.
Uncover critical guidance. Kay Piper provides an interactive review on coding guidelines and more in the AHA’s fourth quarter 2025 ICD-10-CM/PCS Coding Clinic in an easy to access on-demand webcast.
Stay ahead of Medicare Advantage’s 2025-2026 regulatory changes in this critical webcast featuring expert Tiffany Ferguson, LMSW, CMAC, ACM. Learn how new CMS rules limit MA plan denials, protect hospitals from retroactive claim reopenings, and modify Two-Midnight Rule enforcement—plus key insights on omitted SDoH mandates and heightened readmission scrutiny. Discover actionable strategies to safeguard revenue, ensure compliance, and adapt to evolving health equity priorities before the June 2025 deadline. Essential for hospitals, revenue cycle teams, and compliance professionals navigating MA’s shifting landscape.
Struggling with CMS’s 3-Day Payment Window? Join compliance expert Michael G. Calahan, PA, MBA, CCO, to master billing restrictions for pre-admission and inter-facility services. Learn how to avoid audit risks, optimize revenue cycle workflows, and ensure compliance across departments. Critical for C-suite leaders, providers, coders, revenue cycle teams, and compliance teams—this webcast delivers actionable strategies to protect reimbursements and meet federal regulations.
Providers face increasing Medicare audits when using skin substitute grafts, leaving many unprepared for claim denials and financial liabilities. Join veteran healthcare attorney Andrew B. Wachler, Esq., in this essential webcast and master the Medicare audit process, learn best practices for compliant billing and documentation, and mitigate fraud and abuse risks. With actionable insights and a live Q&A session, you’ll gain the tools to defend your practice and ensure compliance in this rapidly evolving landscape.
Dr. Ronald Hirsch dives into the basics of Medicare for clinicians to be successful as utilization review professionals. He’ll break down what Medicare does and doesn’t pay for, what services it provides and how hospitals get paid for providing those services – including both inpatient and outpatient. Learn how claims are prepared and how much patients must pay for their care. By attending our webcast, you will gain a new understanding of these issues and be better equipped to talk to patients, to their medical staff, and to their administrative team.
Copyright © 2025 RACmonitor. Powered by MedLearn Media.
Prepare for the 2025 CMS IPPS Final Rule with ICD10monitor’s IPPSPalooza! Click HERE to learn more
Get 15% OFF on all educational webcasts at ICD10monitor with code JULYFOURTH24 until July 4, 2024—start learning today!
CYBER WEEK IS HERE! Don’t miss your chance to get 20% off now until Dec. 2 with code CYBER24
