American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) Certification Practice Exam

The HIM manager is concerned about data integrity during transmission across the hospital network. What concept is he focusing on?

1. Admissibility

2. Disclosures

3. Availability

4. Data integrity

The correct answer is: Data integrity

The HIM manager's concern about data integrity during transmission indicates he is focused on ensuring that the data remains accurate, complete, and unaltered during its transfer across the hospital network. Data integrity concerns the validity and reliability of data, meaning that it should not be modified in an unauthorized manner while being transmitted. This includes preventing data corruption and ensuring that the data received matches the data sent. When transmitting sensitive information, particularly in healthcare settings, maintaining data integrity is crucial to uphold compliance with regulations and to ensure that patient care is provided based on accurate information. This focus encompasses the use of secure channels, data validation techniques, and encryption methods to protect data from unauthorized access and alterations during transmission. In contrast, admissibility relates to whether data can be legally accepted in a court or regulatory setting; disclosures pertain to the sharing of information with outside parties; and availability addresses whether information is accessible when needed. While all of these aspects are important in health information management, the specific focus on data integrity highlights the critical nature of maintaining accuracy during data transmission processes.