American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) Certification Practice Exam

What behavior should HIM coding professionals not tolerate in maintaining data quality?

1. Assign codes to an incomplete record with organizational policies for reviews

2. Follow-up on and monitor identified problems

3. Evaluate and trend diagnoses and procedure code selections

4. Report data quality review results to leadership

The correct answer is: Assign codes to an incomplete record with organizational policies for reviews

Assigning codes to an incomplete record is a behavior that HIM coding professionals should not tolerate when maintaining data quality because it compromises the integrity and accuracy of health information. Accurate coding is essential not only for patient care but also for proper billing and compliance with regulations. Incomplete records can lead to errors in coding, skew data analyses, and ultimately affect the quality of healthcare provided. Relying on incomplete data can also result in incorrect reimbursement and may expose the organization to legal and financial repercussions. Therefore, maintaining high standards of data quality entails ensuring that all records are complete and thoroughly reviewed before any coding is carried out. On the other hand, the other behaviors mentioned, such as following up on identified problems, evaluating diagnoses and procedure codes, and reporting data quality results to leadership, are all practices that contribute to improving and maintaining data quality. These practices promote accountability, ensure continuous improvement in coding accuracy, and help in addressing any issues that may arise with data integrity.