American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) Certification Practice Exam

What tool should a coder use to locate electronic health records for a patient across a health information exchange?

1. Certification

2. Identity-matching algorithm and record locator service

3. Interoperability and certification

4. Meaningful use

The correct answer is: Identity-matching algorithm and record locator service

The appropriate tool for a coder to locate electronic health records for a patient across a health information exchange is the identity-matching algorithm and record locator service. This tool is specifically designed to facilitate the accurate identification of patient records that may be stored across multiple health systems or platforms. An identity-matching algorithm helps ensure that records belong to the same patient by matching key demographic or clinical data points. This is critical in health information exchanges, where patient data can come from various sources and may not always be standardized. The record locator service then uses these matches to efficiently retrieve patient records from different providers or databases, thereby allowing coders to access comprehensive patient information needed for accurate coding and billing. The other options do not provide the same level of relevance for the task at hand. Certification pertains to the validation of systems and personnel but does not directly assist in locating patient records. Interoperability and certification focus on the ability of different systems to work together and meet specified standards but do not refer to the specific functionality needed to track patient records. Meaningful use refers to the criteria that healthcare providers must meet to qualify for incentive payments, which is unrelated to the process of locating records in a health information exchange. Thus, using the identity-matching algorithm and record locator service