LibGuides: Health Information Management Research Guide: Recommended Websites

Web Resources for HIM Studies

Presented here are assorted HIM-related web resources you can explore according to interest. Note that these resources are categorized using the Baccalaureate Level HIM Curriculum Domains developed by the AHIMA Foundation's Council for Excellence in Education.

Domain I. Data Content, Structure & Standards (Information Governance)

Classification Systems

ICD 10 (Background info from CDC/NCHS)
ICD 10 (Background info from CMS.gov)
ICD Overview (Background info from WHO)
What is CPT? (Background info from AAPC)

Health Record Content and Documentation

Integrity of the Healthcare Record: Best Practices for EHR Documentation (AHIMA)
Preventing Healthcare's Top Four Documentation Disasters (AHIMA)
Clinical Documentation in the 21st Century: Executive Summary of a Policy Position Paper from the American College of Physicians (Annals of Internal Medicine)

Data Governance / Data Management

Statement on Quality Healthcare Data and Information (AHIMA)
Retention and Destruction of Health Information (AHIMA)

Domain II. Information Protection: Access, Disclosure, Archival, Privacy & Security

Health Law

HIPAA - Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
California Code (Search tool from Findlaw.com)
U.S. Code (Search tool from Findlaw.com)

Data Privacy, Confidentiality & Security

Health and Medical Information Privacy Guide (from PrivacyRights.org in San Diego)
Health Information Privacy (from HHS.gov)
Privacy and Security Training (AHIMA)
Sanction Guidelines for Privacy and Security Violations (AHIMA)

Release of Information

Laws & Regulations Governing the Disclosure of Health Information (AHIMA)

Domain III. Informatics, Analytics and Data Use

Health Information Technologies

HealthIT.gov
Health IT Tools and Resources (from Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality)
Health Information and Informatics Core Competencies for Individuals Working with Electronic Health Records (from AHIMA and AMIA Joint Task Force)
Introduction to EHR Basics (from the American Academy of Family Physicians)

Analytics and Decision Support

Health Data Analysis Toolkit (AHIMA)
Data Analysis Tools at the World Health Organization (WHO)

Health Care Statistics

See Statistics page in this guide.

Domain IV. Revenue Management

Revenue Cycle and Reimbursement

Domain V. Compliance

Regulatory

Understanding Governmental Audits (AHIMA)
See the Organizations page of this guide for a list of Government and Accreditation Agencies that play an important role in healthcare.

Fraud Surveillance

Preventing Fraud and Abuse in Clinical Documentation (AHIMA)

Domain VI. Leadership

Leadership Roles

See Organizations page of this guide for a list of professional associations.
Professional toolkit: AHIMA Body of Knowledge Portal

Human Resources Management

US Dept. of Labor

Ethics

Health Information Websites

Listed below are selected health information websites that can be helpful to browse when you are looking for general and consumer-oriented medical information. Most of these sites are comprehensive "gateway" portals that provide access to a broad range of resources.

Health Information Portals:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Institutes of Health (NIH): Health Information Portal
- See also: NIH Directory of 27 Research Institutes and Centers
National Library of Medicine (NLM): Home Page
National Library of Medicine (NLM): MedlinePlus (Patient/consumer-focused portal)
The Cleveland Clinic Disease Management Project — Online Medical Guide
The Mayo Clinic Patient Care and Health Information Portal
The Merck Manuals Online (Professional and consumer versions)
Top Health Websites for Consumers and Patients (Medical Library Association selections)
WebMD Network portals:
- MedicineNet.com (for consumers)
- Medscape.com (for healthcare professionals and consumers)
- WebMD.com (for consumers)

Drug Information:

Drug Information from the National Library of Medicine
Drugs, Herbs and Supplements (NLM MedlinePlus consumer gateway)

Patient Safety:

Tests/Lab Work:

Lab Tests Online (from American Association for Clinical Chemistry)

Trials

ClinicalTrials.gov

Evaluating Health Information on the Web

Evaluating Health Information: Using Trusted Resources (National Cancer Institute)

KEY Evaluation Questions to Ask

WHO is the author and/or sponsoring organization? Are they reputable?
WHAT qualifications or expertise does the author have?
WHY was the website created? What is its purpose and who is the intended audience?
WHEN was the information last updated? Is it current?
WHERE can you verify the information presented? Are references provided?
HOW reliable is the information? Is it trustworthy?

COVID-19 and Misinformation

List of Covid-19 Misinformation Resources