Vital Signs

Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) is the code set the American Medical Association maintains to describe medical, surgical, and diagnostic services. This post explains how CPT is organized, how it differs from ICD-10 and HCPCS Level II, how codes are updated, why documentation drives accurate coding, and where nursing work appears in CPT.

Authorization is the security process that determines what an authenticated user or application is allowed to access or do within a system. This post explains how authorization differs from authentication and from a HIPAA authorization form, common access control models, how authorization works for apps and APIs, and what it means for nurses in daily workflow.

A virtual private network (VPN) creates an encrypted tunnel across a public network, such as the internet, so remote users and sites can securely connect to a private organizational network. This post explains how VPNs work, the difference between remote-access and site-to-site VPNs, why VPNs have become attack targets, and how zero trust approaches are changing remote access in healthcare.

Total cost of ownership (TCO) is the full cost of acquiring, implementing, operating, and eventually retiring a system over its life. This post explains what belongs in a health IT TCO analysis, why license price is only a small part, how TCO differs from return on investment, how to compare cloud and on-premises options, and why clinical time is a real cost.

A radiology information system (RIS) manages the business and workflow side of medical imaging, from orders and scheduling to tracking, reporting, and billing. This post explains how a RIS differs from PACS, how it exchanges data with the EHR and imaging equipment, common workflow problems, and what nurses need to know about imaging orders and results.

mHealth, or mobile health, is the use of mobile phones, tablets, wearables, and other wireless technology to support healthcare. This post explains common mHealth uses for patients and clinicians, how FDA oversight and privacy rules apply, the risks of consumer health apps, and how nurses can help patients use mobile tools safely.

HEDIS (Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set) is the set of performance measures the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) maintains to assess health plan quality. This post explains what HEDIS measures, how results are used for ratings and accreditation, how clinical data from providers affects scores, the shift toward digital measurement, and what it means for nurses.

The Direct Project created a secure, standards-based way to send health information over the internet to known, trusted recipients, much like secure email. This post explains how Direct messaging works, including Direct addresses, HISPs, and certificates, where it fits among exchange methods, its strengths and limits, and what it means for care transitions.

A chief nursing informatics officer (CNIO) is the executive who leads strategy and implementation of technology that supports nursing practice. This post explains what CNIOs do, how the role partners with the chief nursing officer, CIO, and CMIO, why it matters for documentation burden and patient safety, and how nurses can prepare for informatics leadership.

Alternative payment models (APMs) pay healthcare providers in ways that reward quality and cost efficiency rather than the volume of services alone. This post explains common types of APMs, how they fit into MACRA’s Quality Payment Program, the HCP-LAN framework for classifying payment, and why APMs depend on data, analytics, and care coordination.

VistA is the health information system the Department of Veterans Affairs built and has used for decades to support care for veterans. This post explains what VistA includes, how it influenced EHR design and medication safety, why the VA is moving to a Federal EHR, and what large system transitions mean for nurses.

Transport Layer Security (TLS) is the protocol that encrypts and protects data as it moves between applications over a network, from web browsers to APIs and interfaces. This post explains how TLS works, the role of certificates, why older versions are deprecated, how HIPAA guidance relates to it, and what it means for clinical systems.

A request for proposal (RFP) is a document that invites vendors to submit proposals for a product or service, often as part of a competitive selection process. This post explains where RFPs fit in health IT vendor selection, how to write requirements and run scripted demonstrations, how to evaluate total cost and fit, and why clinicians should help choose systems they will use.

Malware is any software intentionally designed to harm computers, networks, or data, including viruses, worms, trojans, ransomware, and spyware. This post explains the main types of malware, how it reaches healthcare systems, examples of its impact on patient care, and the layered defenses and everyday habits that reduce risk.

Genomics is the study of a person’s entire set of genes, how they interact with each other, and how they interact with the environment. This post explains how genomics differs from genetics, how genomic testing is used in care, why storing and using genomic data in EHRs is challenging, and the privacy, equity, and nursing considerations involved.

The Da Vinci Project is an HL7 FHIR Accelerator that brings payers, providers, and technology vendors together to build FHIR implementation guides for value-based care and administrative data exchange. This post explains its major guides, including those for prior authorization, how they relate to CMS interoperability rules, and what they mean for clinicians.

Care coordination is the deliberate organization of patient care activities and information sharing among everyone involved in a patient’s care. This post explains why fragmented care causes harm, the health IT tools that support coordination, Medicare care management services, and the central role nurses play as coordinators and care managers.

Administrative safeguards are the policies, procedures, and management actions that the HIPAA Security Rule requires to protect electronic protected health information and manage workforce conduct. This post explains each standard, from risk analysis to contingency planning, how required and addressable specifications work, and how nurses take part every day.

Utilization management (UM) evaluates whether healthcare services are necessary, appropriate, and efficiently delivered. This post explains prior authorization, concurrent and retrospective review, hospital utilization review requirements, the federal push toward electronic prior authorization, and the central role nurses play in UM work.

Store-and-forward telehealth captures images, recordings, or data and sends them securely for a clinician to review later, without both parties being available at the same time. This post explains how asynchronous telehealth works, common uses such as dermatology, eye screening, and e-consults, its advantages and limits, and the nurse’s role in capturing good data.