Vital Signs

GUDID is the Food and Drug Administration’s database of device identification information for medical devices that carry a unique device identifier. This post explains what the database does and does not hold, how the device identifier and production identifier differ, what a multicenter informatics study found when UDIs were used in health records, and what a UK barcoding case study showed about scanning in practice.

The CMS Promoting Interoperability programs are the successors to the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs, using certified EHR technology and measure reporting to promote the exchange of health data. This post explains how the Medicare program for hospitals and the MIPS category for clinicians differ, what hospitals must submit to public health agencies, and what a 2012 to 2024 analysis found about patient portal adoption alongside federal policy.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) was an economic stimulus law that included the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act, which funded incentives for hospitals and physicians to adopt certified EHRs. This post explains what HITECH did, what a difference-in-differences study found about its effect on hospital EHR adoption, how Germany’s different approach compared, and the lessons of the first five years.

A third-party administrator (TPA) is an organization that administers group health plans for an employer, processing claims, determining eligibility, and passing information between the employer and the insurer. This post explains how TPAs fit into self-insured employer coverage, why they are HIPAA business associates, how the standard claims and remittance transactions work, and what research on the administrative services only market and price transparency found.

Long-term services and supports (LTSS) are the medical and nonmedical services provided over a prolonged period to people with limited mobility, cognitive impairment, disabilities, complex medical needs, or chronic disease. This post explains who delivers them, why information often fails to reach LTSS providers, and what a sepsis transitions study, a scoping review of nursing and technology in home rehabilitation, and a Scottish integration case study found.

Appropriate use criteria (AUC) are evidence-based criteria that help clinicians choose the most suitable test or treatment for a clinical condition. This post explains how the Medicare AUC program for advanced imaging was designed under the Protecting Access to Medicare Act, the current status of its regulation, and what a federal demonstration and a health system study found about decision support and free-text order indications.

QAPI, quality assurance and performance improvement, joins two mutually reinforcing parts of a quality management system into a systematic, data-driven approach to safety and quality in nursing homes. This post explains what 42 CFR 483.75 requires, what a national survey found about nursing home readiness and tool use, how small tests of change work, and how informatics teams support QAPI.

A trading partner agreement is an agreement between parties that exchange information in electronic transactions, whether stand-alone or part of a larger contract. This post explains how HIPAA defines it, what 45 CFR 162.915 prohibits such agreements from changing, how it differs from a business associate agreement, and why informatics and revenue cycle teams need to understand it.

A Medicaid Management Information System is the integrated set of procedures and computer subsystems a state uses to run its Medicaid program. This post explains what an MMIS does, how 42 CFR Part 433 sets federal funding conditions at 90 percent for development and 75 percent for operation, how T-MSIS Analytic Files support research, and why clinicians and informaticists should understand the system behind claims and enrollment.

Universal health coverage means that all people can get the health services they need, from prevention to palliative care, without financial hardship. This post explains how WHO measures UHC with two indicators, what recent global and country-level studies show about progress and out-of-pocket spending, and the role of health information systems and nurses.

Amendments and corrections are the controlled ways to clarify or fix a health record after documentation is complete. This post explains the difference, the HIPAA right to amend and its 60-day timeline, the EHR certification criterion for amendments, and what studies found about patient-initiated requests and errors patients find in open notes.

Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act requires federal agencies to make electronic and information technology accessible to people with disabilities. This post explains the 508 standards, how they relate to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines and the HHS Section 504 web and mobile app rule, what studies show about accessibility gaps in health websites, and how nurses and informaticists can help close them.

Federally qualified health centers are community-based providers that receive HRSA Health Center Program funding to provide primary care to underserved communities. This post explains the program requirements, how CMS pays FQHCs under a prospective payment system, what HRSA data show about size and reach, and why health IT support, reporting, and EHR optimization are central to safety-net care.

A designated record set is the group of records a HIPAA covered entity maintains that includes medical and billing records, health plan enrollment and claims records, and other records used to make decisions about individuals. This post explains the regulatory definition, why it sets the boundary for patient access and amendment rights, how it differs from the legal health record, and where informatics decisions come in.

The Minimum Data Set, or MDS, is the standardized assessment federal rules require for residents of Medicare- and Medicaid-certified nursing homes. This post explains the assessment schedule in 42 CFR 483.20, how care area assessments feed care plans, how MDS data reach CMS, what two recent studies found about data quality, and how MDS differs from the Nursing Minimum Data Set.

A data use agreement, or DUA, is the contract a HIPAA covered entity must have with the recipient of a limited data set. This post explains what the agreement must contain, which purposes are allowed, how a DUA differs from a business associate agreement and from de-identified data, and where nurses and informatics staff meet DUAs in research, quality, and analytics work.

The Certified Health IT Product List, or CHPL, is the authoritative listing of health information technology tested and certified under the ONC Health IT Certification Program. This post explains who tests and certifies products, what the HTI-5 final rule changed, how buyers and CMS programs use the list, and why certification does not guarantee a safe or usable fit.

EPCS is the electronic prescribing of controlled substances, made possible by DEA rules that require identity proofing, two-factor authentication, and certified software. This post explains how EPCS works, the CMS Medicare Part D requirement, research on adoption and opioid prescribing, and the roles nurses and informaticists play.

Administrative code sets describe business circumstances in health care transactions rather than diagnoses or procedures. This post explains how HIPAA treats code sets, how administrative codes such as place of service, provider taxonomy, discharge status, and remittance codes differ from medical data code sets, and why nurses and informaticists encounter them.

Certified EHR technology (CEHRT) is health IT that meets standards and certification criteria adopted by HHS through the ONC Health IT Certification Program and is required for participation in CMS Promoting Interoperability programs. This post explains how certification works, what CEHRT must do, how to verify products on the CHPL, the limits of certification, and what it means for clinicians.