Quick Finds: HIT/Data

Orientation Follow-up Survey (2016). Resource Type: Publication. Description: This follow up survey is given to the employee following the first 2-4 months of employment. This follow up survey is given to the employee following the first 2-4 months of employment. This information is used to inform the supervisor how helpful the orientation was and what, if any, information was missing. It can help improve the new employee orientation for future employees. More Details...

New Employee Orientation Evaluation Form (2016). Resource Type: Publication. Description: This is an evaluation form to give to a new employee immediately following the orientation program. This is an evaluation form to give to a new employee immediately following the orientation program. The feedback generated from its completion will help the supervisor learn what can be done to make the orientation more effective in the future for future employees as well as on what topics the new employee still may need clarification. More Details...

Benefits and Tools for Onboarding and Orientation of New Staff Members: Guidance and Methods for Health Centers (2016). Resource Type: Publication. Description: This document outlines the ways in which effective onboarding and orientation methods will result in shorter learning curves, improved job satisfaction, and improved retention.  This document outlines the ways in which effective onboarding and orientation methods will result in shorter learning curves, improved job satisfaction, and improved retention. It then provides explicit direction for how to organize an effective process, complete with checklists for supervisors to use to plan the process, and surveys for the employee to fill out immediately following the orientation and then again 2-4 months afterwards. More Details...

Encrypting Data at Rest on Servers: Implications for Health Centers (2016). Resource Type: Publication. Description: It is common practice today to encrypt data at rest, that is, data stored on servers. This is especially applicable to health centers who are less frequently actively transporting data across disparate networks. Like many smaller healthcare organizations, Health Centers are particularly vulnerable to potential attack and infiltration by data hackers for several reasons: they tend to have fewer technical support staff, resource limitations make it harder to assess, implement, and maintain safe data practices, and organizational inertia limits preventive action when no threat is perceived.  It is common practice today to encrypt data at rest, that is, data stored on servers. Like many smaller healthcare organizations, Federally Qualified Health Centers FQHC are particularly vulnerable to potential attack and infiltration by data hackers for several reasons: they tend to have fewer technical support staff, resource limitations make it harder to assess, implement, and maintain safe data practices, and organizational inertia limits preventive action when no threat is perceived. To build off an old adage, no one ever got fired for encrypting their data. But what protection does that really provide? Is just encrypting data enough? First, let’s distinguish between three methods for encrypting data at rest. Full-disk encryption. Most modern operating systems like Linux or Windows Server provide the capability to encrypt their disks in their entirety. This is accomplished with symmetric encryption whereby there is a key or passphrase that a computer operator has to enter when the disks are encrypted and when the system boots to allow access to the data. Typically, the password must be manually entered on the physical server console, though some virtualized and cloud-based environments offer remote passphrase entry and varying degrees of passphrase management and automation. With full-disk encryption, software installed on the server does not need to know or do anything special to operate normally: the operating system provides transparent access to the encrypted data as necessary with very little performance loss. But note that the initial encryption needs to be done on a new disk or set of disks as an existing disk will be wiped clean in the process. So it’s easiest to do this during an initial deployment or migration to a new server. File system encryption. Physical disks are typically divided into one or more file systems by the operating system.  As an alternative to full-disk encryption, file system encryption allows administrators to encrypt only selected file systems or even just selected folders within file systems. This makes it possible to configure a server than can boot without a passphrase; and then require a passphase only after the system is up and running and needs to access its encrypted file systems.  Similar to full-disk encryption, the encryption is transparently provided to applications by the operating system.  Unlike full-disk encryption, developers and administrators need to be careful not to store sensitive files on non-encrypted file systems. Database encryption.  Another way to encrypt data at rest is at the database level: The database software Oracle, SQL Server can provide application-level encryption. Like operating system level encryption, a key or passphrase is entered by an operator when the database starts up, after which all database operations access the encrypted data transparently hence the name: Both Oracle and Microsoft SQL Server call the feature “Transparent Data Encryption”. For servers that may store sensitive data in files outside the database, this provides less protection than encrypting the entire file system, but likely protects the most sensitive data on the system. What kind of protection does encrypting data at rest really provide? Here are a few salient points: Benefits of Encrypting Data at Rest First and foremost, encrypting data at rest protects the organization from the physical theft of the file system storage devices which is why end-user mobile devices from laptops to cell phones should always be encrypted. While this might sound unlikely, the physical disk devices are only as secure as the data center where they are located. While data center access control policy is usually quite strict, in practice it can be quite lax. Door entry can employ weak precautions like old push-button unlock devices, and the proliferation of easily-swappable modular disks for quick maintenance makes removing a disk quite easy. Encrypting data at rest can protect the organization from unauthorized access to data when computer hardware is sent for repair or discarded. Encrypting data at rest can help to satisfy information security or regulatory requirements such as the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard PCI DSS or the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act HIPAA. In some deployments, the actual file system where data resides is somewhat disconnected from the server upon which applications are loaded either through the use of a storage area network SAN or cloud-based storage. This introduces the possibility that an intruder could break in to the storage subsystem but not the rest of the system. Encrypting the storage subsystem can protect against such attacks. Limitations of Encrypting Data at Rest Encryption of data at rest provides little protection against intrusions in which a hacker gains remote privileged access to a running server in which the passphrase has already been entered. Even more so, if the applications that access the encrypted files or databases web applications, query systems are not themselves secured, a hacker who penetrates one of these applications gains access to the data, whether it is encrypted or not. For database encryption, note that some database management systems only support data encryption in more advanced read more expensive versions of the software. When full-disk encryption is enabled on a physical non-virtualized server, remember that an operator – a human being – will need to type the passphrase into a console whenever the system starts up. For database-level encryption, the passphrase will need to be entered when the database starts up. While this intervention increases the level of protection, it is at the expense of convenience, as systems cannot reboot automatically without a passphrase or even without someone actually being in the server room which can be especially inconvenient if the system manager is not collocated with the hardware. File system encryption can mitigate some of these startup issues. And, of course, if that passphrase is ever lost your data will be encrypted forever. Special Considerations for Virtualized and Cloud-based Environments As mentioned, some virtualized and cloud-based environments offer remote passphrase entry and varying degrees of passphrase management and automation for full-disk encryption – but be aware that there is often a tradeoff between convenience and security with automated solutions. For example, if a cloud provider keeps your passphrase and automatically provides it to the operating system at boot time, the level of security offered by the full-disk encryption solution is largely dependent on how securely the cloud provider manages the passphrase. While encrypting data at rest can be a useful component in a data security toolbox, it must be implemented with a full understanding of the protection it does and does not provide. Organizations should consult with their vendors, data security staff, system staff, and application staff to determine an appropriate set of actions to secure institutional data. More Details...

How to Effective Manage Social Media within the Health Center Setting: A HITEQ infographic of key principles (2016). Resource Type: Publication. Description: This article written by Dr. John Halamka, CIO at Harvard Medical School and a Health IT adoption thought-leader, provides examples from the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center on best practices for healthcare providers in trying to manage social media efforts. This article written by Dr. John Halamka, CIO at Harvard Medical School and a Health IT adoption thought-leader, provides examples from the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center BIDMC on best practices for healthcare providers in trying to manage social media efforts. Topics covered include communication strategies, responding to positive and negative comments, and staff awareness. These topics, while garnered from Mr. Halamka's experience with being CIO for BIDMC  are discussed in a way that is relevant to all health care settings, including health centers. Included in this article are straightforward policies or concepts that are easily adopted into an organization's social media policies no matter what their size. Click on the link below to gain access to the related article... More Details...

Using the Systems Usability Scale to Assess Patient Portal Systems: English and Spanish Templates (2016). Resource Type: Publication. Description: When deploying personal health information systems such as patient portals Health Centers will often encounter challenges in effectively engaging their patient population. Understanding where these challenges are originating can at times be difficult to determine. One obvious area of evaluation is in determining whether the system being deployed is appropriately usable for the population. When deploying personal health information systems such as patient portals Health Centers will often encounter challenges in effectively engaging their patient population. Understanding where these challenges are originating can at times be difficult to determine. One obvious area of evaluation is in determining whether the system being deployed is appropriately usable for the population. Patient perception of the overall usability of the patient portal system can be evaluated through use of survey instruments such as the Systems Usability Scale (SUS). SUS is a well-established and validated usability scale that helps to determine the value, ease and interest of users of a particular system. Located in the Downloads section below are English and Spanish SUS survey instruments. Also located below is a link to further information on leveraging the SUS measures.  More Details...

Guide to Improving Care Processes and Outcomes in Health Centers: An approach to quality improvement (2016). Resource Type: Publication. Description: The quality improvement QI approach outlined in this Guide can be used to augment current QI approaches used in your health center, or can serve as a placeholder QI methodology when there isn’t already a robust QI process in place. It provides a framework and tools for documenting, analyzing, sharing and improving key workflows and information flows that drive performance on high-stakes care performance measures, and related improvement imperatives. This webpage provides strategies and tools that health centers and their partners can use to enhance care processes and outcomes targeted for improvement, such as hypertension and diabetes control, preventive care, and many others. More Details...

Professional Organizations and Associations for Health IT/Quality Staff: Resource Listing and Background (2016). Resource Type: Publication. Description: This is a list of professional and industry organizations and associations that can serve as a resource for staff interested in Health IT and quality and for those wanting to become more immersed in the field. Some of these may be appropriate for staff to join. This is a list of professional and industry organizations and associations that can serve as a resource for staff interested in Health IT and quality and for those wanting to become more immersed in the field. Some of these may be appropriate for staff to join. They offer resources such as training, conferences, research, literature, networking, and in some cases, certification. More Details...

Job Postings: A template for Human Resources and Hiring Managers (2016). Resource Type: Publication. Description: The following resource provides links to organizations that include job postings for Health IT and Quality jobs. This may be helpful to those both seeking employment or simply looking to learn more about the field and the kinds of positions that are available. The following resource provides links to organizations that include job postings for Health IT and Quality jobs. This may be helpful to those both seeking employment or simply looking to learn more about the field and the kinds of positions that are available. Job titles are not standard across the industry so perusing the various job openings will give a sense of the types of functions people perform in the Health IT/Quality area. In addition, employers may post openings on many of these sites. More Details...

Health IT Staff Resume Screening Tool: A template for Human Resources and Hiring Managers (2016). Resource Type: Publication. Description: This is a list of key words and phrases that can be used to pre-screen resumes for HIT/QI jobs to help quickly identify candidates for an additional screen. More Details...

Health IT Staff Recruitment Strategies: A template for Human Resources and Hiring Managers (2016). Resource Type: Publication. Description: This resource provides ideas about the latest recruiting tips used by community health centers as well as leading organizations from other industries. Review the strategies and identify ones that could work in your organization.  Adapt them as necessary to fit your particular needs and resources. This resource provides ideas about the latest recruiting tips used by community health centers as well as leading organizations from other industries. Review the strategies and identify ones that could work in your organization.  Adapt them as necessary to fit your particular needs and resources. More Details...

Health IT Interviewing Questions: Examples for Human Resources and Hiring Managers (2016). Resource Type: Publication. Description: This resource provides a list of sample questions that can be used to interview job candidates. The questions are organized into four categories: 1) questions for HIT staff positions; 2) questions for quality improvement staff positions; 3) questions for either position; and 4) questions for senior HIT or Quality positions.   This resource provides a list of sample questions that can be used to interview job candidates. The questions are organized into four categories: 1) questions for HIT staff positions; 2) questions for quality improvement staff positions; 3) questions for either position; and 4) questions for senior HIT or Quality positions.   These questions are intended to be a menu of items that an organization can pick or choose from, adapt to meet their organization’s needs, or use to generate additional/new questions. More Details...

Access to Information about Database Structures: Issues and Suggestions for Contract Negotiations (2016). Resource Type: Publication. Description: This issue brief discusses a critical concern during health center’s health IT contracting process – the need to have access to the underlying database structures to the health IT applications (e.g., EHR, reporting system… etc.) The lack of access to database structure will hinder the health center’s ability to access the data captured in the system, and risk vendor lock-in and have records trapped in data silos in the future. Electronic health record (EHR) system customers that can access their data have found that they also need information about the database structure used by the EHR technology developer in order to effectively use the data for custom reports or to even understand the customer’s own patient population and the unit costs of care. Some EHR technology developers are reportedly unwilling to provide data models or “data dictionaries” or are charging significant fees for information that helps the customer understand how the data is held in the EHR and may be efficiently extracted and used for other purposes. More Details...

Ability to Use Data Without Excessive Charges: Issues and Suggestions for Contract Negotiations (2016). Resource Type: Publication. Description: This issue brief discusses a critical concern during health center’s EHR contracting process – the need to preserve the ability to use data without excessive charges, which had hindered many health center’s ability to meet UDS and other reporting requirements. Electronic health record (EHR) systems and related technology are increasingly important as health centers face additional quality reporting requirements and are expected to bear more risk in accountable care organizations (ACOs) and other alternative payment models.  Some health centers have found that their decision to use a hosted EHR (rather than operating the EHR on their own hardware) and the terms of data access in those arrangements are important factors in how well they can respond to these changing requirements. More Details...

Hiring Test to Screen Possible Candidates for Data Knowledge: Gauging an Applicant’s Basic Data Knowledge and Abilities (2016). Resource Type: Publication. Description: This test is intended to gauge an applicant’s basic data knowledge and abilities.  Applicants are to go through all the tabs in order and follow the instructions in the red boxes. Included is an answer key that accompanies the Hiring Test. After giving a candidate the test, the hiring manager can use the Answer key to assess how the candidate did on the test. This test is intended to gauge an applicant’s basic data knowledge and abilities.  Applicants are to go through all the tabs in order and follow the instructions in the red boxes.  Hiring managers can administer this test as they see fit: they can email it to the applicant after a phone interview to see if they want to offer them an in-person or second interview it can be completed after the interview to determine whether the applicant has the basic skills needed for the position if the person is the right choice for the company because of mission-fit and soft skills, it can be used as a training assessment This also allows employees to assess if the job is the right fit for them. Note: Patients listed are fictitious examples More Details...

Motivating Factors for Engaging in Health IT Enabled QI: Guidance for Health Center Leadership and Partners (2016). Resource Type: Publication. Description: This white paper explores what is bringing a health center to the world of Health IT Enabled QI and lays out some motivating factors and barriers as well as what skill areas may need further consideration in planning next steps. Health centers across the country have a high EHR adoption rate and most have been using an EHR for several years. However, we know that the proliferation of EHRs and their companion reports have not always lead to accurate and robust data that can be used for quality improvement. Many challenges have been identified, including provider workflow and training issues, challenges with scalability, and limitations to data that can be extracted from various EHR systems. In response, a need has been identified for tools and resources that can guide health centers and those working with health centers through some key skill areas in the pursuit of Health IT Enabled QI. More Details...

Engaging the Data Creators: Involving Front-Line Staff in the Health IT Enabled QI Process (2016). Resource Type: Publication. Description: This brief discusses the importance of including frontline staff such as front desk, intake staff, and medical assistants in Health IT Enabled QI process, as they are often the ‘data creators’ or the ones entering the information into the system. Real world examples as well as suggested approaches and further resources are included. The data that is generated within health centers through entry into the EHR or practice management system and used for myriad purposes such as decision support, reporting, and quality improvement is often input by front-line staff. This may include front desk staff who enter information on intake forms, medical assistants who enter height, weight, and vital signs, among others. Another way to look at it is the information that health center leadership, providers, and payers are using to make decisions is often ‘created’ by entry level staff that may have less training and higher turnover. For these reasons, it is critically important to consider these ‘data creators’ in quality improvement activities that are undertaken. More Details...

Accessing your Data: Questions to Consider with your EHR Vendor (2016). Resource Type: Publication. Description: Intended to assist in ensuring full use and understanding of capabilities of current system and assessing the need for additional population health management or data integration tools, this checklist describes the steps health center quality improvement and IT staff can take to ensure they are maximizing the population health management and other capacity of current systems. It Included are questions around the system itself, report generation, training, and resulting data, as well as considerations before and after you contact your vendor. This checklist describes the steps health center quality improvement and IT staff can take to ensure they are maximizing the population health management capacity of their current EHR system. It is intended to assist health centers in ensuring they are utilizing the full capabilities of the current system and assessing the need for additional population health management tools. Included are questions around the system itself, report generation, training, and resulting data, as well as considerations before and after you contact your vendor.  It’s important to note that these questions are just meant for consideration. Not all of the features or aspects discussed will be relevant for your health center, and no system nor approach will check all the boxes. Use this to guide your thinking and discussions so you are able to get a robust understanding of what your EHR is capable of, and what you may need to find elsewhere or find other ways to address. Download the checklist below. More Details...

Job Description for Senior Programmer/Analyst: Skills and Job Descriptions (2016). Resource Type: Publication. Description: This is an actual job description for a Senior Programmer/Analyst in a well-staffed Health IT department of a health center. Job Description: Under the supervision of the Associate Director of Informatics and Data Services, the Senior Programmer/Analyst provides programming and data management for projects at the Health Center. More Details...

Job Description for Junior Programmer/Analyst: Skills and Job Descriptions (2016). Resource Type: Publication. Description: This is an actual job description for a Junior Programmer/Analyst in a well-staffed Health IT department of a health center. Job Description: Under the supervision of the Associate Director of Informatics and Data Services, the Junior Programmer/Analyst provides programming and data management for projects at the Health Center. More Details...

Job Description for Health IT/QI Project Director: Skills and Job Descriptions (2016). Resource Type: Publication. Description: This is an actual job description for a Project Director in a well-staffed Health IT department of a health center. Job Description: Reporting to the Associate Director of Informatics and Data Services, the Project Director assumes the major responsibility for the operation and implementation of multiple research projects and uses this leadership role to collaborate and develop new research projects. More Details...

Job Description for Health Informatics Specialist: Skills and Job Descriptions (2016). Resource Type: Publication. Description: This is an actual job description for a Health Informatics Specialist in a well-staffed Health IT department of a health center. Job Description: Under the supervision of the Health Informatics Manager, the Health Informatics Specialist provides data management support and statistical analyses for projects conducted at the Health Center. More Details...

Job Description for Health Informatics Manager: Skills and Job Descriptions (2016). Resource Type: Publication. Description: This is an actual job description for a Health Informatics Manager in a well-staffed Health IT department of a health center. Job Description: Under the supervision of the Associate Director of Informatics and Data Services, the Health Informatics Manager provides programming and data management support for projects at the Health Center. More Details...

Job Description for Data Team Research Assistant: Skills and Job Descriptions (2016). Resource Type: Publication. Description: This is an actual job description for a Data Team Research Assistant in a well-staffed Health IT department of a health center. Job Description: Reporting to the Project Manager, the Research Assistant assists in the performance of current research studies and projects in the department, in collaboration with the Health Center. More Details...

Job Description for Data Management Assistant: Skills and Job Descriptions (2016). Resource Type: Publication. Description: This is an actual job description for a Data Management Assistant in a well-staffed Health IT department of a health center. Job Description: Reporting to the Health Informatics Specialist, assists in managing data for current projects in the department, in collaboration with the Health Center. More Details...

Job Description for Clinical Data Specialist: Skills and Job Descriptions (2016). Resource Type: Publication. Description: This is an actual job description for a Clinical Data Specialist in a well-staffed Health IT department of a health center. Job Description: Under the supervision of the Health Informatics Manager, the Clinical Data Specialist provides data management support and statistical analyses for research studies and evaluations conducted in the Health Center. More Details...

Job Description for Clinical Data Project Manager: Skills and Job Descriptions (2016). Resource Type: Publication. Description: This is an actual job description for a Clinical Data Project Manager in a well-staffed Health IT department of a health center. Job Description: Reporting to the Manager of Health Informatics, the Clinical Data Project Manager assumes the major responsibility for the operation and implementation of multiple clinical data projects and uses this leadership role to collaborate with others and develop new projects. More Details...

Job Description for Clinical Applications Support Specialist: Skills and Job Descriptions (2016). Resource Type: Publication. Description: This is an actual job description for a Clinical Applications Support Specialist in a well-staffed Health IT department of a health center. Job Description: Reporting to the Clinical Applications Manager, the Fenway Health Clinical Applications Support Specialist (1) assists with CPS related activities and (2) coordinates and collaborates with other departments on CPS-related projects. The Support Specialist’s main goal is to ensure that both CPS and its third party software integrations remain maximally functional and secure. More Details...

Job Description for Clinical Applications Manager: Skills and Job Descriptions (2016). Resource Type: Publication. Description: This is an actual job description for a Clinical Applications Manager in a well-staffed Health IT department of a health center. Job Description: Reporting to the Associate Director for Health Informatics and Data Services, the CPS analyst (1) plans all CPS related activities and (2) coordinates and collaborates with other departments on CPS-related projects. The CPS Analyst’s main goal is to ensure that both CPS and its third party software integrations remain maximally functional and secure. More Details...

Job Description for Associate Director of Informatics and Data Services: Skills and Job Descriptions (2016). Resource Type: Publication. Description: This is an actual job description for an Associate Director of Informatics and Data Services in a well-staffed Health IT department of a health center. Job Description: Under the supervision of the Administrative Director of TFI, the Associate Director for Informatics and Data Services is responsible for the overall direction and daily management of the Data Center and Informatics team. He/She has responsibility for the development and maintenance of databases related to research projects in TFI. He/She supervises the collection, standardization and reporting of all data for program and service development, strategic planning and continuous quality improvement for Fenway Health clinical operations. More Details...

Enabling Services: Gateways to Better Care (2016). Resource Type: Publication. Description: This fact sheet was developed by AAPCHO and the National Association for Community Health Centers (NACHC). It provides an overview of the leading role health centers play in providing enabling services, or non-clinical services that improve access to care, and the important and positive impacts these services can have on health outcomes, costs, access and patient satisfaction. More Details...

Who Are Frequent Users in Health and Housing Systems?  : A Closer Look at Definitions Used by Communities to Identify the People Cycling Through the Crisis Care Systems (2015). Resource Type: Archived Webinar. Description: Are frequent users costing your crisis care systems and not producing positive houtcomes? Is your community looking at how to identify the frequent users across multiple crisis care systems in an effort to deliver more effective services and save resources? This webinar highlights how various communities develop the criteria to define 'frequent user' across the systems of care and how to match data to identify those individuals. More Details...

Highlighting the Role of Enabling Services at Community Health Centers: Collecting Data to Support Service Expansion and Enhanced Funding: The Enabling Services Accountability Project (2010). Resource Type: Publication. Description: This issue brief, written collaboratively between AAPCHO and the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC), describes the importance of enabling services (ES), such as interpretation and eligibility assistance, and how better quantifying the provision of these services can demonstrate their value to private and public payers. More Details...

Enabling Services at Community Health Centers (2010). Resource Type: Publication. Description: This report introduces the important role enabling services (ES) play in the delivery of high quality care for medically underserved Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (AA&NHPIs). It details the high utilization of such services and the impact they have on patients' health outcomes. It concludes with recommendations for establishing a nationally recognized standard for ES data collection and utilization, integrating ES into the Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) model, and funding to sustain and ensure quality services. More Details...

Impact of Enabling Services Utilization on Health Outcomes: Enabling Services Accountability Project (2009). Resource Type: Publication. Description: This factsheet highlights the impact of enabling services (ES) on diabetes and childhood immunizations at four health centers, Waianae Coast Comprehensive Health Center in Waianae, HI, Charles B. Wang Community Health Center in New York, NY, International Community Health Services in Seattle, WA, and Kalihi-Palama Health Center in Honolulu, HI. The results indicate that ES utilization is associated with better diabetes outcomes and child immunization. More Details...

Telehealth Office Hour: Remote Patient Monitoring (June 15, 2023): Remote Patient Monitoring (n.a.). Resource Type: Archived Webinar. Description: During this webinar, you’ll learn about the practical aspects of implementing an RPM program in your health center. We discuss impact on Operations, staff considerations, patient guidance, communicating outcomes and sustainability of the program. More Details...

Health Behaviors and Public Housing: Interactive Map (n.a.). Resource Type: Other. Description: Health behaviors are detrimental actions that heightened the odd of illness and impede recovery. This map depicts some health behaviors by county and the location of PHPC health centers in the nation. More Details...