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16 -- PORT PERRY STAR -- Tuesday, November 18, 1986 1#'s Health Information Awareness Week In order Lo proinote an awareness of the importance of confidentiality of health care information, the Canadian College of Health Record Administrators/Canadian Health Record Association and the Provin- cial Health Record Association have designated November 17 21, 1986 as National "Health Information Awareness Week." The main objective of this week 1s to promote an awareness of the con- fo ho. me ee fpiativ 2 | N It's Health Information Awareness Week in Ontario and the aim this year is to promote an awareness of the importance of confidentiality of patients health records and information. (See fidential nature of health care infor- mation to all persons who handle and have access to health informa- tion and records. Community Memorial Hospital recognizes the patients' right to » privacy in relation to their health records. Although patients do not have the property right to tieir records they do have the right of protection of all information con- tained within. Mary Pearsell. story for details). The Health Information and i Re Rt. gy 34 The primary purpose of the health record is to document the course of the patient's health care and tv pro- vide a medium of communication amongst health care practitioners for current and future care. Community Memorial Hospital and its staff are committed to safeguarding the confidentiality of all information pertaining to the lives of the patients we treat. In recognition of "Health Information NNT ; H] 4 fs dp igné % Records staff at Community Memorial Hospital are from left: Dianne Stewart, director Debbie McGarry, Maureen Derrane, Kathy Stokes and Awareness Week" the Health Record Department has organized an educational program in the for- mat of a mock 'Grey Cup Game." Their goal is to enhance par- ticipants' awareness of the impor- tance of confidentiality of health in- formation and records while simultaneously provide a forum that will foster the spirit of teamwork. To achieve this goal hospital and medical staff have been divided in- to two teams -- "Saskatchewan Silent Riders" and "Toronto Argue Nots."" The objective of the mock football game is to correctly answer trivia-type questions relevant to current legislation and its impact on health information. Correct answers enable the team to advance towards the opposing team's end zone where they may challenge a field goal or touchdown question. Another feature of "Health Infor- mation Awareness Week" is the op- portunity for the Health Record Department to outline its structure and function. As the patient infor- mation centre for the hospital, health record practitioners work closely with other health care disciplines to ensure that patients get the best possible care. As the health record documents the health care experience of each patient, the objectives of the Health Record Department are: -- Make patient care information available to authorized individuals who need it for treatment, research, teaching, accreditation, legislative and legal purposes, utilization studies, risk management and quality assurance activities. -- Protect the confidentiality of pa- tient information. i -- Coordinate the health information system of the hospital. STOP! Health records are spotlighted during week The functi)ns of the Health Record Department include: -- initiating and collecting patient care data -- analyzing records for com- pleteness and accuracy -- coding and abstracting patient care data for statistical purposes -- controlling ¢ bon: to confidential information -- transcribing all clinical notes dic- tated by physicians -- providing tii to medical and nursing staff and administration -- providing information for research, patient care and quality assurance activities -- collecting routine statistical data -- providing data for accreditation -- providing data to lawyers, Workers' Compensation Board and other authorized third parties Reflective of the national trend towards health promotion and awareness, the department recent- ly changed its name from Medical Records to the Health Record Department. . All Ontario hospitals are required by law to keep health records on file - for 20 years. As one might expect, there are literally thousands and thousands of these records on file at Community Memorial Hospital with those up to the year 1980 on micro-film. Debbie McGarry is director of the Health Records Department at Community Memorial Hospital, and is also co-ordinator of Regional Groups for the Ontario Health Record Association. For further information about the department, or for information about a career in Health Records, contact Ms. McGarry at Communi- ty Memorial Hospital. Still Buying Your VERTICAL BLINDS in Oshawa? Why? Port Perry has their own Vertical Blind Manufactur- ing Outlet offering 7-Day delivery on stock materials. We also have ready-made Vertical Blinds in an assort- ment of colours and materials for you to take home today! HERE ARE JUST A FEW OF OUR R SAMPLE PRICES: 1 PATIO DOOR approx. 72" x 84" s1 09°=° BASEMENT WINDOW approx. 24" x 20" \ S36°° PVC PATIO DOOR | SPECIAL ORDER! Le "99% \ i ---- forget to bring your window measurements! 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