[Comparative study of structure and activity of health information management association in selected countries, 2008]

Formation of professional associations is one point of inflection in the health care industry. Health Information Management Association in developed countries originally initiated its activities in the profession of medical records as Medical Records Librarians Association and later changed to Medical Record Association. This study aimed to compare structure, function and activities of Health Information Management Association in selected countries and Iran. This was a descriptive comparative study in cross-sectional method. The research sample included Health Information Management Association in Australia [HIMAA], United States of America [AHIMA] and Canada [CHIMA] as pioneer countries in initiation of Health Information Management Association and also Medical Record Association of Iran [IMRA]. Related data about structural and functional entities was collected through the library investigation, internet and communication with research sample associations via email according to collection forms. The structural and functional elements and entities of the Health Information Management Associations in the selected countries are mostly similar, although they had some differences. Canadian Health Information Management Association Board of Director's is communal with Canadian College of Health Information Management. Type of association memberships in Australia is different with other associations. Vision and values of HIMAA and IMRA have not been identified and written. In comparison with the other associations, AHIMA has various and multiple activities in provide services to its members. Continuing education and certification in various scope is one of major the activities of AHIMA. commensurate with done Changes in the Health Information Management Profession, the Association of this Profession in countries of Australia, United States and Canada has experienced a lot of change in the structure and activities of their associations accordingly. Position of inspector only existed in Iran's Medical Record Association. In comparison with other association, Iran Medical Record Association with fifteen years of history had not had a lot of systematic and integrated activities. Review of Structural and functional entities and activities of this association, seems necessary

Deductions applied by khadamat-e-Darman insurance company on patient's bills at teaching Hospitals affiliated to Isfahan University of Medical Sciences

Hospital managers are always concerned about provision and careful control of financial resources. In this study the deductions applied by Khadamat-e-Darman insurance company on patient's bills at university hospitals affiliated to Isfahan University of Medical Sciences were investigated. In this cross-sectional study, data were collected in a checklist consisting of nine parts and 39 questions. The checklist was checked for validity and reliability and was handed over in ten university hospitals in Isfahan. Data were analyzed with SPSS. The obtained findings suggested that the highest deductions pertained to Feiz hospital [18.5%] while the lowest came from Imam Mosa Kazem hospital [10.4%]. The most frequent cause of deduction related to medication costs [40%] whereas the least frequent caused pertained to consultation fees [10.6%]. On average, each case record covered by Khadamat-e-Darman Insurance Company had 330,000 Rials deduction. The main cause of deduction seems to be incomplete and inaccurate documenting of hospitalized patients' records by care providers

[Comparing the frequency of recording information in admission and summary sheets in educational, private and insured hospitals]

Introduction: the information recorded in medical sheets can help us facilitate the treatment process, recognize the quality of performance of the medical staff, plan health care programs and make accurate and appropriate decisions. This study intends to compare the quality of recording information in admission and summary sheets of three hospitals in Isfahan in the first six months of 1381

Materials and methods: this is a retrospective study in which the information recorded in the admission and summary forms of 571 in-patients in three hospital in Isfahan were descriptively examined in seven checklists

Results: the private hospital enjoyed the highest frequency of recording information in admission and summary sheets. The frequency of recording information in educational and private hospitals was similar. However, the frequency of recorded information in the two hospitals indicated a meaningful difference from that in the private hospital

Discussion: the findings reveal that admission and summary sheets are not completely filled in and the responsible authorities must pay due attention to the process of recording medical information in the hospitals