Health Information Management Department

Mission Statement:
The Health Information Management Department of Republic County Hospital is a service-oriented department that provides and retains the vital information needed by our internal and external customers to appropriately and cost effectively serve the patients of our healthcare communities.  The HIM department will promote an attitude of service by promoting confidentiality and security of health information, treating each person we serve in a respectful manner, promoting teamwork and respect for co-workers, and improving the quality of service when we fall short of our goal.

Location/Hours of Service/Services:
HIM (formerly Medical Records) provides non-clinical assistance to the hospital.   Located in the northeast corner of the facility, our department hours are 7:00 a.m.- 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday; closed weekends/holidays.  The department is currently staffed with five fulltime employees, including one Registered Health Information Administrator and two Registered Health Information Technicians.  Our services include housing all permanent health records, processing and coding all inpatient/outpatient records, transcription, release of information, birth certification completion/verifications, Cancer Registry, Master Patient Index maintenance, physician incomplete record functions, microfilming, scanning, and hospital statistics.

Description of Services:
A health record shall be maintained for every patient admitted for care in the hospital or who receives services as an outpatient.  Health records are the physical property of the facility responsible for its completion.  The information contained in the record, however, belongs to the patient.  A patient or his representative may have access to his own health record upon presentation of a properly completed and signed authorization, with reasonable notice.  The HIM department will notify the attending physician of such requests.  The information released shall be strictly limited to the information required to fulfill the purpose stated in the authorization.  Special releases are required for Drug/Alcohol records.  Health records shall be maintained in retrievable form for greater than ten years after the date of last discharge of the patient or one year beyond the date that the patient's who are minors reach the age of 18.   The health record shall contain sufficient information to identify the patient clearly, to justify the diagnosis and warrant the treatment and to document the results accurately.  The hospital shall prepare a properly completed birth certificate on every birth and forward to the office of Vital Statistics.

Please see the Notice of Privacy Practices for additional information regarding confidentiality of health care records and how your information is used.

More Information:
Call 785-527-2254, Ext. 1216 or 1167 for further information.  We will be happy to help you!

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Discharge Planning

Discharge Planning is the process by which health care professionals collaborate to ensure that on leaving the facility, each patient has a plan of continuing care.   The program follows a patient's plan of care and facilitates their progression through different levels of nursing care within the hospital or long term care unit, or admission to a new program of care or rehabilitation.  Discharge Planning minimizes delays in patient placement or treatment, promotes appropriate utilization of hospital, long term care unit, agencies, facilities and health care services and provides liaison between the patient and community related resources.  All facets of discharge planning seek to restore the patient to a state of independence, or provide for optimum functioning of the patient within the family unit.  Discharge planning begins on admission to the facility.

Example of Referrals that may be given to or for:

• Admission to a Long Term Care Facility

• Admission to a Rehabilitation Unit

• In home assistance with bathing

• In home assistance with housekeeping

• In home assistance with meal preparation

• Lifeline (Emergency call systems)

• Skilled Nursing Visits provided by a Home Health Agency

• Area Agency on Aging

• Meals on Wheels

• Adult Day Care

• Hospice

• Social and Rehabilitation Service 

For more information, contact::
Stephanie Swiercinsky, R.N.,C.I.C. or Karla Jeardoe, L.B.S.W. at Republic County Hospital  785-527-2254

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Infection Control

Infection Control at Republic County Hospital is overseen by a R.N. who is Certified in infection Control, (C.I.C.) and a Physician Chairman, currently Dr. Herb Doubek.

The purpose of Infection Control is the education, prevention, and control of infectious diseases at Republic County Hospital, and to cooperate with other Health Agencies in the County.

A committee made up of representatives from:

• Administration

• Nursing

• Surgery

• Laboratory

• Risk Manager

• Utilization Review

The committee meet 3 times a year and review such things as:

• Clustering of infections

• Frequency of isolation

• Antibiotic usage

• Identified hospital-associated infections

• Centers for Disease Control Recommendations (CDC)

• Employee Health Issues

• OSHA requirements

• Special studies

• Immunizations

The reports or findings are then taken to Medical Staff Meetings by the Physician Chairman for Physician review, comment or action.

For more information, contact Stephanie Swiercinsky, R.N., C.I.C. at Republic County Hospital, 785-527-2254.

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