FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For more information, please contact:
Melissa Williams
Director of Marketing
(304)647-6079
Melissa_Williams@chs.net

Ronceverte, WV - April 10, 2009—The American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) will continue its commitment to address growing issues surrounding privacy and security of health information when it sponsors the sixth annual Health Information Privacy and Security Week, April 12 through 18. The theme this year is "Protecting Information—It's a Top Priority."

Health Information Privacy and Security Week raises awareness on the critical need to educate and inform healthcare professionals, institutions, and consumers about actively protecting the privacy, confidentiality, and security of health information. To ensure information is protected throughout healthcare's transition to electronic health information management systems, consumers must remain aware of risks by monitoring tools and technologies; including electronic clinical records, personal health records, and electronic prescribing. Visit myPHR.com for detailed consumer health information and consumer privacy rights.

Taking an active role in monitoring your electronic health information is increasingly important since medical identity theft is a fast-growing problem for the healthcare profession and healthcare consumers in the United States. The Department of Justice estimates that personal health insurance has a street value of $25 to $50. Criminals heavily pursue the opportunity to buy and sell health information, and will often enlist employees who work in facilities to steal patient information or physicians to submit claims and create false billing accounts. An MIT Response Checklist developed by AHIMA provides free response guidance for victims of this crime. To access the checklist, visit www.myphr.com, click on the "Keep Your Health Information Safe" button, and scroll down to the "Medical Identity Theft Response Checklist" link.

The health information management (HIM) professionals at Greenbrier Valley Medical Center can provide educational assistance for the protection and confidentiality of your personal health information. A free educational kit is also available at www.ahima.org/hipsweek. Educational materials in the kit include:

• Suggested activities
• Article and quiz for healthcare professionals
• Article and quiz for consumers
• PowerPoint presentation

About AHIMA

AHIMA is America's leading professional society whose mission is to "improve healthcare by advancing best practices and standards for health information management and [serve as] the trusted source for education, research and professional credentialing." AHIMA represents more than 53,000 specially educated HIM professionals who serve healthcare and the public by managing, analyzing and utilizing data vital for health system management. www.ahima.org

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