Busy, busy, busy!!! As we approach the upcoming holiday season, one of the busiest times of the year for everyone, I wonder how we all do what we do? At work we are all on a fast pace trying to keep up with not only our day-to-day responsibilities, but also the never ending regulatory changes, the latest and greatest technologies affecting our HIM world, the steady advances in medical treatment of patients, the various management philosophies and the continual restructuring of our departments and organizations. When we leave our offices each day, we then take on some different roles and responsibilities for ourselves, our families and our friends that may include caretaker of children or parents, homework assistant, taxi cab driver, chef, housekeeper, household manager, painter or handy-man. We also try to squeeze in time for exercise, meditation, reading, hobbies, listening to music and other things that we find relaxing. So who has the time or the energy to volunteer?

Let me tell you – the members of your MdHIMA Board have all somehow found it within themselves to give, and give generously, of themselves to serve you! Over the past two months:

• The Delegates all participated in researching, communicating with and seeking input from our membership, and finally voting on AHIMA issues electronically and by attending the House of Delegates in Philadelphia, PA.
   

• The Public Relations, Marketing & Recruitment Committee provided items for the FORE Not-So-Silent auction, obtained proclamations from the Governor of Maryland and the Mayor of Baltimore City for National Health Information & Technology Week (which was celebrated from November 4th – 10th, and worked with the HIT Program Director of Baltimore City Community College to participate in a radio interview which aired on WBJC 91.5 FM radio on the evening of November 5th.
   

• The Education & Arrangements Committees have worked together to offer excellent speakers and locations for our upcoming QBM and are currently planning for an evening educational session in January. They have also collaborated with the Website Committee to provide electronic program evaluations and CE certificates for the convenience of our membership.
   

• The Data Quality Committee offered a CCS Prep course in September, a Data Quality track for the September QBM, and a Coding Roundtable in November. They have also coordinated a Data Quality track for the December QBM and a Coding Roundtable in January.
   

• On behalf of MdHIMA, the Legislative Committee has responded to a request for feedback on Maryland record retention legislation and has implemented a plan to update the MdHIMA Release of Information Guide.
   

• The Website and e-Newsletter Committees have worked hard to keep the website up-to-date, to plan for scheduled e-blast messages and to provide pertinent information in an easy-to-read and timely manner.
   

• The Credentials Committee has been working hard to insure that we have the most up-to-date contact information for all of our members and to make the information available on our website.

So, as we enter the season of giving, please think about the dynamic Board and Committee members who have been giving of themselves already and consider what you can give as well. The ringing in of a new year will bring many new challenges and opportunities, both personally and professionally, for all of us. Let’s make a New Year’s Resolution to continue to promote and support each other as well as the HIM profession!

I wish each of you a very Happy Holiday and a healthy and prosperous New Year!

Sincerely,

Lori

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Please consider nominating yourself or a fellow MdHIMA member to serve on next year’s Executive Board. Nominations will be open from October 1 through January 7th, 2008 for the following seats:

• President-Elect
• Secretary
• Treasurer
• Director
• Delegate (this year one delegate will be elected)
• Representative to AHIMA’s 2009 Nominating Committee (to be elected by the House of Delegates)

Serving on the MdHIMA Executive Board is an excellent way to serve your association, network with peers and form new friendships. Please see the website for the roles and responsibilities associated with each of these roles.

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Deadline – January 31, 2008

Each year future leaders of the Board of Directors, the Commission, and the Council on Certification are selected through an election. The Nominating Committee, based on criteria for the elected positions, selects the slate of candidates for the election. As we begin the process of selecting those individuals who will assume office in January 2009, our first appeal is to you the member. We encourage you to seek one of the national elected positions or assist the Nominating Committee by identifying AHIMA members who will provide strong leadership for AHIMA in the years ahead. Serving in an AHIMA leadership role helps you:

• Gain an AHIMA perspective on issues facing the profession
• Enhance your leadership skills and abilities
• Strengthen your professional network
• Become more valuable at your current employer and more marketable to potential employers
• Establish new personal friendships that last a lifetime

Feel free to submit your nominations electronically to Marilyn.render@ahima.org

What better way to earn CE's than from the comfort of your own home or office! MdHIMA is pleased to announce that we will be partnering with PHIMA (Pennsylvania Health Information Management Association) to provide Audio Educational Conferences on HIM topics. We are hoping to offer the audio conferences on a monthly basis and all of them will be held from Noon to 1 P.M. EST. Our 1st audio conference will be held on 12/11/07.

This session will provide HIM professionals with an overview of the information they need to better manage their personal health information and to teach them how to create and maintain a PHR. This knowledge can empower them to become a partner in their own healthcare and to help educate consumers as to the importance of a PHR.

Speaker: Julie Wolter, MA, RHIA, Assistant Professor, Dept of HIM, Saint Louis University

Cost: MdHIMA Members - $50; Facility - $120.00

Registered participants will be sent a copy of the presentation and the CE certificate via e-mail.

Resolution on Vision 2016: A Blueprint for Quality Education in HIM

This resolution was passed and will have a major impact on the HIM educational programs of the future. This includes items such as requiring an associate degree for the coding credentials, a baccalaureate degree for the RHIT credentials and a masters degree for the RHIA credential.

Resolution for e-HIM Professional Standards

This resolution was passed with minor wording changes. The resolution calls for the review and evaluation of existing standards, the development of professional practice standards for handling electronic health information and the promotion of establishing these professional standards throughout the healthcare industry.

Resolution for Quality Data & Documentation in the EHR

This resolution was passed with minor wording changes. The resolution calls for HIM professionals to actively participate in the selection, design, development and implementation of electronic health record (EHR) systems to ensure that EHR systems are supporting quality patient care and quality documentation, and that the EHR systems are meeting the many needs of healthcare organizations.

Resolution on HIM Adoption of the PHR

This resolution was passed. The intent is to charge Health Information Management (HIM) professionals with the responsibility of creating and maintaining their own personal health record (PHR).

Resolution on Diversity

This resolution was passed. It is intended to advance AHIMA’s commitment to a culture that respects diversity throughout its organization, the federation and the HIM profession at large.

Congratulations to Katie Kropfelder, RHIA, CCS who received an honorable mention in RACE Award category of AHIMA Coding Roundtable Coordinator Recognition for Excellence! This award recognizes those who have met and/or exceeded the Coding Roundtable goals for 2006/2007. MdHIMA appreciates all of Katie’s efforts and applauds her for this achievement!

Interested in a change? Looking for a new position? Maybe you would just like to pick up some part-time work. Please be sure to visit the Job Bank at the MdHIMA website. The opportunity you have been looking for may be there waiting for you!

The Credentials Committee would like to introduce you to a new feature that is now available on our website. It is the new on-line Member Directory! Now when you want to contact a member, you just have to log onto the MdHIMA website, go to the Members Only section and search either by their name or company. The online directory will be updated with information from your AHIMA profile on a monthly basis, so be sure to update your profile with changes to your contact information. Please take a few minutes and check out this new feature.

Steps:

1. Go to www.mdhima.org

2. Select the Members Only link on the right hand side of the website

3. Log on to the Members Only section of the website.

4. Under the Member Directory section, select Search by Name or Search by Company.

5. Start your search.

Please note that the information contained in the Member Directory is available as a service to our members and is intended to be used for contacting your colleagues - it is NOT to be used for communications related to the promotion or sales of products or services or mass mailings.

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Proclamations were received from Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon and Governor Martin O’Malley in recognition of National Health Information and Technology Week and the importance of our profession.

Baltimore City Community College (BCCC) held its 8th Annual Celebration of National Health Information & Technology Week on Saturday, November 10th in the Gaare Auditorium of its Liberty Campus. Several graduates, current students, prospective students and other interested parties attended the lunch and informational session which provided an opportunity to learn more about the HIM profession and the program curriculum offered by BCCC. Lori Brown, Anne Marani, Wanda Shannon, Jackie Stanfield and Martha Green all joined Betty Mitchell, HIT Program Director in talking with and presenting information to the audience.

In order to meet its’ objectives, as directed by AHIMA and MdHIMA, and with support from the MdHIMA Board, the Data Quality Committee has recently been restructured,

While this committee historically served as a special interest group, the Data Quality Committee now functions as a “working committee”, much like the other MdHIMA Committees. Volunteers participate in monthly meetings, work together to record minutes for the committee, suggest topics for education, obtain speakers, obtain meeting locations, assist with registration at educational sessions, etc.

In an effort to keep all interested MdHIMA members apprised of coding/case mix information, the Data Quality Committee now posts a draft and final version of the committee’s meeting minutes on the MdHIMA Members Only website, which includes all important communications that may be received from the HSCRC, MHA, etc. The committee no longer maintains an email group for informational purposes only.

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MdHIMA welcomes the new and transfer members into our state association! We look forward to seeing you at the upcoming events and welcome your active participation. Please feel free to contact any of the Board members if you are interested in joining a committee or if you have questions or need information. Again, welcome!

Dates to Remember

• December 7, 2007 – MdHIMA Quarterly Business Meeting, Sheppard Pratt Conference Center, Baltimore
   
• December 11, 2007 – Audio conference – Personal Health Record and Where Do I Find It?
   
• January 4, 2008 – Coding Roundtable - CPT Updates - 2-4pm - Harbor Hospital, Baltimore
   
• January 17, 2008 – Audio conference – Best Practices in Document to Digital Management
   
• January 17, 2008 – Evening Educational Session – City Lights @ Erickson Retirement Community, Baltimore - One of the speakers will be Dana Kollmann who has worked as a CSI agent for the Baltimore police and is the author of a book, “Never Suck a Deadman’s Thumb.”
   
• March 1, 2008 – CCS-P Prep Course – location to be determined
   
• March 5, 2008 – Audio conference – Diagnosis List and Its Relationship to the MDS
   
• March 7, 2008 - Quarterly Business Meeting (QBM) and Educational Program - Anne Arundel Medical Center, Annapolis, MD
   
• June 5-6, 2008 – MdHIMA Annual Meeting – Baltimore Convention Center

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Please keep your AHIMA profile updated so that our email information is always current and we can continue to keep in touch with our members.

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