eNews from MdHIMA
 
Issue 19 - February 2010
Inside this Issue:

President’s Message
House of Delegates – Apportionment Model Update
Student Scholarships
Winter Team Talks and Hill Day
MdHIMA Annual Meeting
MdHIMA Silent Auction – Donations Being Accepted
Welcome New MdHIMA Members!
Dates to Remember 
Submit Items for the e-Newsletter
Is Your AHIMA Profile Current?

President’s Message

I would like to wish everyone a Happy New Year!!  I hope you all had wonderful time during the holidays since our last newsletter.

It’s a new year with many new challenges ahead.  On January 13, 2010 CMS published a notice of proposed rule making (NPRM) on the Meaningful use EHR incentive program.  “Medicare and Medicaid Programs Electronic Health Record Incentive Program.”  The Office of the National Coordinator published  an interim final rule (IFR) describing the certification criteria for EHRs  that qualify for the meaningful use program – “Health Information Technology: Initial Set of Standards, Implementation Specifications, and Certification Criteria for Electronic Health Record Technology.”  The comment period for both of the rules is up to March 15, 2010.  I would encourage you to review the rules by going to the AHIMA website and reading the various whitepapers that AHIMA is preparing on meaningful use.

I look forward to see you at the March QBM.

Brian R. Bennighoff, RHIA, CTR
President, MdHIMA

House of Delegates – Apportionment Model Update

Your delegates recently answered a survey requesting input on some possible proposals to the reapportionment issues that were deferred during October’s House of Delegates.  We will be discussing this survey in more detail during our March QBM.  The possible model proposals which they asked us to rank are as follows:

Rank the House apportionment model that you feel would be fair and acceptable when determining the number of CSA delegates. Rank from 1-5, with 1 being the most fair and acceptable model.
  • The percent of membership calculation – originally presented during the October 2009 House business meeting.
     
  • A model that divides CSAs into thirds based on membership size and assigns delegates as follows: small CSAs – 2 delegates, medium CSAs – 3 delegates and large CSAs – 4 delegates.
     
  • A model that divides CSAs into fourths based on membership size and assigns delegates based on size using a 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 delegate spread (smallest CSAs – 1 delegate up to the largest CSAs – 4 delegates).
     
  • A model that continues to calculate the apportionment strictly by number of CSA members, but increases the base number to 500 members (similar to the current AHIMA bylaws – but increases from 100 to 500) and provides a minimum of 2 delegates per CSA and a maximum of 6 delegates per CSA.
     
  • A Senate model with 2 delegates per CSA.
Please review the Communities of Practice HOD Team: HOD Operations for specific details of each of the models.  To summarize with all models except for the Senate model, the number of delegates representing Maryland at the House would be 3 (currently we have 5 delegates in the house). 

The timeline for this is the timeline for next steps is as follows:
  • January 2010: Conduct an information gathering survey with the House of Delegates (completed)
     
  • February 2010: Identify and confirm a bylaws amendment to submit to the House of Delegates
     
  • February – March – April 2010: Submit bylaws amendment; Host discussions in the State Leaders and HOD Community of Practice, at Winter Team Talks and Virtual Team Talks
     
  • Prior to June 30, 2010: Hold an electronic vote with the House of Delegates
This timeline takes advantage of the in-depth discussions held prior to and at the October House of Delegates business meeting and allows a vote with the current term of delegates.

Student Scholarships

MdHIMA will be awarding two scholarships during our Annual Meeting in April.  Please check out the website for details and eligibility requirements.  The deadline for submission is March 31, 2010.  If you know a student who would be an excellent candidate for a scholarship, please encourage an application.  For more information or to apply, visit http://mdhima.org/AboutUs_scholarships.html.

Winter Team Talks and Hill Day

Join your delegates this March for Winter Team Talks and Hill Day down in Washington DC.  Check out the AHIMA website – Conferences and Events, Upcoming Events for more information.  You can earn up to 6 free CEU’s if you attend.

MdHIMA Annual Meeting

Mark your calendars for April 29 and 30, 2010 for the 80th MdHIMA Annual meeting at the Baltimore Convention Center.  Topics include:  Health Care Reform, Legal Issues of Telecommuting, Managing Vendors, Legal Issues of Electronic Records;  Data Quality Tracks will run both days with topics to include:  Interventional Radiology, Outpatient Orthopaedic Coding and Breast Surgery Coding.  In addition, HSCRC and PPC updates will be given to name just a few.

A grand celebration of our 80 year history will be a harbor cruise aboard the Spirit of Baltimore on Thursday evening, April 29, 2010 from 7:00- 10:00 P.M.  Dinner, dancing and D.J. are included.

Online registration will be from March 1, 2010 to April 20, 2010.  Those registering by April 1 will receive an early registration discount.    www.mdhima.org/AnnualMeetingHome.html

We hope you will join us for a fabulous annual conference!

MdHIMA Silent Auction – Donations Being Accepted

Please consider donating an item for the auction which will be held at the annual meeting in April.  The Silent Auction Committee would also welcome anyone would like to assist in organizing the auction and in soliciting items to be included in the auction.   If you choose to make a donation, it is tax-deductible and the proceeds will go toward supporting the activities of our association.  We hope to have a wide range of items in various price ranges and welcome any and all donations.  Some of our past items include writing pens, jewelry, hand-made crafts, home décor, gift certificates, gift baskets, tickets to sporting events, shows or museums, and a weekend get-away.  Use your imagination and be creative!  For more information visit the website at www.mdhima.org/AnnualMeetingSilentAuction.asp.  To make a donation please call Christie Ferri at 301-251-4664 or e-mail her at CFerri@adventisthealthcare.com.

Welcome New MdHIMA Members!

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!
 
Maritza E. Amarta
Hillary L. Bain
Grace Bayliss
Mary E. Bethke, CCS
Helena M. Bradley
Christine P. Brice
Lisa Brown
Wanda L. Bryant-Davis
Beverley Constatine-Fraser
Sherry Dixon
Christine M. Dougherty
Capti K. Ebright
Mel Eisele
Amanda M. Eldreth, CCS
Marlyn Francois
Nancy Guanti
Denise Haines
Sebastian Harris
Jonathan Johnson
Gurpreet Kakar
Lucille Kaplan
Aderinsoye Kareem
Patricia Maczis
Guadalupe Mendez
Selamawit Mihtsun
Lisa A. Musgrove, CCS
Margaret N. Naawu		 Tin New
Lydia Nyarko
Oluwakemi D. Ogunseye
James S. Paragua
Carolyn S. Peterson, CCS
Letitia Prather
Sandra O. Santos
Jennifer Schwartz
Bernadine Shettle
Mari Smith
Susan Sprout
Alexandra Stadler
Susan Stitcher
Marcia K. Summers
Pascal N. Takwe
Raquel P. Tan, CCS
LaVerne Taylor
Jerusalem Teklehymanot
Joseph Travagline
Maureen R. Warner
Lucy J. Watkins
Diana Weber
Harijati Wibowo
Tanelle Williams
Sandra C. Worrell
Donna R. Young, CCS
Dates to Remember 

February 19, 2010 – 12pm – 2pm – Audio Conference – Neoplasm Coding

February 25, 2010 – 1pm – 5pm – Coding Roundtable – Northwest Hospital, Baltimore, MD

March 5, 2009 – MdHIMA Quarterly Business Meeting – Details to come

April 29 – April 30, 2009 -  MdHIMA Annual Meeting – Baltimore Convention Center

September 25 -30, 2010  - AHIMA Annual Convention and Exhibit – Orlando, FL

Submit Items for the e-Newsletter

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