Award Description: The Distinguished Member Award is AHIMA’s highest honor and Triumph Award. This award celebrates an individual with a long, exceptional history of HIM contributions. It is awarded to an outstanding member whose record of contributions to the field over many years is truly exceptional.

Qualifications: Qualified individuals are professionals in HI and HIM who have made significant contributions to the field through dedicated volunteer service, innovative professional practice, education, research, presenting or publishing. Nominees must be AHIMA members at the time of nomination.

Guidelines: Required nomination criteria for this award include the following:

• Conducted significant original or applied research or authored, edited, or served on editorial boards for a journals, books, monographs, and other publications that advance the HI/HIM profession
• Advanced professional practice through development of new theory; active dissemination of knowledge about cutting edge practice innovations; or leadership in a specialty area
• Presented at HIM conferences and other educational events; respected instructor, teacher or educator, testified at government hearings for AHIMA or other national healthcare associations
• Volunteered as an officer, director, committee or council chair for HI/HIM-related organization
• Positioned the HI/HIM profession as a leadership force in the healthcare and wellness industry
• Provided inspiration, guidance, and opportunities for emerging leaders to participate in AHIMA’s volunteer structure and to build meaningful leadership experiences
• Supported AHIMA’s mission, vision, strategy and key initiatives

Award Description: The Champion Advocacy and Public Policy Award honors those whose long-term and enthusiastic support of AHIMA and the HIM profession has advanced AHIMA’s capacity to achieve its mission and/or advanced HIM practice through involvement in AHIMA advocacy and public policy efforts.

Qualifications: Qualified nominees are individuals, groups, or corporations who have worked tirelessly to support the HIM profession by advancing AHIMA’s leadership position and/or who have developed or refined practice theory, demonstrated leadership, or introduced innovation and creativity to current practice. These are best characterized as individuals or organizations that go above and beyond in their quest to make the HIM profession thrive.

Guidelines: Required nomination criteria for this award include the following:

• Advanced advocacy and public policy initiatives that promoted the interests of the HIM profession that may include legislative and regulatory efforts on behalf of AHIMA and/or the component state associations
• Positioned the HIM profession as a leadership force in the healthcare industry and in the development and advancement of public policy as it relates to HIM, HIT and HIE through active engagement at local, state and/or national levels
• Provided inspiration, guidance, and opportunities for emerging leaders to participate in AHIMA's volunteer structure and to build meaningful leadership experiences related to advocacy and public policy initiatives
• Supported of key AHIMA advocacy and public policy initiatives at the local, state and national level

• Participated with AHIMA’s advocacy and public policy initiatives such as Hill Day and taking those experiences and championing them with other members and stakeholders

Award Description: The Community Outreach Award honors those HIM professionals or groups who have embraced the need for public outreach and encouraged the overall management of health information. The nominee should have provided information on HIM topics to the public (e.g., medical identity theft, HIPAA, and privacy/confidentiality. Activities should include presentations, development of toolkits, innovative programs, and other forms of outreach focused on empowering consumers to be proactive participants in their healthcare using health information.

Qualifications: HIM professionals or groups who exemplify vision and compassionate leadership in promoting consumer health awareness and advocacy through dedicated volunteer service, innovative outreach and a spirit of collaboration and teamwork.

Guidelines: Required nomination criteria for this award include the following:

• Presented to community groups in a variety of settings
• Developed and/or participated in health campaigns with a focus on HIM roles
• Used social networking tools to increase community awareness (using technologies such as blogs, Face book, YouTube, etc.)
• Promoted HIM or related items and other tools in community forums
• Demonstrated a record of motivating other HIM professionals to develop and deliver consumer outreach programs to promote community health wareness either in their work setting or in the community at large
• Encouraged professionals in other fields (e.g. public health departments, patient education coordinators, patient information resource coordinators, librarians) to partner with HIM professionals to present information about consumer health and other HIM topics (e.g., Individuals who have played a strong role in the Community Education Coordinator (CEC) program for the PHR campaign.)
• Educated the public on the roles of HIM professionals

Award Description: The Educator Award honors those who demonstrate excellence in preparing the next generation of professionals for their HIM careers.

Qualifications: Qualified individuals or a department of educators that are instructors who teach in a formal health information administration or health information technology program that grants associate’s, baccalaureate, or master’s degrees and who are involved in AHIMA activities at the state or national level.

Guidelines: Nominee must meet ALL of these criteria to be eligible for the Educator Award:

• Developed and implemented creative teaching tools and methods
• Established/maintained high standards of excellence and high expectations of students.
• Demonstrated the awareness of the instructor’s impact as a role model.
• Committed to student mentoring in the classroom and beyond.
• Contributed to the research base of the field.
• Leaders HIM education

Award Description: The Leadership Award an individuals who has outstanding accomplishments of a valued and trusted leader. Those who have demonstrated on-going leadership competency with the association, the HIM profession; adheres and advocates for the AHIMA Code of Ethics, and any other appropriate codes of conduct, values, honesty, integrity and transparency and respects diversity, and fosters inclusion. A qualified authority in the HIM profession who presents a positive professional image as the leader for the association and the profession.

Qualifications: Qualified individuals who are Active members of the Association with proven leadership abilities. Professionals who have distinguished themselves in the profession as a recognized leader

Guidelines: Nomination criteria for this award include the following competencies:

• Visionary leadership and strategic planning: formulated a vision and strategy and set direction
• Exhibited an entrepreneurial spirit and inspired others
• Business and resource management, process, expertise and acumen (directed and evaluated organization-wide performance, developed and articulated a value proposition, identified budgetary and resource, impactedand pursued cost effectiveness, was vigilant about financial and fiduciary responsibility)
• Critical thinking, analysis and problem solving: thought in a logical and analytical manner, deliberated through multiple perspectives and alternatives, solved problems with effective solutions, advised toward results-oriented and effective decision-making
• Organizational innovation and transformation: understood the complexities of organizations, acted as a change agent, fostered creativity
• Team leadership: built consensus, created a climate that empowered others, advanced inclusion and full group participation
• Development of others: motivated individuals, mentored and coached people, advocated for continuous learning
• Negotiations skills: influenced others to act cohesively, led conflict resolution and settled differences
• Interactive communication, presentation and technology skills: articulated effectively, listened actively and confirmed a message was heard, commanded and engaged audience, utilized multiple and appropriate communication modes, applied tools to convey thoughts and images, used current technology
• Project Management/Time Management: practiced project management methodology, tools and techniques, accomplished an outcome, and championed the importance of goals, expectations and deadlines

Award Description: The Literary Legacy Award honors a significant contribution to the knowledge base of the HIM field through an insightful recent publication, building on the enduring tradition of the Edna K. Huffman Literary Award.

Qualifications: Qualified individuals or “teams,” are those who have authored a landmark book, book chapter, article, monograph, or instructional guide that was published in some form (including electronic media) by a recognized professional association or publisher within the last two years.

Guidelines: Nomination criteria for this award include the following:

• Authored and published books, chapters, and/or guides
• Presented new theoretical concepts or further development of concepts previously advanced by others.
• Detailed hands-on practice techniques that are ready for implementation.
• Provided tools to educate health information professionals or the general public.

Award Description: The Mentor Award honors individuals or “teams,” with long records of encouraging students or colleagues to realize their full potential, or have helped them find ways to achieve their best.

Qualifications: Qualified individuals or “teams” are those rare professional colleagues and friends who touch our lives and launch us toward new horizons.

Guidelines: Nomination criteria for this award include the following:

• Demonstrated a record of motivating talented young people to enter the HIM profession
• Encouraged young professionals to become involved in AHIMA activities at the state and local level and supporting their efforts
• Fostered enthusiasm for the profession
• Was willing to provide clinical sites and supervision for multiple students designed to help them achieve competencies established by AHIMA.
• Provided ongoing, long-term career guidance to one or more HIM professionals
• Supported of the training process for new professionals through teaching, serving on panel presentations or advisory committees, and advising individual students
• Served as a mentor who guides students to new opportunities and fosters their enthusiasm for the profession

Award Description: The Pioneer Award honors those individuals, groups or organizations who are focused on moving HI/ HIM into the future of the healthcare and wellness industry. The Pioneer Award honors persons or groups who have promoted important advances in areas related to quality data, standards development, patient safety, systems development, and any domain where visionary thinking has made a difference.

Qualifications: Qualified nominees are individuals, groups or corporations who have utilized breakthrough thinking and actions for HIM that has demonstrated the future of the profession.

Guidelines: Nomination criteria for this award include the following:

• Instituted creative practice innovations through advances in practice
• Demonstrated ability of a forward thinking leader in the healthcare industry
• Implemented systems that impact the quality and safety of the delivery of healthcare within an organization, across multiple organizations or states
• Participated in standards development to move HIM implementation to a new level
• Demonstrated activities that have opened the door for others to make advances in HIM practice
• Introduced of creative practice innovations through advances in technology, development of more effective quality management measures, or new methods of promoting employee productivity and job satisfaction

Award Description: The Research Award honors those who have made an outstanding contribution to original and applied HIM research.

Qualifications: HIM professionals or groups who exemplify unusual vision and leadership in understanding HIM philosophy and conduct, or support research demonstrating the application of these concepts to healthcare.

Guidelines: Nomination criteria for this award include the following:

• Incorporated thought leadership and critical thinking in research projects
• Acquired funding and/or grants for approved research
• Used qualitative and quantities research methods
• Published original or applied research findings in HIM
• Demonstrated ability of a forward thinking leader in the healthcare industry

Award Description: The Rising Star Award honors those individuals, groups or organizations who are up and coming in the HIM field. It honors a promising new professional who embodies great hope as we look to the future of the HIM profession. (An HIM professional in the business for 5 years or less.)

Qualifications: Qualified are HIM professionals who worked tirelessly to establish a mark in the transition to electronic health information management

Guidelines: Nomination criteria for this award include the following:

• Willingness to challenge tradition, take risks, and think critically and to lead others in these processes
• Exceptional problem solving ability with the capacity to envision the "big picture" in health information management and make decisions accordingly
• Demonstrates excellence in management of personnel, finances or information systems
• Demonstrates commitment to the HIM profession through active participation in local, state and national AHIMA activities, especially those that promote HIM education

Award Description: The Student Award recognizes and encourages the best of the fresh new talent being trained in CAHIIM accredited or AHIMA approved coding programs nationwide.

Qualifications: Qualified individuals are student members currently enrolled in a CAHIIM accredited or AHIMA approved coding program.  Nominees must be students at the time of the nomination but may have graduated by the time the award is given.

Guidelines: Nomination criteria for this award include the following:

• Holds an AHIMA Student membership at the time of nomination and Student or New Grad membership at the time of award
• Maintains a grade point equivalent of 3.5 out of 4.0 or higher
• Demonstrates leadership and commitment to the future of the HIM profession