HAVE YOU SEEN IT?
AHIMA is launching an awareness campaign featuring real AHIMA members! The objective is to clarify the role of health information management (HIM) professionals, targeting healthcare professionals and executives who may have a limited understanding of the HIM function. Beginning this week, watch for print advertisements in upcoming issues of Modern Healthcare, Healthcare Executive, Healthcare Financial Management, and the Journal of AHIMA. Online advertisements, web pages, direct mail, and promotional merchandise will also be part of the campaign.
Visit here to see an example of the campaign.
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PUBLICATIONS
Are you following best practices for medical coding?
 Benchmarking to Improve Coding Accuracy and Productivity
Donna D. Wilson, RHIA, CCS,
Rose T. Dunn, RHIA, CHPS, CPA, FACHE, Technical Editor
Healthcare professionals now have their first comprehensive resource to benchmark and improve coding accuracy and productivity and impact reimbursements. Learn how to measure coding activities against national benchmarking measures, and explore best practices for measuring coding quality.
For all healthcare professionals and educators accountable for:
- Coding Compliance
- Financial Performance
- Coding productivity
- Teaching Coding
Order Information:
Product Number: AC200908
ISBN 978-1-58426-190-2
176 pages
Price: $65.95/Member Price: $52.95
© Softcover
Questions about AHIMA Publications? E-mail us!
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SIGN UP NOW TO TAKE THE RHIA/RHIT CERTIFICATION EXAM
Students in CAHIIM-approved RHIA or RHIT programs graduating this spring may want to sign up now to take the RHIA or RHIT certification exam. Your chances of passing the exam are highest right after graduation. For more information, visit here.
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QUESTION OF THE MONTH
Last month, AHIMA brand communications manager Pat Ebbers asked, "What book has influenced you more than any other?" Here are your responses.
HIPAA in Practice: The Health Information Manager’s Perspective NEVER leaves my
desk. I am thankful for those who helped make it possible.
DeAnn Tucker, RHIT, CCS
I have been a coder (twice certified now) for about 10 years. The book that comes
to mind as my favorite reference, both as a beginner and as a seasoned coder, is
Faye Brown’s ICD-9-CM Coding Handbook with answers. As it is produced in collaboration with AHA, it reflects the info in the Coding Clinic. I have many other favorites, but this is what comes to mind first.
Darlene D. Murin
The Holy Bible has influenced me the most in my life and in my career. The principles
in this book are deeply embedded in the work ethic I practice and in the personal
pride I put in to everything I do. The principles in this book are what keeps me
asking these questions: Is what I do every day adding value to our patients experience
of healthcare? Is the job I'm doing from day to day fulfilling the mission and vision of the organization I work for? Is healthcare as a whole being made in any way better because of what we do? And last but not least, what could I do to improve and add more value and efficiency to my everyday accomplishments? There is a prayer posted in my office where I see it often throughout the day and it simply says "Lord, bless the work that we do; bless it and keep us in Your power"
Ginger Smith RHIT CPHQ
Book that influenced me the most: Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill.
It is a self-help book that gives great insight into human nature and human psychology.
He provided a formula for how to be successful in a realistic, goal-oriented manner. I still remember details that I apply today.
Dean Panayotakis
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UPCOMING AUDIO SEMINARS AND WEBINARS
 Here's the convenient way to get the information you need to excel professionally. AHIMA makes it easy and affordable with the ability for several people to listen for the same low price, and no associated travel costs.
Reporting Hospital Outpatient Modifiers
April 17
Defining and Maintaining the Legal Health Record
April 22
Wound Care Coding
April 24 (New Date)
Understanding and Using ICD-10-CM
May 1
Update on RAC Audits
May 8
Managing the CMI under MS-DRGs
May 15
Enterprise Content Management
May 20
Two AHIMA CEUs are awarded for each audio seminar or webinar you attend. Just $179 member (or $229 nonmember) per seminar pays for as many colleagues as you wish to invite to your site! Your registration includes:
Access to the seminar for as many colleagues as you can fit in a room with a speakerphone—$179/$229 is the per-site charge, NOT the per-person cost!
Presentation handouts are available in advance on our Web site.
When you participate in the live broadcast, you follow the presentation online at no extra charge!
If you cannot attend a live seminar, you can purchase the seminar on audio CD or pre-recorded Webcast format. Volume discounts are available for ordering any four or more seminars, in any format, at the same time. Seminars begin at 1 p.m. ET. For registration and information, go here, or call (800) 335-5535.
Questions about AHIMA Audio Seminars? E-mail us!
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UPCOMING SEMINARS AND WORKSHOPS
For more information and a complete list of AHIMA seminars, workshops, and conferences, go here.
2008 Long Term Care Spring Meeting
May 1–2, St. Charles, MO
Project Management Institute
May 2, Chicago, IL
Health IM: Physician Practice Institute
May 9, Chicago, IL
Clinical Coding Regional Workshops: Achieving Coding Excellence
May 14–15, Charleston, SC
Workflow Analysis: Foundation for Transitioning to e-HIM®
May 19–20, Chicago, IL
Long Term Care Health IT Summit
June 9–10, Baltimore, MD
Assembly on Education Symposium and Faculty Development Institute
July 12–16, Louisville, KY
Executive Skills Institute
July 21–24, Chicago, IL
FORE Research Training Institute
August 4–9, Duluth MN (applications due April 14)
Save the Date! Registration opens May 1.
Reserve your hotel accommodations now.
Questions about upcoming seminars and workshops? E-mail us!
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FORE ANNOUNCEMENTS
 The FORE Research Committee Announces Annual Undergraduate and Graduate Student Research Poster Competition
The FORE Research Committee is seeking undergraduate and graduate student research for a poster competition to be displayed and presented at AHIMA’s Annual Convention in Seattle, Washington, October 13 through 15, 2008.
One graduate and one undergraduate winner will each receive $600 to support their travel to the convention where they will present their posters. All application materials are due June 1, 2008. Poster review and scoring will take place during June. For more details, go here.
Consider establishing a FORE Memorial Scholarship
A named FORE scholarship may be established in memory or in honor of colleagues, family and friends by a corporation, an individual, or a group of people. Annual scholarships require a minimum contribution of $1,000. Endowed FORE scholarship funds, from which annual scholarships will be granted, may be established with a minimum gift commitment of $20,000, which may be paid over time. To find out more about how you can establish a named fund, go here.
Questions about FORE? E-mail us!
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FAST FACTS AUDIO SEMINARS FROM AHIMA
Harness the learning benefits of audio seminars…faster! These pre-recorded seminars on physician practice topics will boost your expertise in just a half hour. Listen to Fast Facts on the go via pre-recorded Webcast or CD. An assessment is included with each seminar. Earn one CEU for each seminar and assessment completed.
New topics include:
- EHR System Selection
- Transitioning from Paper to Electronic Medium
- Record Retention and Destruction
- Disclosures and Release of Information
Prices start as low as $49 per seminar! Visit here for more information, including a complete list of topics.
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JOURNAL OF AHIMA FEATURE ARTICLE
 What’s Next for the Privacy Rule?
HIPAA for All, or Something Quite Like It
The privacy rule is just six years old, but gaps in its coverage have already widened. Now some organizations are recommending that the rule—or something like it—expand to cover any organization that handles personal health information in any form.
by Jill Callahan Dennis, JD, RHIA
Six years ago this month, the HIPAA privacy rule became effective for most of the US healthcare industry, and by April 14, 2003, compliance with the rule was expected. After much preparation, education, and more than a little consternation over uncertainties in the rule, newly minted privacy officers began administering covered entities’ privacy programs, putting in place a variety of new systems to execute the intricacies of the rule’s provisions.
Go here to read the rest of this article.
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THE AHIMA STAFF INTERVIEW!
 This month we're speaking with Sue Fiorio, Art Director in the Marketing and Sales Department of AHIMA. This is the 11th in a series of interviews with AHIMA staff members who are working to help you.
Can you tell us a little bit about your background and what you do?
I'm from Northern Wisconsin (the Green Bay area--go Packers!…and moved to Chicago in the early 70s to attend the Academy of Art in downtown Chicago. I have an Associate Degree in Graphic Design from that school. I'm married, do not have any children, but have one cat, Alphie.
I'm the Art Director in the Marketing and Sales Department of AHIMA. I've been with the company for 26 years and started out as the only designer on staff. At that time the department was called Publications and we produced a bi-monthly journal. The months we did not publish a journal we published a 12 to 16 page newsletter, called Counterpoint. At that time we did not have computers. We were still doing keyline and paste-up and we had an in-house typesetter. Besides the Journal, I designed the convention materials and direct mail brochures to advertise AHIMA's seminars. The department consisted of six people.
The department has grown significantly over the years. Staff has increased to 20 people and includes Customers Relations staff, marketing managers, three designers, print production manager, director of brand marketing, and a copywriter/copy editor.
In a nutshell, who works in your department and what do they do?
Candy Ramos is our senior designer. She works on membership collateral, distance educations marketing pieces, annual convention direct mail pieces and the program, and recently designed a series of six new image campaign ads. The first ad is in the April issue of Modern Healthcare and will also be in the May Journal of AHIMA ;
Monique Wolf just joined our staff as Journal Designer, replacing Jeffrey Link. Her job is to lay out and design the 11 issues of the Journal of AHIMA each year. She will also redesign the Journal this year.
As Art Director, I supervise the two designers and work with outside consultants when necessary. I am responsible for design for FORE, certification, AOE, CAHIIM. I'm also on the Web redesign team and amd a member of the brand team with the other designers. I have recently have taken on the book cover design.
What are some of your department’s biggest accomplishments?
Brand redesign of AHIMA, giving a consistent look to all collateral that comes from the AHIMA offices. Also, the Member Image campaign--we developed six ads using real members that show what our members do and how they make a difference in the HIM community.
What’s new and what can we expect from you in the future?
Redesign of the Journal of AHIMA by 2009, and a redesign of AHIMA's Web site to make it more user friendly and maintain the new brand standards.
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