IN THIS ISSUE

WELCOME

I don't know what the weather is like where you are, but lately it's been mighty cold in Chicago. Luckily, even after several days of being stuck in the house, access to the Internet can bring a taste of outside indoors. You can chat with friends, shop your favorite stores, explore the world through Web cams, and, if you're ambitious, expand your professional skills through AHIMA's Distance Education program. Cabin fever won't stand a chance!

Speaking of the Internet: Do you have a Twitter account? If so, please follow us. If you don't have a Twitter account, you can sign up for one here. Note: You don't need an account to view the AHIMA Resources Twitter!

Please note that answering the Question of the Month below will enter you in a drawing for one of two $50 American Express Gift Cheques! Do you use online social networking tools? If so, we want to hear from you.

In conclusion, always remember what comedian Steven Wright said about long journeys: "Everywhere is walking distance if you have the time."

Best,
Dan Kelly
Editor, AHIMA Resources
dan.kelly@ahima.org

SHORT-CUTS

We Asked,
You Answered
Question of the Month answers
from your fellow readers

Are You a
Lifelong Learner?
Explore AHIMA Distance Ed
Opportunities Here

Get the
CHPS
The Only Combined Privacy
and Security Credential

HIPS Week
Is Coming!
Prepare for the Week,
Starting Here

So Nice to
Meet You
Upcoming AHIMA
Meetings

A Feeling of
Fellowship
Fellowship Applications Are
Due February 27


PUBLICATIONS

Plan for ICD-10 Success

ICD-10-CM and ICD-10-PCS Preview, Second Edition

ICD-10-CM and ICD-10-PCS Preview Exercises

ICD-10-CM and ICD-10-PCS Preview, Second Edition is a newly revised, practical introduction to help you prepare your facility for ICD-10 implementation, as required by the notice of proposed rulemaking issued by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, effective October 1, 2013. ICD-10-CM and ICD-10-PCS Preview, Second Edition is the perfect guide for professional coders, managers, information systems personnel, clinicians, health insurers, and other users of coded clinical data who need to come up to speed on ICD-10.

The exercises in ICD-10-CM and ICD-10-PCS Preview Exercises give early adopters, consultants, and trainers a practical opportunity to familiarize themselves with the basic structure of ICD-10-CM and ICD-10-PCS and to understand how it is similar to and different from ICD-9-CM. This workbook is the perfect hands-on companion to the recently updated ICD-10-CM and ICD-10-PCS Preview, and together they provide an excellent tool kit for anyone preparing for the transition to ICD-10-CM and ICD-10-PCS.

Order Information

ICD-10-CM and ICD-10-PCS Preview, Second Edition
Product Number: AC206009
ISBN/ISSN: 978-1-58426-223-7
Member Price: $68.95
Price: $85.95
Softcover
© 2009

ICD-10-CM and ICD-10-PCS Preview Exercises
Product Number: AC216009
ISBN/ISSN: 978-1-58426-239-8
Member Price: $39.95
Price: $49.95
© 2010

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QUESTION OF THE MONTH

Our last Question of the Month was, "Do you have any rituals you perform before starting work?" We received an incredible number of great replies, and wish we could run them all! Here are a few of your answers:

When I come to work in the morning, the first thing I do is "round" with my staff. Some staff come in one to two hours before me and it gives me an idea about where we are and what needs to be accomplished or tweaked that day. Then I get my cup of coffee!
Ginny Berkheimer, RHIT, CPMSM

I guess I have a very important ritual that is indispensable in my daily work. Before I commence work I pray.
Melton Okoro, MHIM, AHR, FICPN
Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria.

Usually, as I enter the office building, I recite positive quotes that seem to ward off any negativity that may come my way throughout the day. I tell myself that I am going to make someone’s day better even if only with a smile. The positive quotes often come out when I bump into a complainer or someone who’s not feeling well. I offer to do a little extra if someone needs me. It helps out the business and makes me feel good inside.
Carolyn Beasley

I do yoga every morning before heading out the door. It helps me stay centered and not get crazy when things get out of hand.
Terry Kelly, CPC, CCP

First, I must eat a sandwich and drink orange juice at home. On the way to work I listen to music. When I reach work the first thing I must do is read my e-mail and the newspaper online. Then I can start working comfortably.
Abdulrazaq Alawadhi

My morning ritual consists of getting up and taking my minature schnauzer for a walk every morning before breakfast (even before coffee!). I use this time to plan out my day and we both get a little bit of exercise we both need.
Teresa Mathews

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CERTIFICATION

Demonstrate Your Privacy and Security Expertise with CHPS Certification

AHIMA offers the only combined privacy and security credential in the healthcare industry. The Certified in Healthcare Privacy and Security (CHPS) designation expands professional opportunities for attorneys, privacy officers, and related healthcare professionals by broadening capabilities in key areas. Certification ensures advanced competency in designing, implementing, and administering comprehensive privacy protection programs.

Be on the leading edge of privacy and security trends, and maximize the opportunity to achieve your career goals. Sign up now to take the CHPS certification exam!

For more information about CHPS and other AHIMA certifications, visit here.

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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.

Mastering Injection and Infusion Coding
February 12

How CDI Programs Result in Quality Coded Data
February 19

ROI: From Outsourcing to In-house
February 24

Managing the Clinical Documentation Improvement Program (CDIP)
March 5

JUST ADDED! Understanding the Red Flag Rules
March 10

Fundamentals of Workflow Analysis: Implementing New Systems
March 17

Two AHIMA CEUs are awarded for each audio seminar or webinar you attend. Just $179 for members (or $229 for nonmembers) 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. New for 2009—selected audio seminars and webinars are also available in MP3 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.

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UPCOMING MEETINGS


Enhance your skills with AHIMA's professional development opportunities.

Strategies for Effective Revenue Cycle Management
March 16–17, 2009, Orlando, FL
JW Marriott Grande Lakes

Go here for more information, or call AHIMA Customer Relations at (800) 335-5535.

Achieving Coding Excellence
March 17–18, 2009, Orlando, FL
JW Marriott Grande Lakes

Register here, or call Customer Relations at (800) 335-5535.

Early bird registration for both events closes February 27.

2009 Annual ICD-10 Summit: Beyond Compliance to Strategic Advantage
April 16–17

More information on this important event here! Early Bird Registration will close on Friday, April 10, 2009. Visit here or call Customer Relations at (800) 335-5535

The AHIMA Live Learning Center is your portal to education content from AHIMA

  • Meetings, Conferences and Events.
  • Sessions currently available for purchase:
    • All sessions of 80th AHIMA Convention and Exhibit
    • 2008 Coding Meeting (held in conjunction with the AHIMA Convention and Exhibit)
  • Future sessions available for purchase will include the 2009 ICD-10 Annual Summit: Beyond Compliance to Strategic Advantage

Visit the AHIMA Live Learning Center today to make your purchase!

Non-AHIMA Events
AHIMA to Co-sponsor HIMSS 2009—April 4–8

Chicago welcomes the 2009 Annual Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) Conference and Exhibition. Some 29,000 healthcare industry professionals and 900 exhibitors are expected to attend. AHIMA is proud to be a co-sponsor of this annual event, which helps healthcare IT and management systems professionals make the right decisions about their upcoming purchases.

To learn more about AHIMA, visit us in the lobby by Hall B1 at McCormick Place during the HIMSS conference, or check out the AHIMA Web site. Visit the HIMSS Conference Web site for more information on the conference.

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FELLOWSHIP

AHIMA Fellowship Applications Due February 27

Join the 64 highly accomplished HIM professionals recognized as AHIMA Fellows. Apply to obtain a Fellowship or for Candidacy for Fellowship designation. Fellowship is an earned recognition for AHIMA members who have made significant and sustained contributions to the profession.

Fellows must:

  • Be an AHIMA member with a minimum of 10 years continuous membership;
  • Have a master’s degree;
  • Have a minimum of 10 years full-time professional HIM or related experience; and
  • Demonstrate evidence of professional achievement.

Candidacy for Fellowship serves as a preparatory period for those individuals whose portfolio does not meet the criteria for fellowship, but who want an opportunity to formalize lifelong learning and development plans. Admission to Candidacy does not automatically result in the conferment of Fellowship. Members interested in learning more about the Fellowship program and application process can visit the Web site. Applications for fellowship can be made online. Please contact Susan Fenton at susan.fenton@ahima.org or (312) 233-1532 with any questions.

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INTERVIEW


Kathy McDaniel has been in the healthcare field for 35 years. After deciding she wanted to work from home, she became interested in oncology and cancer registry management. Her daughter suggested she take the Cancer Registry Management (CRM) program offered by AHIMA in order to complete the courses required to become a Certified Tumor Registrar (CTR). We asked how everything worked out for her since then.

What brought you to AHIMA’s online courses?

While looking through the online schools for CTR education, I saw AHIMA offered all the classes that I needed and was also recognized by NCRA.

What did you like best about the experience?

I enjoyed being able to go as fast as I needed to. I had to finish in a certain length of time to take my CTR exam in September 2008. I was able to work at all hours and every day. I also enjoyed the response that I received from my instructor (who was a CTR) when I had questions.

How will they help you in the future?

Since I have been working as a CTR, I have referred back to my school books and instructor notes several times. These books and notes will be a resource for me from now on since there is so much valuable knowledge in them.

I highly recommend the Cancer Registry Management Program from AHIMA for anyone wanting to be a CTR.

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JOURNAL OF AHIMA


RAC Ready:
How to Prepare for the Recovery Audit Contractor Program
by Kathy M. Johnson, RHIA; Allison Bloom, MBA, RHIA; Denise Morris, RHIA, CCS; and Rod Madamba, RHIA

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is expected to announce the official start date of the Recovery Audit Contractor program this month, but it is already time for providers to be preparing for a potential audit. Managing a RAC audit effectively and efficiently requires preparing departments throughout the organization.

To read more, please go here. Be sure to visit the Journal of AHIMA blog for other useful articles.

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AHIMA MEMBERSHIP

Are you a current member of AHIMA? If your answer is no then keep reading, because you're missing out on important benefits to help you advance your career. In each issue of Resources, we will highlight one of the many member benefits you can access if you sign up. Go here to join today.

Professional Development— Programs, Services, Publications, and Certification

Join AHIMA and become part of an organization more than 53,000 members strong. Your membership dollars provide you with many things, including many tools and services to assist you in advancing your career and positioning yourself for success. The AHIMA professional development tools include distance education, educational seminars, webinars, meetings, publications, certification, and networking opportunities. As a member of AHIMA you are eligible for member pricing for many of these professional development tools. So, go here to join today and begin enjoying the many benefits of membership!

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LIFELONG LEARNERS

In the HIM field, we must all be lifelong learners to keep up with the ever-changing environment of healthcare. Coders need to brush up on their anatomy and physiology skills in order to be ready for ICD-10 in 2013. Many managers are in the transition phase from hybrid to electronic records and need assistance in this move. AHIMA offers a wide array of educational products to meet the needs of HIM professionals. Take a look at the AHIMA Distance Education Web site to see all the available opportunities to continue your lifelong learning.

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NEW ONLINE COURSES FROM AHIMA DISTANCE EDUCATION

Exam Prep: RHIT Domain 3—Health Services Organization and Delivery

This six-lesson course is designed to assist students in successfully completing a particular section of their RHIT certification exam. This course provides education and resources on healthcare delivery system, compliance, and confidentiality, as well as on ethical, legal, and privacy issues. For information and enrollment, visit here.

Key Principles and Best Practices of Hybrid Record Management

Technological advances have changed the practice of medicine from point-of-care to billing, coding, and record maintenance.  This course will educate the student in key principles of HIM within a hybrid record environment including the challenges of releasing health information.  It will provide the skill set needed to maintain compliance and manage a constantly evolving environment to ensure efficiency, consistency, and integrity.  Upon completion, the student will be able to define the significance of a legal health record in a hybrid environment as well as create policies and procedures. For information and enrollment, visit here.

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HEALTH INFORMATION PRIVACY AND SECURITY WEEK

Planning Kit Now Available

Health information is vital to the delivery of care, and so is keeping it secure. Join us as we observe Health Information Privacy and Security Week, April 12 through 18, 2009. This annual event is sponsored by AHIMA to raise awareness among healthcare professionals, their employers, and the public of the importance of protecting the privacy, confidentiality, and security of personal health information. This year’s theme is “Protecting Information—It’s a Top Priority,” and we have prepared a kit to help you plan your week. To access the planning kit online, go here. Official merchandise for the week is only available through Bells Select, and a portion of the proceeds from the sale of official merchandise goes to support the week. To order official merchandise, go here. Order by March 12 for guaranteed arrival of merchandise by Health Information Privacy and Security Week.

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FAST FACTS AUDIO SEMINARS FROM AHIMA

Physician Practice Fast Facts: Information You Need Now!

Do you work in physician practice? Do you need continuing education that is quick, affordable and meaningful? You can have all this and maintain your credentials with important continuing education units (CEUs) on crucial topics for everyday management of the physician practice environment. Harness the learning benefits of audio seminars, faster! These 30-minute pre-recorded physician practice topics will boost your knowledge and experience in half the time of an audio seminar. Topics include:

  • Developing and Managing the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule
  • Challenges of Compliance and Ethical Coding in Physician Practice
  • Quality Documentation within Physician Practice
  • The Importance of the Legal Health Record in Physician Practice
  • Developing a Query Process for the Physician Practice or Home Health Agency
  • PQRI and Category II Codes
  • Correct Coding Initiatives (CCI)
  • Claim Rejections and Appeals Process
  • And many more!

Fast Facts seminars are available via pre-recorded Webcast or CD. An assessment is included with each seminar. Earn one CEU for each seminar and assessment completed. Prices start as low as $49 per seminar! Visit here for more information, including a complete list of topics.

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AHIMA CAREER ASSIST

One of the benefits of AHIMA membership is use of Career Assist. Presenting special offers for job seekers and discounts for posting employers, AHIMA’s Career Assist is your one-stop HIM health information portal to your new career. A Career Assist customer service staff member is ready to assist you with any questions at (888) 575-9675, or by e-mail at custserv@jobtarget.com. You will get an immediate response to your questions.

To find your perfect job today, go here.

Below are some recent job opportunities:

HIM Director
Primacy Search Group, Pennsylvania

Coding Supervisor
Stern and Associates, Inc., Ohio

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MEMBER BENEFITS

AVIS Rent a Car

AHIMA members can take advantage of the car rental company that tries harder. Whether you’re traveling this summer for business or pleasure, Avis has membership programs and personal services to make your travels easier and more enjoyable. And low rates are just the beginning. Avis goes the extra mile for you with special offers and personalized, attentive service. Avis offers AHIMA member’s great money-saving coupons on top of special weekend, weekly and monthly rates.

For reservations or information please contact your travel agent or Avis Reservations at (800) 331-1212. Be sure to use the AHIMA Avis Worldwide Discount (AWD) number S002800 and you will automatically get the lowest rate available. Or visit Avis here for more information.

AHIMA is proud to offer this member benefit, which is just one of the many benefits you have through membership. Go here for a complete listing of member-discounted services including package delivery, reward points credit card, insurance and more.

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STOP BY OUR BOOTH!

AHIMA will exhibit at the following conferences within the next month. If you plan on attending either of these events, be sure to stop by our booth and pick up a free gift.

March 2–4, 2009, American Medical Group Association (AMGA) 2009 Annual Conference, Booth #619, Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, NV

March 9–11, 2009, Ohio Health Information Management Association (OHIMA) 29th Annual Meeting and Trade Show, Booth #7, Columbus Hilton at Easton, Columbus, OH

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Did you miss last month's issue of AHIMA Resources? Read it online here.

If you found this e-mail in your bulk folder, please add resources@ahima.org to your address book to ensure you receive all future communications in your in box.


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Copyright © 2009 American Health Information Management Association. All rights reserved.AHIMA is the premier association for health information management (HIM) and allied healthcare professionals. These professionals manage, protect, and utilize complex personal health information for the delivery of quality healthcare to the public. Founded in 1928 to improve the quality of medical records, AHIMA fosters the career growth of its 53,000 members through leadership in advocacy, education, certification, and lifelong learning. For information about the Association, go to www.ahima.org.
 
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