Membership Benefits

[ Affinity Programs | Data Resources | Everywhere Benefits | Face-to-Face Benefits | Online Benefits | Print Benefits | ]

Membership has many benefits. Being connected to 51,000 professionals who have an interest in promoting quality healthcare information is reason enough to join, but belonging offers you so much more-real opportunities to make the most of your HIM or medical coding career.

Top 10 AHIMA Member Benefits

• Communications—Journal of AHIMA, AHIMA Advantage Newsletter, various E-newsletters and E-alerts.
• Legislative Voice—Advocacy Assistant and representation in legislative, regulatory and standards.
• Professional Development—programs, services, publications and certification.
• Collaboration—Communities of Practice, AHIMA Convention and Exhibit, seminars, audio conferences, and web based training.
• Discounts—education, certification, publications, products and Affinity Programs provide members discounts on valuable services.
• Information and Research—FORE Library: HIM Body of Knowledge.
• Job Postings—HIM specific job search through Career Assist.
• Members-Only Web site—myAHIMA Single Log-In, myProfile and the Vendor Directory.
• Component State Associations (CSA)—automatic membership at local level.
• Leadership—Action Community for e-HIM Excellence (ACE), Fellowships and Merit Scholarships

Affinity Programs

AHIMA membership provides you with something extra: special access to valuable services, including express shipping, and insurance. Each of these services is offered to AHIMA members at some of the lowest rates available. And every time you use these services, the companies listed below also make a contribution to AHIMA. More benefits will be added in the near future. When contacting these organizations, please have your AHIMA membership number available.

Avis Rent a Car.

AHIMA members can now take advantage of the car rental company that tries harder. Whether you're traveling 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 members 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. Go here for more information or to make a reservation. When making a reservation, it is very important that you always ask for the best rate available. You should make sure the AWD number appears on the rental agreement before leaving the rental counter.

Capital One® Auto Finance

AHIMA members can take advantage of America's largest online vehicle lender through Capital One® Auto Finance. Through a special arrangement for AHIMA members, Capital One® Auto Finance can provide vehicle financing solutions to customers of various credit backgrounds. Applying online is safe and easy, and it takes just minutes to get a response. Once approved, qualified customers receive a no-obligation Blank Check, which works like a personal check and can be used to buy a new or used car or motorcycle, or to refinance or even buy out a lease. You can refinance your vehicle to a lower rate or apply for a new loan by clicking here.

DHL Shipping

If you're a consultant or simply want the best rates on your air express package deliveries, AHIMA has an offer for you. In partnership with DHL, AHIMA offers members a full suite of domestic and international shipping services, covering 220 countries and territories around the globe. Members can take advantage of the complete menu of DHL services, including:

• DHL Next Day 10:30 AM, 12 noon and 3 p.m.
• DHL 2nd Day
• DHL Ground
• Worldwide Priority Express
• Import Express
• ...And much more!

To find out more, call (800) MEMBERS (636-2377), or visit their Web site at www.membersales.com/ahima.

Hotel Discounts

AHIMA members can now save 15 percent to 30 percent off their overnight hotel accommodations at more than 4,000 participating locations throughout North America. The participating hotels are listed below. All you need to do is call the toll-free number of the hotel you are interested in (listed below) and be sure to mention ID number 20002. Please note that advance reservations are required, blackout dates may apply, and discounts cannot be used with other programs.

AmeriHost (800) 996-2087
Days Inn (800) 268-2195
Howard Johnson (800) 769-0939
Knights Inn (800) 682-1071
Ramada (800) 462-8035
Travelodge (800) 545-5545
Wingate Inns (877) 202-8814
Villager (888) 821-5779

Introducing AHIMA’s Newest Member Benefit: Liberty Mutual Home and Auto Insurance

Member benefits now include savings on auto and home insurance. AHIMA has teamed up with Liberty Mutual to offer our members Group Savings Plus®. This unique program allows you to purchase high-quality auto, home and renters insurance at low group rates. See for yourself how much money you could save with Liberty Mutual compared to your current insurance provider. For a free, no-obligation quote, call (800) 524-9400, or visit one of Liberty Mutual’s local sales offices. Please mention group #113284.

Group Insurance Plans

Professional Liability Plan

Group Term Life Insurance

Disability Income Plan

Customized Major Medical

Short-Term Medical Plan

Long Term Care Plan

For more information, including rates and policies, contact Marsh directly at (800) 503-9230.

PDA Verticals
  
Presenting the latest in selected handheld hardware and medical software at favorable discounts, PDA Verticals offers devices from all the major manufacturers. AHIMA can bundle the PDAs with the largest section of medical software available. AHIMA members can take advantage of exclusive special offers that combine the PDA hardware with specifically selected medical software and save even more. To get started, go to their Web site. If you have any questions, call PDA Verticals directly at (800) 462-0388 and speak with a PDA Verticals representative.

World Points Platinum Plus MasterCard Credit Card

AHIMA offers members a no-annual-fee WorldPoints Platinum Plus MasterCard credit card. Designed especially for AHIMA members, this special card offers a low introductory annual percentage rate and a credit line up to $100,000. Earn points every time you make a purchase, and then redeem them for unlimited cash rewards; tickets on major US airlines with no blackout dates; brand-name merchandise; and car rentals and hotel stays in the US. Carry the only credit card that helps support your association’s programs and initiatives at no additional cost to you.

For information about rates, fees, and benefits associated with the use of the card, or to apply, go here or call (866) 598-4970.

Data Resources

These three valuable resources will keep you up-to-date with the latest healthcare industry news. Exclusive member discount: Modern Healthcare regular price: $145/yr. AHIMA member price: $89/yr. * Exclusive member discount: Daily Dose regular price: $49/yr. AHIMA member price: $29/yr Modern Healthcare is the healthcare industry's only weekly business news magazine. This award-winning magazine has a team of over two dozen reporters and editors delivering analysis of the trends and developments facing today's healthcare industry. Click here to see a sample issue. Sign up here. Modern Healthcare's Daily Dose e-newsletter provides original, staff-written summaries of the day's top healthcare business news stories. Click here for a sample. Click here to sign up for Modern Healthcare's Daily Dose. * USA: $89, Canada: $180, other countries: $143.

AHIMA and KLAS Enterprises provide you, the healthcare provider with a title of manager or above, with access to health information technology (HIT) vendor performance information. As an AHIMA provider member you will be given free access to news and selected vendor performance reports when you take the opportunity to evaluate your software vendors' performance. Discounts will also be granted on other KLAS services. To get started, click here. Ambulatory EMR Performance Report Now Available KLAS’ 2005 Ambulatory EMR performance report looks at the major and emerging players in the ambulatory market.  The report focuses primarily on clinics with more than 25 physicians and includes a detailed vendor performance section along with commentary from healthcare providers using the systems. Click here to view an executive summary of the report. To receive a special AHIMA discount on the purchase of this report use this code: AHIMAKO372 when purchasing online.

Everywhere Benefits

Action Community for e-HIM® Excellence (ACE)

ACE members lead and influence e-HIM®, making a difference in their organizations, communities, states, and at the national level. Joining the community begins with recognition or self-nomination.

Advocacy

AHIMA is a recognized voice in healthcare: nationally, regionally, and locally. The Policy and Government Relations (P&GR) Team in Washington, DC, holds a strong record of advocacy in Congress, federal agencies, and standards development and maintenance organizations. AHIMA ensures you have a voice in the present and future of HIM.

The Washington, DC office, in particular, leads AHIMA advocacy by representing members in the halls of government, where rules and regulations are made that directly affect members.

There are many groups in Washington similar to AHIMA's, but none of them are so specifically designated to work for its members and the HIM workforce in general.

Your membership dollars provide you with a nonpartisan and respected voice when it comes to legislation.

Advocacy Assistant

AHIMA's Advocacy Assistant, an online tool designed to assist members with advocacy at the federal, state, and local levels. Members can learn about advocacy, and send e-mails to federally elected legislators and the President directly from the tool. The tool also has a media contacts list where you can send e-mails to the editors within your state. Click here to read more and to log in.

Career Counseling

Do you have questions about health information management careers? AHIMA offers career counseling to those new to the field and also for seasoned veterans.

Certification

Members receive discounts when they sit for certification exams. Since 1933, AHIMA has been setting the standard for HIM professional certification. An AHIMA credential offers a competitive edge with employers, potential employers, colleagues, and peers. Industry-wide, AHIMA certifications are recognized as the benchmark of professional excellence.

AHIMA currently offers six credentials:

Certified in Healthcare Privacy and Security (CHPS). AHIMA is introducing a new CHPS certification beginning in April 2007. Integrating core competencies of two current certifications, AHIMA's CHP and HIMSS's CHS, the newly revised CHPS certification will better serve the privacy and security industry by issuing a credential that demonstrates mastery in both areas.

Certified Coding Specialist (CCS), the Certified Coding Specialist-Physician-based (CCS-P) These two exams demonstrate skill in classifying medical data from patient records, either in the hospital setting (CCS) or in physician offices, group practices, multi-specialty clinics, or specialty centers (CCS-P). Employers see both of these certifications as a benchmark of professional excellence, translating into potentially more challenging and even lucrative positions in the industry.

Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA)/Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) RHIAs are skilled in the collection, interpretation, and analysis of patient data. RHITs are health information technicians who ensure the quality of medical records by verifying their completeness, accuracy, and proper entry into computer systems. The integral involvement RHIAs have in areas like HIPAA compliance, privacy of health records, data quality, security, research, and decision support make them invaluable leadership assets in any healthcare setting. RHITs can look forward to expanding career opportunities in health information technology.

Certified Coding Associate (CCA). This entry-level credential is designed to give the coder immediate marketability after completing a qualified medical coding training program (such as Coding Basics online program), or on-the-job training. It ensures that basic coding knowledge has been mastered. The CCS is an excellent resource for training entry-level staff and finding the most promising candidates for hiring and promotion.

Component State Associations

When someone joins AHIMA, he or she automatically becomes a member of 1 of 52 Component State Associations (CSAs). CSAs offer the chance to network and build relationships on a local level. Twenty percent of each member's dues go to support their CSA.

Fellowship

Fellowship is open to certain active, honorary, or senior members of AHIMA who meet the eligibility requirements. Individuals who earn fellowship may use the designation Fellow of the American Health Information Management Association (FAHIMA).

Foundation of Research and Education (FORE)

• Raising funds to support Foundation initiatives
• Identifying trends that impact HIM
• Defining new directions for the profession
• Guiding and encouraging professional development through research
• Defining and identifying best practice
• Recognizing excellence in the HIM profession

• E-HIM® research and resource development
• Merit scholarships and educational loans
• Best practice development
• FORE Library: HIM Body of Knowledge
• Grant-in-Aid and Dissertation Assistance research awards
• HIM Faculty Development
• Triumph Awards and leadership development
• Workforce Assessment Study

Logo line/Recognition Weeks

Show your HIM spirit by purchasing quality gifts from AHIMA.  In addition be sure to celebrate two recognition weeks each year:  Health Information and Technology Week and Health Information Privacy and Security Week, which are set up by AHIMA to recognize the achievements of healthcare professionals.

AHIMA Mentor Program

Student members of AHIMA have an extra benefit of connecting with an AHIMA Mentor. The program consists of more than 30 professionals in the HIM field who are willing to give time and advice to AHIMA student members. Connect with these AHIMA Mentors by visiting the Student Community of Practice. New members can also access mentors by clicking here.

Online Continuing Education Quizzes

AHIMA members have the convenient option of taking continuing education (CE) quizzes online. This highly popular, members-only service offers a number of time-saving advantages.

Survey Data/Special Reports

Emerging issues in health information management is a new section of the ahima.org site that lists special reports. In addition, keep up with new e-HIM® practices by reviewing the e-HIM® work group documents.

Face-to-Face Benefits

Members receive discounts on all meetings. Every year, AHIMA reaches out to its members in the form of face-to-face meetings, seminars, workshops, and its annual convention. These meetings give members the opportunity to learn about critical industry topics from experts, network, and discover innovative professional solutions for their organizations.

Annual Convention and Exhibit

The AHIMA 80th Annual Convention and Exhibit will be held in Seattle, WA, October 11–16, 2008.

From educational tracks to tutorials to showcases, and more, this meeting offers expert-led practical information you'll put to immediate use as soon as you return to your workplace. The annual convention is also the venue to network with other HIM professionals, boosting networking opportunities dramatically.

Coding Roundtables

Through AHIMA's Component State Associations (CSAs), this program brings medical coding training and coding expertise right to you. Coding professionals in all settings benefit from the presentations and networking available in multiple regional locations. Coding Roundtables, which improve coding skills through education, provide significant networking opportunities, create an environment for mentoring, and allows those attending a forum for sharing coding practices, challenges, and requirements to affect industry policy.

Volunteer

AHIMA offers many ways that you can network through volunteering. Meet new people, share your experiences and make a difference. Want to become a leader in HIM?  Volunteering is a great way to start. Learn how to volunteer here.

Online Benefits

AHIMA is setting a rapid pace! The Association has seized the infinite possibilities offered by the Internet and electronic communications. Below are just a few of the ways you can maximize your knowledge and expertise without leaving the comfort and convenience of your computer keyboard. AHIMA is always looking for new and innovative ways to make you an HIM authority through the latest electronic resources.

AHIMA Career Assist

FREE to members! For students or professionals, there's no better employer/employee professional career connection than the AHIMA Career Assist. Career Assist is a repository for available positions in the medical coding and HIM field. The AHIMA Career Assist is an exclusive way to make your talents and capabilities known to potential employers and to allow you to search for that perfect position. It also works the other way: as a great way to attract qualified potential employees. In fact, the Career Assist is such a good recruiting tool that nonmembers pay to post on it.

• Posting a searchable resume (by other AHIMA members and registered companies). Making yourself visible in this way puts you in front of hundreds of potential employers—who just might have the ability to give you a boost up the career ladder.
• Search jobs by state, country, keyword, and job category, allowing you to customize your job search by geographical location, function, or any other parameter you want to create.
• Post job openings and create an associated company file, so members searching for a job can get a quick snapshot of your organization, helping to ensure, initially, that a potential for a good employer/employee match exists.
• Search resumes other AHIMA members have made available. By using this service, you can search a pool of highly qualified candidates for that open position in your organization.

• Ambulatory Surgical Centers
• Behavioral Health
• Cancer Registrars
• Clinical Laboratory Billing
• Concurrent Coding
• Documentation Improvement
• e-HIM®
• HIM Professionals in IT Roles
• HIPAA
• Home Coding
• Long Term Care
• Student

Communities of Practice feature chat, e-mail, problem solving capabilities in threaded discussions, research functionality, and more.

Electronic newsletters/journal

As part of its mission to keep you up to date on the healthcare information topics that matter, AHIMA is always working to bring you not only the latest news, but also to deliver it in the most convenient way. Members either receive direct to their desktop or have access to the following e-resources:

• Code Write
• The E-alert
• Long-Term Care Insights
• AHIMA Resources e-newsletter
• Student Connection e-news
• Perspectives in Health Information Management (scholarly journal)

As part of Communities of Practice (CoP), this online library puts the entire breadth of HIM knowledge right at your fingertips. Articles from the Journal of AHIMA, practice briefs, position statements, job descriptions, and more are updated regularly. Always current and always comprehensive, the FORE Library: HIM Body of Knowledge is always available, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, at home or at work. In terms of convenience and time saved, the FORE HIM Body of Knowledge is head and shoulders above a brick and mortar library! In fact, it's so user friendly you can be "in the library" discovering the information you need in minutes!

MyAHIMA allows members to access their favorite member-only areas of the Web site with one convenient log in.

Web-based Coding, HIM, and Cancer Registry Management Training

Save money through member discounts on all web-based products! Convenient, comprehensive, and user friendly, AHIMA online courses open the door to an entire health information management campus, right from your computer. Electronic formats are also available for the popular audio seminar line, offering up-to-the-minute, in-depth information on topics to meet virtually every HIM need.

Through its "online campus," AHIMA offers courses addressing:

• Cancer Registry Management
• Career Management
• Clinical Terminologies and Vocabularies
• Coding and Reimbursement
• Compliance Regulations and Accreditation
• Data Quality and Data Content Standards
• e-HIM® and Electronic Records
• Health Information Management Operation
• Privacy, Confidentiality, and Security

Print Benefits

AHIMA publications and books have always been the bedrock of the Association's educational and information delivery system. Membership affords free subscriptions to respected industry journals, plus significant discounts on authoritative textbooks, which are timely and practical, because they're all written by working industry experts. Here are the Association's main in-print resources:

AHIMA Advantage
Looking for news on e-HIM®, the Association, and more? Look to the Advantage. Eight FREE issues are yours as a member. With each and every information-packed issue, you'll find terrific information that's certain to help you climb the career ladder, understand the industry, and establish best practices.

Educational and Professional books
Members receive up to 20 percent off all AHIMA books. AHIMA books are an Association cornerstone, because they are the tangible result of our mission to deliver a broad spectrum of the most authoritative, reliable, and up-to-date reference materials. AHIMA publications cover the whole HIM gamut of critical topics, including medical coding, compliance, electronic health records, privacy, confidentiality, and security, and more. Each AHIMA book boasts expert authorship by one or more professionals who work in the same field about which they write.

Definitive HIT and HIM textbooks:

Journal of AHIMA
This award-winning publication is considered by members to be one of their most valuable, tangible benefits. Offering industry news, practical guidance, career information, and updates on professional resources, the Journal comes to you FREE ten times per year. The Journal is your source for on-the-job solutions.

With the fast pace and constant change in HIM, you need reference tools that you can turn to for reliable guidance on the issues you face. We provide them.

AHIMA On Demand
Order reprints online, download articles and order customized textbooks all with a click of the mouse.

| top |

[ About AHIMA | Schools/Jobs | Professional Development | HIM Resources | Foundation | Help | Site Map ]

Copyright © 2008 by the American Health Information Management Association. All rights reserved. No part of this site may be reproduced, reprinted, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the association. All contents, including images and graphics, on this Web site are copyrighted by AHIMA unless otherwise noted. You must obtain permission to reproduce any information, graphics, or images from this site. Permission must also be obtained to link to any of AHIMA's Web sites. To request permission, fill out the AHIMA Permissions Request or contact permissions@ahima.org.