Rita provides leadership and guidance to the Association related to global standards affecting the HIM profession. Her responsibilities include direction and support of projects to advance data and informatics standards including work with ISO TC 215 Health Informatics committee, Health Level Seven, IHTSDO and WHO-FIC as well as national initiatives and alliances. Ms. Scichilone's past work experience includes director of HIM products and services, director of HIM professional practice resources, director of clinical data standards director coding products and services, and director of practice leadership for AHIMA since 1999. Previous positions include director of health information management (HIM) consulting for a Midwest consulting firm, director of health information services, clinical data manager, adjunct faculty member, and medical assistant.
Ms. Scichilone is a contributing author for a variety of books such as Health Information Management Concepts, Principles and Practice, Ethical Challenges in the Management of Health Information (first and second editions) and Effective Management of Coding (first, second, and third editions), Healthcare Code Sets, Clinical Terminologies and Classifications (first edition), Understanding Pharmacy Reimbursement, Health Information: Management of a Strategic Resource, Transatlantic Cooperation Surrounding Health Related Information and Communication, the Health Care Compliance Professional’s Manual and Clinical Coder’s Handbook. She is the author of the CPT Coding Handbook published by the American Hospital Association Press in 1999 and contributed significantly to HIM Products and Services provided by AHIMA in her former roles. She also has also written a variety of articles and contributed to AHIMA Practice Briefs for the Journal of Health Information Management and other professional publications in healthcare.
Rita conducts a variety of educational sessions and presentations for healthcare audiences on the topics of clinical terminology and classification use, data mapping, workforce development, data standards and many other HIM topics. She has completed a graduate certificate in Biomedical Informatics from Oregon Health and Sciences University School of Medicine and holds a Master's in Health Services Administration from St. Joseph's College in Windham, ME; a Bachelor of Science in HIM from the College of St. Mary in Omaha, NE; and a Medical Assistant Diploma from Southeastern Community College in Burlington, IA.
She has been recognized by the Healthcare Compliance Association with the HCCB award from the Society for Corporate Compliance and Ethics in 2006, a Distinguished Alumni Award from the College of St. Mary in 2001 and a Distinguished Member Award from the Iowa Health Information Management Association in 2007.