The authority of the Director derives from serving as a voting member of the Board of Directors. Individual Directors have no special privileges, prerogatives, or authority apart from the whole. At the same time, being a Director of AHIMA and member of its Board of Directors is a special trust, and individual directors are expected to meet high standards of personal conduct on behalf of AHIMA.
To qualify for candidacy for the AHIMA Board of Directors individuals must be an *Active member holding an AHIMA credential. All should be candidates are to demonstrate leadership skills and experience that reflect the Board Attributes. The Nominating Committee might seek candidates with certain types of skills or experience to complement those of continuing Directors thereby strengthening the Board's overall ability to govern and represent the interests of our diverse membership.
*Active members are described as "individuals interested in the AHIMA purpose and willing to abide by the Code of Ethics."
High ethical standards in both personal and professional decision-making and acting in the best interest of the Association. The areas of expertise are shown below. An extra added value would be, research or analytical/legal, corporate, political or policy experience, finance, data/content standards/quality/pay for performance or marketing. Nominee should have experience in alliance appointments, or a history of development of CSA relationships. Desired work settings: physician practice; educators or dean; governance experience; large healthcare corporation. Additionallly, diversity in age, ethnicity, and gender are desired.
Potential candidates should have experience or special knowledge in at least one of the following practice-related areas:
- Education
- International experience
- HIE
- Government
- Coding
- Public Sector
- Research
- Industry Roles
Other desirable attributes:
- Business acumen
- Multinational perspective
- Execellent public speaking skills
- Connections (with legislators, sponsors, donors, etc.)
Volunteer Leadership Self-Assessment on Executive/Governance Level Leadership
Term of Office and Time Commitment
Directors serve a three-year term. Members of the Board of Directors attend five board meetings, participate in conference calls, and attend the Advocacy and Leadership Symposium, Leadership Symposium and the AHIMA Convention and Exhibits. The President/Chair-elect and Directors may attend committee, and council meetings and may be called on to represent AHIMA at alliance or component state association meetings. Directors devote an average of two to fourt hours per week to AHIMA.
General Expectations
- Understand and articulate AHIMA's mission, vision, values, strategies, policies, programs, services, and strengths.
- Perform duties of Board membership responsibly and uphold the values of the Association.
- Suggest possible nominees for the Board, councils, committees, and task forces and submit names of individuals who should be recognized through awards and other forms of recognition.
- Support an atmosphere in which every member of the Board can actively and fully participate.
- Mentor future leaders of the Association.
- Serve in leadership positions and undertake special assignments willingly and enthusiastically.
- Represent the Association when called upon to do so.
- Become informed about and follow relevant trends in healthcare and HIM.
- Refer matters of potential significance to the President/Chair and the Chief Executive Officer.
- Bring goodwill and a sense of humor to the Board's deliberations.
- Express opinions for the good of the Association, rather than to advance one's personal agenda.
- Communicate between regularly scheduled meetings, by participating in conference calls collectively or as part of a team.
- Monitor the Board of Directors Community of Practice on a weekly basis.
- Answer correspondence promptly.
Board of Directors Meetings
- Prepare for and participate in Board, Committee, committee and other meetings, including the Advocacy and Leadership Symposium , Leadership Symposium and the AHIMA Convention and Exhibits.
- Ask timely and substantive questions at Board, committee and other meetings consistent with your conscience and convictions, while supporting the majority decision on issues decided by the Board.
- Maintain confidentiality of the board's executive sessions and speak for the Board or AHIMA only when authorized to do so.
Liaison Roles and Special Assignments
To the extent feasible, the Director is expected to help advance the work of the Association and its good will by:
- Serving on one of the Board Committee and on special as assigned.
- Serving as a delegate to the House of Delegates.
- Speaking to groups of members at component state association or other meetings, as requested.
- Serving as liaison from the Board of Directors to committees, councils, task forces and other bodies
- Representing AHIMA with alliance and other groups.
Avoiding Conflicts
- Serve AHIMA as a whole rather than any special interest group or constituency.
- Avoid even the appearance of a conflict of interest that might embarrass the board or AHIMA and disclose any possible conflicts to the Board in a timely fashion.
- Maintain independence and objectivity and do what a sense of fairness, ethics, and personal integrity dictate.
- Understand fully, comply with, and adhere to the terms and spirit of AHIMA's conflicts of interest and dualities and confidentiality and nondisclosure agreements.
Fiduciary Responsibilities
- Exercise prudence with the Board in the control, transfer, and investment of funds.
- Consider the impact of each recommendation and decision on AHIMA's mission and resources.
- Adhere to expense guidelines and expense reporting procedures
- Read and understand the AHIMA financial statements and status, and otherwise help the board fulfill its fiduciary responsibility.
Fundraising
- Give an annual gift to the AHIMA Foundation according to personal means.
- Assist the Foundation and staff by supporting fundraising strategies through personal influence with others (corporations, individuals, and foundations).
AHIMA membership, during its annual election, names a new President/Chair-elect who serves a three-year term in the following capacities: the first year as President/Chair-elect, the second year as President/Chair, and the third year as Past President. Throughout these three years the individual's responsibilities are outlined in the position description for an individual Director of the AHIMA Board, along with additional responsibilities specific to the role of President-elect. Some of those varied duties are listed below. Therefore, the position description for the President/Chair-elect is actually comprised of both the position description for an individual member and supplemental responsibilities.
To qualify for candidacy for the AHIMA Board of Directors President/Chair-elect, individuals must be an *Active member holding an AHIMA credential. All should be candidates are to demonstrate leadership skills and experience that reflect the attributes shown on page 5 of this Guide. The Nominating Committee might seek candidates with certain types of skills or experience to complement those of continuing Directors thereby strengthening the Board's overall ability to govern and represent the interests of our diverse membership. Candidates for President-elect must have demonstrated leadership qualities and experience that demonstrates the ability to effectively chair a Board of Directors and be an accomplished communicator.
*Active members are described as "individuals interested in the AHIMA purpose and will to abide by the Code of Ethics."
High ethical standards in both personal and professional decision-making and acting in the best interest of the Association. The areas of expertise are shown below. An extra added value would be, research or analytical/legal, corporate, political or policy experience, finance, data/content standards/quality/pay for performance or marketing. Nominee should have experience in alliance appointments, or a history of development of CSA relationships. Desired work settings: physician practice; educators or dean; governance experience; large healthcare corporation. Additionallly, diversity in age, ethnicity, and gender are desired.
Potential candidates should have experience or special knowledge in at least one of the following practice-related areas:
- Education
- International experience
- HIE
- Government
- Coding
- Public Sector
- Research
- Industry Roles
Other desirable attributes:
- Business acumen
- Multinational perspective
- Execellent public speaking skills
- Connections (with legislators, sponsors, donors, etc.)
Volunteer Leadership Self-Assessment on Executive/Governance Level Leadership
The President/Chair-elect serves on AHIMA's Board of Directors for three years - the first year as President/Chair-elect, the second year as President/Chair, and the third year as Past President. Members of the Board of Directors attend five board meetings, participate in conference calls, and attend the annual Leadership Conference and Annual Convention. The President-elect and Directors may attend committee, and council meetings and may be called on to represent AHIMA at alliance or component state association meetings. The President/Chair and President/Chair-elect devote an average of four hours per week to AHIMA.
Chairs board meetings in the president's absence:
- Serves on the Governance Committee of the Board of Directors
- Works closely with the president in order to ensure continuity is kept from one year to the next; this may involve the President/Chair-elect attending:
- certain council, committee, or task force meetings, if:
- The President/Chair-elect will benefit from a first-hand understanding of the council/committee's functions
- Issues to be discussed are of a critical nature requiring close Board coordination
- The President/Chair, Chief Executive Officer or Board Liaison requests the presence of the President/Chair-elect
- CSA meetings, as requested
- Meetings of other associations or groups
(The President/Chair-elect will coordinate invitations with the President/Chair and the Chief Executive Officer and handle assignments that are feasible, given one's job commitments, personal interests and AHIMA's needs)
Meets with the President/Chair and Chief Executive Officer to develop the calendar of association activities, including:
- Reminding state president of AHIMA's need for nominees for council/committee appointments and for nominees for the following year's ballot
- Nominating appointees for committee/task force chairpersons and members (for the year coinciding with the President/Chair-elect's term of office as president) as indicated by the Bylaws, procedures and/or strategic plan;
- Preparing (with the Chief Executive Officer) the agenda for the Strategic Work Session
Participates in the Leadership Conference, designated Team Talks, and the Annual Convention
- Delivers incoming presidential address at convention
- Assumes the duties of the president in the event the president is unable to perform
Timeline for the 2013 Nomination and Election Process: (Subject to change)
- March 29 - Deadline for Call for Nominations online submissions by close of business
- April - Nominating Committee to review nominations
- April - Nominating Committee to conduct telephone interviews with nominees and confirm ballot candidates
- May - June - Candidates provide profile and other information for the AHIMA ballot to appear in the September Journal of AHIMA
- June - The 2013 Ballot Candidate Bios and photos are posted on the AHIMA website and in the AHIMA and State Leaders and House Communities. - CSA Leaders will also feature candidates on their websites.
- August - Candidate Community opens to the public (August 19 - 9:00 a.m. CT - August 30 - 5:00 p.m.)
- AHIMA Polls open (September 3- 12:00 a.m. CT - September 23- 11:59 p.m.CT ) AHIMA ballot candidates are featured in the September Journal of AHIMA
- After September, Announcement of the 2013 AHIMA Election Results