TxHIMA 2009 Annual Convention Update
The 2009 Annual convention was held at the Hyatt
Regency Hotel, Dallas, TX from Sunday, June 28 – Tuesday, June 29,
2009. The theme was eTxHIMA. We had 72 vendors, 20 student volunteers,
30 speakers and approximately 225 attendees! A special thank you to all
the attendees, vendors, volunteers and speakers! Thank you! Thank you!
A few door prize winners:
…Grand Prize Winner – Prize donated by TxROI –
Treasure chest filled with $300 gold coins – Quentonya Dorsey
…TxHIMA Vendor Prize Winner – 1/2 off 2010 Vendor
Booth - Landmark Transcription
Here are just a few comments from the attendees at
the Convention:
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“This was the first TxHIMA convention I have
attended and it was a great experience! It was well worth my time
and I look forward to attending future events.”
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“Great to have a CMS speaker, Thanks!”
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“This was a great experience. I have learned
a lot and I have enjoyed every aspect.”
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On the keynote speaker – “Carol Dean-Speaker
very talented to be able to combine such valuable information in
such a humorous medium….great.”
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“Thank you for all the hard work in setting up
for the convention. The “large space/rooms was very nice, excellent
venue of speakers/presentations. Although it was nice to have water
at back of rooms, it would have been good also to have coffee
available in rooms. Otherwise, though, setting was excellent.
Thank you!”
-
“Food was great (Board lunch & Continental
breakfast), really enjoyed Carol Dean, check-in & registration was
easy, rooms (sessions /tracks) often cold”
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“Topics were great-it was tough to choose at
time, I do wish the RACs session had been part of the General
Sessions. The Keynote speaker was awesome-great choice! AHIMA
Advocacy-Karen has me ready to step up and become more involved and
volunteer! I look forward to joining my peers for “Hill Day”
TxHIMA, Meet your new 2009-2010 Board Members
Name:
Rae Freeman, RHIA, CCS-P,
President Elect
Employer:
East Texas Medical Center-
Clarksville
How long:
Employed with East Texas Medical
Center Regional Healthcare System since 2003; at Clarksville since Feb.
2009
Job title:
Medical Records Director
What other positions have you held within the
HIM field? Other HIM positions held include physician office
manager, hospital coder, credentialing coordinator, and department
manager. Volunteer positions include serving as facilitator for Texas
Community of Practice.
How did you become interested in a career in
HIM? I have always been interested in healthcare and in business
management. A career in HIM pulls both of these together.
Describe someone that you feel was an important
influence in your HIM career.
Someone who influenced me in my HIM career is
Sharon Blagg, who asked questions and gave advice while I was a working
student. Her genuine interest and encouragement were a great influence
in my HIM career.
What led to your interest in serving on the
Board of Directors for TxHIMA? Serving on the Board of Directors is
a great way to stay actively involved in our chosen profession.
What
is a major goal that you would like to achieve during your current term
as a TxHIMA Board member? During my current term on the TxHIMA
Board I would like to see a great increase in our member participation.
Members can do so by exercising their privilege to vote in local, state,
and national elections in HIM and in any healthcare issues. We can
participate online in the Texas Community of Practice, and by attending
HIM meetings in your area or across the state which can be face-to-face,
via teleconference, or online. We can also volunteer to speak at
meetings. The important thing is to be involved!
Name: Sonja E. Davis, RHIA, Convention and
Meetings Director
Employer:
Howard College San Angelo
How long:
14 years
Job title:
Program Director/Full Time
Instructor in Health Information Technology
What other positions have you held within the
HIM field? HIM Supervisor and ICD 9 CM/CPT Coder
How did you become interested in a career in
HIM? I was the recipient of a summer internship in an HIM department
in High school. As a result of that internship, I decided to
pursue an education and career in HIM.
What led to your interest in serving on the
Board of Directors for TxHIMA?
My decision to serve on the Board of Directors for
TxHIMA is based on the following:
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TxHIMA’s efforts to equip and prepare members and others who
work in HIM, with the necessary tools needed to face the challenges of
today’s HIM
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TxHIMA’s mission to influence governmental, educational,
social, and business issues which impact on the management and use of
health information for the benefit of patients and providers.
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TxHIMA’s mission to provide educational programs and other
services to advance the professional competency of both members and
others who work with health information.
What is a major goal that you would like to
achieve during your current term as a TxHIMA Board member? As Convention
and Meeting Director, I would like to increase member participation and
revenue by promoting TxHIMA as the best destination for conventions,
meetings and exhibitions in the field of HIM.
Name: Melinda Teel, BS, RHIA, CCS, Legislative
Director
Employer: Midland College, Midland, TX
How long: Five years
Job title: Program Director and Instructor
What other positions have you held within the
HIM field? During the past 15 years, I have held positions as HIM
Dept. Manager, coder, transcriptionist, consultant, and revenue cycle
team coordinator.
How did you become interested in a career in
HIM?
My interest first began when I watched my cesarean
through the reflective mirror in surgery. That sparked my interest
while watching how the surgical technicians were preparing for surgery
and what protocols were required.
Describe someone that you feel was an important
influence in your HIM career.
My instructor at South Plains College, Bette Green,
was instrumental in giving me a desire to make a difference by improving
functions in HIM.
What led to your interest in serving on the
Board of Directors for TxHIMA?
I am interested in the current legislation being
considered by congress related to healthcare. I am also an advocate of
education and information sharing, so the legislative position at TxHIMA
offers this opportunity.
What is a major goal that you would like to
achieve during your current term as a TxHIMA Board member?
Creating a more active community of advocacy is
my first goal. Informing members of regulations and legislation that
impacts HIM professionals is a top priority for me. Secondly, I would
like to collaborate with other groups to develop a State Hill Day to
encourage law makers to consider the initiatives TxHIMA members want
addressed, by lawmakers.
News from the AHIMA 2009 Leadership Conference
July 18-19, 2009 in Chicago
Report by President-Elect Rae Freeman, Rae Freeman,
RHIA, CCS-P
Highlights of the Leadership Conference:
Support for Local Accredited HIM Education
Programs – presented by Pat Shaw and Claire Dixon-Lee.
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Students who attend school in state, either in person or
online to a school in state, are eligible for scholarship if they are
component state association members of the state.
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Board members visit schools to speak regarding scholarships
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WIA- Workforce Investment Act pays for students to take
HIA/HIT exams
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Each school given one registration to AOE
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Participate on school advisory committee
Volunteer Succession Planning – presented by
Vera Rulon and Lorraine Smalley.
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Bring students to board meetings
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Student liaison to board as a non-voting member
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Follow up on volunteer requests
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Assign members to specific parts of newsletter
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Recognize volunteers at state convention
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Include new members to state in volunteering
Managing Association Finances – presented by
Becky Perry.
(Slides for presentation are in State Leaders/HOD
CoP)
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Good to use for new board members each year
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Board minutes should have the decisions made, but not the
entire discussion preceding the decision
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Bylaws need to allow removal of board members (ex. Missed #
meetings, not disclosing in conflict of interest)
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Policy/procedure can list specifics for removal
Delegate Toolkit –presented by Valerie
Watzlaf and Jamie Husher.
Resources are in SL/HOD CoP
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CSA President/Delegate Checklist/Calendar (see portion
attached)
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Each delegate is assigned to one of six House Teams which meet
via conference call in Feb., April, June, Aug., and Dec. and in person
at the national convention in Oct. The teams are: HOD Operations,
Professional Development and Recognition, HIM Higher Education and
Workforce, Best Practices/Standards, Environmental Scan, and Volunteer
and Leadership Development.
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e-connections newsletter located in the Resources section of
the SL/HOD CoP
Board of Directors Best Practices –
presented by Wendy Mangin and Linda Kloss.
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Organize agenda around strategy, not reports (sample agenda on CoP)
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Use team structure: 3 teams consisting of 4 members each.
Teams are business and audit, member service, and industry. Teams do
not make decisions, but do make recommendations to board.
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Make sure everyone is engaged and actions are clear before
taking vote.
AHIMA Headquarters Tour - led by Sandy
Fuller and Becky Perry.
News from Texas Schools
Paris Junior College, Health Occupations in
Paris, Texas
Reported by: Ron Vrba, CCS, Coordinator, Medical
Records Coding
Paris Junior College had eight graduates from
2009, 5 have successfully attained their CCA with a 100% first attempt
rate; in fact all 23 CCA's and the 1 CCS out of the 35
graduates of the program attained their credential on their first
attempt. Also, of the 35 graduates; 1 is an assistant director of HIM, 1
is a supervisor in HIM, 12 are coding in acute care facilities, 1 is the
office manager for an OB/GYN, 1 is coding for a rehab facility, 3 are
coding for billing services, 1 coding in a wound care center, 2 in other
HIM positions in acute care, 2 in other positions in physician offices
and finally 3 have gone on to pursue other HIM and medical interests.
The graduates who we still have contact with are employed in a wide
variety of professional settings.
The eight students currently enrolled in the
program are just beginning their introductory ICD-9 CM and CPT coding,
plan to see all of them in the Spring 2010 Practicum.
Tyler Junior College Health Information
Technology Program in Tyler, Texas
Reported by: Charlotte Creason, RHIA, Program
Chair, Health Information Technology
The Tyler Junior College Health Information Technology Program has been
online since Fall 2007. (We have phased out our on-campus program.) We
are now able to help students working full-time obtain their career
goals in the Health Information field while taking online classes on a
part-time basis. Our first online student graduated in May 2009. The
program is selective admission and applications for the Fall 2010 class
will be available in January 2010. For more information please visit
the program website at
www.tjc.edu/hit
The Tyler Junior College HIT program also supports
all other Allied Health and Nursing Programs at the college by offering
Medical Terminology I and II to any student. For the Fall 2009 semester
there are approximately 1,200 students taking these courses. There are
450 students taking medical terminology in class and another 750 taking
medical terminology online. We are very happy to be able to assist
other programs by providing our expertise in teaching this “foreign
language”.
