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This week has been one for
the history books. Earthquakes are certainly interesting. My household was
awakened last Friday morning at 4:37am to everything shaking. We live on a
fault line, but you just take for granted that nothing will happen. We had
a few pictures knocked off center and that was all. My dogs even slept
through all the shaking.
It does make me think about
disaster planning and how we need to be prepared with our health
information. As HIM professionals we should step up to the plate and take
on the role of educator. We need to inform consumers as to what health
information they should have incase of an emergency. The best options would
be to send information to a relative or friend that does not live near you,
or to store it on-line. Either way, it can be accessible after the event.
Something to think about….
I look forward to seeing
some of you next week. It will be very informative and lots of fun.
Have a wonderful week!
Julie Wolter, MA, RHIA
President, MHIMA
Dollars for Scholars
Don't forget to participate in the MHIMA Dollars
for Scholars opportunity at the Annual Meeting! Monetary
donations provide you with chances to win fabulous prizes, and all proceeds
go directly to the Scholarship fund.
MHIMA Silent Auction
MHIMA will be hosting a Silent Auction at the Annual
Meeting. In the past, we've auctioned some great items including gift
baskets, artwork, photography, electronic devices and quilts. If you would
like to donate an item, or money that would be used to purchase an item,
please contact Sharon Farley at
sharon.farley@mercy.net. Proceeds go towards the MHIMA scholarship
fund.
 Join
your colleagues for the Long Term Care Spring Meeting co-sponsored by
AHIMA, the Long Term Care Community of Practice, and the Missouri Health
Information Management Association. The meeting takes place May
1—2 at the St. Charles Convention Center in St. Charles, MO. Information
is available at
http://www.mohima.org/LTCmeeting.html
 Help us shape the next generation of HIM professionals
The Mentor
Are you an HIM professional willing to teach, guide, share or serve as a
reference person to students entering a HIA/HIT program? If the answer is
yes, a small amount of your time, would assist a student in growing into a
confident and knowledgeable HIM professional, preparing them for greater
success in our consistently changing field.
The rewards of mentoring are immeasurable and the impact you will have on
the student and the HIM profession priceless. If you or others in your
company become a mentor for a student, your reputation for employer of
choice is maximized and the caliber of applicants is vastly improved.
Potential Mentor must be a MHIMA member.
Each mentor that successfully completes one year of this program will
also be placed in the drawing for one free MHIMA annual meeting
registration!!!!
The Mentee
If you are a MHIMA Student member enrolled in an HIA/HIT program or a recent
graduate (within one year!), you qualify for placement. All Missouri HIA/HIT
student members are invited to join.
MHIMA Mentor Guidelines
Visit www.mohima.org and click on the
Mentoring tab to learn more about this
exciting new program.
One of AHIMA’s primary advocacy goals for its 2008 Hill Day
was to increase support for HR 4105, the “Medicare Recovery Audit Contractor
Moratorium Act.” To continue our effort, we are requesting that all AHIMA
members visit the action center of the Advocacy Assistant at
https://secure.ahima.org/DC/Login.asp and send a letter to your
congressional representative in support of HR 4105. An action alert is
already active on the site; simply select it, review the alert, edit the
letter (if you wish), enter your contact information and hit send. HR 4105
was introduced by Rep. Lois Capps (D-CA) in response to problems identified
in the Medicare RAC pilot programs in California, Florida, and New York
which have not been resolved in spite of complaints from these three states
and the industry. AHIMA fears that without evaluation and resolution of
these problems, healthcare providers will suffer significant costs due to
the administrative problems caused by the RAC program and the Medicare
program.
Effective July 1, 2008, the eligibility period for testing
for all AHIMA examinations will change from six months to four months. This
is being done to encourage eligible candidates to take the exam sooner
rather than later, as many students are more likely to do well on the exam
shortly after their course work. Candidates who are currently eligible to
test will NOT be affected by this change. However, candidates whose
applications are processed after, or on July 1, 2008, will have four months
to take their exam.
 Come to the MHIMA Annual Meeting April 30, 2008
– May 2, 2008 and while you are there come visit the FORE booth. Missouri
will once again be hosting a FORE pledge drive. Last year we raised $4,300
for the Missouri/ Illinois show. Our goal for this year is to raise
$2,500. With a minimum donation of $10 you will be entered to win one of
our fabulous prizes drawings! So come on out and make a donation or just
give us your loose change, it all adds up for supporting a great cause.
The MHIMA Awards Committee received 48 scholarship
applications from student in four of our Missouri Health Information
Programs. The Committee had four tough decisions to make; all of this years
applicants had impressive applications. After much discussion, a winner
from each program was chosen.
The winners are (drum roll please):
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Saint Louis University: Jordan Roszhart
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Ozarks Technical Community College: Cheryl Wolf
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Penn Valley Community College: Steven Wilson
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Stephens College: Martha Hale
I would like to personally thank everyone who applied for
the student scholarship this year. While we can only choose one winner from
each program, it is good to see that there are so many outstanding students
ready to enter the HIM field.
Jeff McGraw, RHIT
Awards Committee Chair
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