Greetings to all!

The 2007 MoHIMA
Preconference/Mini Sessions and Annual Meeting will be April 18-20, 2007 which is just a week away. As most of you are aware we have combined forces with the Illinois Health Information Management Association to hold a Joint Annual Meeting conference this year. The Annual Meeting Team from both states have been working very hard on preparing a very resourceful and exciting meeting this year.

If you are still interested in attending the Preconference/Mini Sessions or Annual Meeting this year you still have some time to do so. Be sure to check out our web page at www.mohima.org for more information.

The MoHIMA
Board of Directors have been really busy on the following initiatives over the past few months.

Here are a couple of areas that we are working on currently. Look for some information in this newsletter about some of the items listed below.

- Working with Regional Associations to develop Regional Web pages. (Eastern HIMA and Mid-Missouri are complete). Continuing to work with Pony Express and Ozark Area HIMA.

- Networking with the Kansas HIM Association to hold a Joint seminar in the Kansas City area in June 2007.

- Networking with ARMA/EMoHIMA
to hold a Joint seminar at the St. Louis Zoo in June 2007.

- Serving on Industry Advisory Council for the Missouri Career Education Task Force at the State Level. Involved to get our Profession recognized at the State Level.

- Working on a Library Project at the State Level. This project would allow us to display HIM and what we do at the Libraries across the state. More information to be shared at the Annual Meeting.

- Several of the MoHIMA
Board of Directors are serving on Committees within AHIMA as well. This definitely helps get Missouri recognized at the AHIMA level as well.

I hope to see many of you at our either our Mini Sessions or Joint Annual Meeting this year. It will be a great time and place to network and have fun with your fellow colleagues as we share our conference with a neighboring CSA (Component State Association).

Best regards,

Clark Chaffin, RHIA, CCS

President

Janice Noller, President-Elect

Chris Flanagan, Director

Jennifer Melvin, Director

Teresa Knox, Delegate

Julie Dooling, Nominating Committee

Kellie Livingston, Nominating Committee

Becky Morton, Nominating Committee

Erin Sweeney, Nominating Committee

Fifty-nine AHIMA members and delegates attended the March 15, 2007 Winter Team Talks, in New Orleans, LA.

Wendy Mangin, President-Elect delivered the welcoming remarks. Wendy played Dr Brailer’s video clip from the 2006 Convention in Denver where he challenged the membership to lead “Larger, Louder, and Faster”.

Sandra Fuller, Executive Vice President and COO discussed the Value of Membership. Sandra reviewed AHIMA’s strategic plan. The group discussed the areas that AHIMA members can get involved in the leading the industry through the challenges and restructuring of healthcare. We are asked to become the “Change Agent” who influences the e-HIM initiative within their facility, organization, community, state and/or nationally.

AHIMA’s inclusive membership that was voted in by the Delegates in 2005 is providing the opportunity for AHIMA to reevaluate the way that the organization builds value. In an effort to be the resource for the organization’s new member diversity an evaluation of AHIMA’s brand capability, member needs and future opportunities is underway. Some of the ways that these needs are being address are:

* Expanded communication methods

* Expanded publication offerings

* Expanded Seminars

* Audio-seminars

* Legal EHR Conference

* Assembly on Education

* Workshops

* Learning Pathways

The discussions around Leadership Engagement – Policies Shaping HIM Practice reviewed the Legal EHR, PHR, HISPC, AHIC, Data Collection and Reporting Challenges, HL7, ICD-10 adoption and Quality initiatives. It was noted that there is something for everyone no matter what you interest. It is always necessary to monitor the trends, threats and opportunities that not only the industry is facing but what are the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.

AHIMA’s Leadership Initiatives: Raising the Decibels

* Urgency for identifying talent and leadership

* Change agent Program

* Diversity and Proposed Resolution

* PHR

AHIMA has called each of us to identify ourselves if you are an expert in any area of HIM so that you talents can be utilized.

Takeways

* Get involved

* CSA Strategy – Develop an strategic plan that supports AHIMA’s strategic plan

* Delegate Role – Advocates for the profession, members, and the Association

* AHIMA/CSA membership Update – vote on by-law changes

* State e-Health - identify the leadership opportunities within your state

* State Advocacy – Advocating for the HIM profession

* Bridging the Gap – Assist and enhance the efforts of bringing new graduates into the workforce.

If you are looking for a speaker on a variety of HIM topics, then check out the MoHIMA Speaker’s Bureau.

Our speaker’s areas of expertise:

* Coding & Classification Systems

* Electronic Health Records

* Hybrid Records

* Personal Health Records (PHR)

* Medical Terminology

* HIPAA

* State and Federal healthcare legislation

* Confidentiality

* Healthcare Compliance

* HIM as a career

* HIM education

Visit MoHIMA Speaker’s Bureau

AHIMA has received a 2007 Associations Advance America “Award of Excellence” for the PHR Consumer Education Campaign. Their application was submitted in the category of community service and AHIMA was one of only 13 organizations honored (out of 100 applicants nationally) by the American Society of Association Executives.

This Award of Excellence puts AHIMA in the running for the Summit Award, the highest level of recognition, to be presented later in the year at a dinner in Washington, DC.

“This campaign exists, and this award was made possible, through the efforts of you and the hundreds of other dedicated volunteers who have been generous with their time and expertise. Thanks to everyone who has contributed to the community education campaign and this formal recognition. You can feel proud of AHIMA’s contributions and of yourself for helping Americans understand how to access, manage, and protect their personal health information.” Kathleen Hayman, AHIMA, Manager, Strategic Communications

Please join MoHIMA
in congratulating AHIMA and ALL the trained PHR presenters on this accomplishment.

Save the Date!

Migration Path—Turning Theory Into Practice

Margret K. Amatayakul, MBA, RHIA, CHPS,CPHIT, CPEHR, FHIMSS

Saturday, June 9, 2007

8:00 am —5:00 pm

Overland Park, KS

Wyndam Garden Hotel

* Components of the HL7 electronic health record functional model and how it facilitates quality of care, health information exchange, research, education and workflow

* Formulating an EHR migration path for your organization and your organization’s regional initiatives

* Much more……

7 CEUs

$110 AHIMA member

Sponsored by MoHIMA
and KHIMA

Friday, June 1, 2007

8:00 am – 3:00 pm

St. Louis, Missouri

Hosted by: Saint Louis Zoo

Keynote Speaker: Connie Emery, Certified Information Privacy/Security Professional, CISSP/CIPP/CHC

* Planning for disasters-details to be considered

* Ensuring the privacy and security of your business information

* Complying with HIPAA and other governmental regulations

5 hr. CE

$30 Registration

Sponsored by MoHIMA
, EHIMA, and ARMA St. Louis Chapter

On March 21, 2007 One hundred and twenty-two health information management professionals representing 37 states and the District of Columbia made some 177 visits to US Senators and Representatives.

The Key Issues Discussed:

Consistency of Health Data and Coding

- Upgrade to ICD-10

- Alignment of vocabularies, terminologies and classification

- Adoption of data standards and uniform guidelines

- Consistent, uniform quality measures that reflect needs of entire industry

Health Information Management Workforce

- Federal and state funding for:

* HIM and informatics academic training programs

* Student recruitment

* Scholarship and loans for students and faculty

- Passage and funding of HIM/Informatics workforce legislation

- Reauthorization of the Title VII of the PHSA

Health Information Exchange

- Public/Private partnership to develop and govern HIE models

- Electronic capture, access, use exchange and storage of standard quality data

- Comprehensive and uniform

- Engaged and educated consumer population

Privacy, Confidentiality, and Security of Health Information

- Uniform national healthcare confidentiality, privacy and security laws

- Adoption of the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act

I had the honor of meeting with Lauren Ellis, Legislative Director to House of Representative Todd Akin. I personal thanked House of Representative Wm. Lacy Clay for his support on HB 4157.

I also met with Senator Claire McCaskill’s Deputy Chief of Staff, Tod Martin, who informed me that he was hiring a new healthcare person in which I intend to introduce the MoHIMA
and explain what we HIM professionals have to offer. This was the 4th year I have met with Kara Smith, Senator Kit Bond’s Legislative Director. She has been a good contact and I will continue to build the relationship in order to push AHIMA/MoHIMA
’s advocacy issues.

AHIMA is sponsoring a Community of Practice(CoP) Contest in order to have our members utilize the more often.

What do you need to do?

Log in to the Geographic Missouri CoP between April 1 and July 31, 2007...that's it! Now, if you want to start a thread, suggest a resource, link or poll and/or add anything to the calendar...that would be very much appreciated! Vote in the AHIMA Election June 11 – 29, 2007. This is your right as a member to help decide the leadership of AHIMA.

What will you win?

For logging in to the Geographic Missouri CoP—AHIMA will contribute a one-night hotel stay for the 2007 AHIMA Convention and Exhibit in Philadelphia, PA to the top three CSAs (Component State Associations) that have the highest percentage increase in member log-ins.

For voting—AHIMA will contribute a roundtrip airline ticket for one to the 2007 AHIMA Convention and Exhibit for the top three CSAs that have the highest percentage increase in voter turnout.

Winners will be announced and prizes will be awarded in August 2007.

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