ACE 2010 Virtual Events

The following events will be Live from Austin for those of you who will not be able to join us this year at ACE.

Leadership Breakfast and Leadership Summit
Wednesday, August 4
8:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. CDT

If you are unable to attend ACE this year, we would like to extend an invitation to join us virtually for the Leadership Breakfast and Leader Summit via webinar.

8:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
Grab your coffee and breakfast as we start the day with an update on AHDI’s strategic priorities. We will then hear from our many volunteer leaders during an "open mic" session as they share the accomplishments achieved this year by our components, committees, alliances, workgroups, and task teams.

10:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
Break; webinar will close at 10:30 a.m. CDT and reopen on 11:00 a.m. CDT

11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
At the Leadership Summit, volunteer leaders and House of Delegates will discuss the Blueprint for Great Governance (BGG). The BGG is an initiative of the House of Delegates, Board of Directors, and Component leaders that has looked at new approaches and models to best serve the needs of our members, component organizations, and to position MTs for long-term success. The BGG has examined four key areas: (1) Purpose of components; (2) Tactics for collaboration and sharing of best practices; (3) Ways to ensure financial stability; and (4) Models for engagement, communication, and governance. The proposed blueprint will be presented at the Leadership Summit. It is the result of a year-long process of brainstorming, discussion, and debate among dozens of AHDI volunteers, delegates, component officers, board members, and members. There will be opportunities for discussion and questions and answers throughout the day during the Leadership Summit. All members are invited and encouraged to attend this important event. Attendance is mandatory for the House of Delegates.

1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Break; webinar will close at 1:00 p.m. CDT and reopen at 2:30 p.m. CDT

2:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
The Leadership Summit will be reconvened at 2:30 p.m. and the discussions from earlier in the day will continue.

Register Now

---

The Great ACE Tweet Up!
Thursday, August 5
1:00 - 2:00 p.m. CDT

The word networking has taken on a whole new meaning in today’s age of virtual connectivity, and arguably no social networking tool has done a better job of getting people connected than Twitter. Keeping our highly wired, at-home workforce connected to critical information has become an important goal not only for AHDI but for its strategic partners, member groups, and vendors. AHDI will be partnering with M*Modal over the coming months to engage in a “virtual” dialogue about a number of emerging industry issues and concerns. We’ll be kicking off a series of collaborative blogs, online chats, and webinars by cohosting a “Tweet Up” in the AHDI Lounge at ACE 2010. Lea Sims, CMT, AHDI-F (AHDI Director of Professional Programs) and Lynn Kosegi, PMP (M*Modal Director of Professional Services) will be leading both on-site attendees and virtual Twitter followers through a live Twitter “chat” event designed to engage more members of our MT community in social networking and generate “buzz” around key issues.

---

Industry Update & Annual Business Meeting
Barb Marques, CMT, AHDI-F, Scott Shallet, and Peter Preziosi, PhD, CAE
Friday, August 6
8:00 - 9:30 a.m. CDT

The ever-changing health IT landscape along with growing market pressures to improve healthcare services in a fiscally constrained environment are transforming the practice of medical transcription. Now more than ever the profession must be visible to the many healthcare stakeholders who are helping to reshape health care in explaining the important contributions our knowledge workers make in producing quality digital records. AHDI has undertaken a number of strategic initiatives in the last year, including its work with the Dewey Square Group on advocacy, Best Practice Tool Kits to help guide the evolution of the profession, and career resource tools to navigate through these changing times. As with anything the association does, the success of these initiatives hinges upon the participation and support of members like you.

This session is your opportunity to learn more about these initiatives and how they will enable the medical transcription profession to meet the major challenges facing it now and in the near future. More importantly, it is your chance to have a face-to-face conversation with association leadership about how the organization can best advance the profession and the interests of its members. This session will be simulcast on the homepage of www.ace365.org Friday, August 6, from 8:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. CDT, for maximum member participation.

ACE 2010 Presentation Highlight: Effective & Efficient Productivity & Quality Monitoring

Presented by: Amy Kunkel, RHIT & Julee Blue, CMT

Looking for new ways to more effectively and efficiently monitor productivity and quality? This program including a live demonstration puts a new twist on the process. With a single report transcription managers can assess productivity, quality, and competency with an added bonus of trended data. Transcription managers won’t want to miss this one! Look at productivity, quality and competency per pay period to better monitor what is going on within the transcription department. Watch how many reports a pay period a transcriptionist asks for help with and the amount needed each time. Separate edited jobs vs. Straight transcribed jobs and are able to pay incentive accordingly. This is a great way to be able to make the best of your time and keep it all in one spreadsheet.

This session will take place on Thursday, August 5, 2010.

Download PDF Registration Form
Register Online
View ACE 2010 Interactive Schedule

ACE 2010 PHOTOS, BLOGS & TWEETS

Don’t forget to share your experience during & after the event! Upload your ACE photos, share a blog note, and track the event live on ACE365. Are you on Twitter? We would love to see you tweeting the event—just use #ACE365 in your posts.

Jump into social networking on site! Join us in the AHDI Lounge…Live! in the Exhibit Hall for live "on the couch" interviews, Twitter and Facebook lessons, and great group discussions—including AHDI’s Lea Sims and M*Modal’s Lynn Kosegi for our first-ever Tweet Chat event to discuss industry issues on Thursday, August 5, from 1 – 2 p.m. CDT.

Panel Discussion at ACE 2010 - The Sky’s the Limit

Future Roles for the Evolving MT

Facilitator: Ava Marie George, CMT, AHDI-F

Panelists: Michael Clark; Sherry Doggett; Kathy Dominguez, CMT, AHDI-F; Sherry Martin, CMT

Our industry is rapidly changing, largely in response to the HITECH Act. Transcription roles are evolving, and we need to focus our attention on skills needed to advance our profession in order to meet the needs of new hybrid roles being created. Our future is likely to require higher education and credentialing. Panelists will be discussing new jobs and roles in private practice, in MTSO companies, and in the hospital setting as well as providing insight into possible roles of the future, education needed to perform those roles, and credentialing in this new HIM future.

This panel discussion will take place on Saturday, August 7, 2010.

Download PDF Registration Form
Register Online
View ACE 2010 Interactive Schedule

The Great ACE Tweet Up!

Date: Thursday, August 5, 2010
Time: 1:00 p.m. CDT
Hashtag: #ace365chat

The word networking has taken on a whole new meaning in today’s age of virtual connectivity, and arguably no social networking tool has done a better job of getting people connected than Twitter. Keeping our highly wired, at-home workforce connected to critical information has become an important goal not only for AHDI but for its strategic partners, member groups, and vendors. AHDI will be partnering with M*Modal over the coming months to engage in a “virtual” dialogue about a number of emerging industry issues and concerns. We’ll be kicking off a series of collaborative blogs, online chats, and webinars by cohosting a “Tweet Up” in the AHDI Lounge at ACE 2010. Lea Sims, CMT, AHDI-F (AHDI Director of Professional Programs) and Lynn Kosegi, PMP (M*Modal Director of Professional Services) will be leading both on-site attendees and virtual Twitter followers through a live Twitter “chat” event designed to engage more members of our MT community in social networking and generate “buzz” around key issues.

For more information on how to join in on the conversation, visit The Great ACE Tweet Up page at www.ace365.org.

Your Opinion Counts - Take the "Best of the Best" MT Survey

We are looking to acknowledge the best of the best in healthcare documentation and need your help. Do you work for an outstanding employer who is a phenomenal resource or have you found a program or resource that really makes a difference in your accuracy or productivity? We want to know about it. Please take a few minutes to answer this short survey.

Take survey

QA Best Practices Panel Discussion at ACE 2010

Collaborative Approach to Quality Outcomes

Facilitator: Susan Lucci, RHIT, CMT, AHDI-F

Panelists: Laura Bryan, CMT, AHDI-F; Dee Logan; Debbie Bright-Chunn, RHIT, CMT, AHDI-F; Other panelists TBD)

During this session, attendees will have the opportunity to get a first glance at the new QA Best Practices document and how the collaborative approach from many stakeholders has reshaped how we communicate, measure, report, and continuously improve healthcare documentation quality. This fresh approach has included new sections that are vital to meaningful interactions in quality.

This panel discussion will take place on Friday, August 6, 2010.

Download PDF Registration Form
Register Online
View ACE 2010 Interactive Schedule

Industry Update & Annual Business Meeting at ACE 2010

The ever-changing health IT landscape along with growing market pressures to improve healthcare services in a fiscally constrained environment are transforming the practice of medical transcription. Now more than ever the profession must be visible to the many healthcare stakeholders who are helping to reshape health care in explaining the important contributions our knowledge workers make in producing quality digital records. AHDI has undertaken a number of strategic initiatives in the last year, including its work with the Dewey Square Group on advocacy, Best Practice Tool Kits to help guide the evolution of the profession, and career resource tools to navigate through these changing times. As with anything the association does, the success of these initiatives hinges upon the participation and support of members like you.

This session is your opportunity to learn more about these initiatives and how they will enable the medical transcription profession to meet the major challenges facing it now and in the near future. More importantly, it is your chance to have a face-to-face conversation with association leadership about how the organization can best advance the profession and the interests of its members. This session will be simulcast on ACE 365 for maximum member participation.

This session will take place on Friday, August 6, 2010.

Download PDF Registration Form
Register Online
View ACE 2010 Interactive Schedule

Last Chance to Hop on the Highway to Success

ACE 2010 is nearly upon us! In just under two weeks, nearly 500 healthcare documentation professionals from across the country will be gathering in Austin, TX, to enhance their professional prowess. The time has come to invest in your career development and increase your chances for success within the ever-changing healthcare documentation sector. The discounted registration price deadline has been extended through July 29, 2010, so seize this opportunity and register today!

Download PDF Registration Form
Register Online
View ACE 2010 Interactive Schedule

AHDI and MTIA Submit Comments for Ways and Means Committee Hearing

On Tuesday the Ways and Means Health Subcommittee held a hearing on provisions within the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for implementation of health information technology. AHDI and MTIA submitted comments and questions (“Efforts to Promote the Adoption and Meaningful Use of Health Information Technology") that reflect the necessity for health IT adoption to preserve narrative documentation of patient encounters and the human intelligence factor while maintaining secure, accurate, and efficient measures for capturing health information.

AHDI’s "Best of the Best" Medical Transcription Survey

We are looking to acknowledge the best of the best in healthcare documentation and need your help. Do you work for an outstanding employer who is a phenomenal resource or have you found a program or resource that really makes a difference in your accuracy or productivity? We want to know about it. Please take a few minutes to answer this short survey.

Take survey

ACE 2010 Presentation Highlight: Lynn Kosegi, PMP

Transcription—Continued Relevance in Clinical Documentation Today
Friday, August 6
CE Credit: 1 PD

This innovative session will answer the question of how can we use our expertise combined with technology such as speech recognition to promote the value of medical transcription, and to ensure its survival into the future.

Lynn Kosegi, PMP, is the author of the Management for the Modern MTSO blog, a frequent contributor to the Always Understanding blog, and can be found on both Twitter and Facebook. Read her full biography.

Download PDF Registration Form
Register Online

Two Birds, One Stone: Have Fun & Network at ACE 2010

Life is a Highway Welcome Reception
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Your Backstage Pass will be your ticket to great food and networking with exhibitors, and some great surprises that speak to our musical theme. Come dressed as your favorite musician, put on your dancing shoes, and pull out your air guitar, because this year’s reception will be a "gig" you won’t want to miss!

Download PDF Registration Form
Register Online

ACE 2010 Presentation Highlight: Donald Mon, PhD

HIT and Interoperability: The Important Role of Medical Transcription
Thursday, August 5
CE Credit: 1 CM

This presentation will provide a review of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) and the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clincal Health (HITECH) Act and how it sets the stage for health IT and interoperability. Dr. Mon will highlight the areas in which the medical transcription sector can play a critical role. Read Dr. Mon’s biography.

Download PDF Registration Form
Register Online

First time to ACE? New Member of AHDI? Check This Out!

First-time Attendee & New Member Orientation
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
6:00 p.m. - 6:45 p.m.

First-time attendees and new members are invited to attend an orientation and speed networking event in the Austin Grand Ballroom Foyer. AHDI volunteer leaders will provide a brief orientation to the Annual Convention & Expo. Be sure to stop by for this overview of all the things you need to know to make your ACE experience a success and an opportunity to connect with members before heading to the welcome reception.

Download PDF Registration Form
Register Online

Last Call for Esther’s Follies!

Friday night at ACE 2010 is designated as the official Fun Night Out, featuring a special evening of laughs at one of Austin’s most widely recognized and popular comedy spots, Esther’s Follies. Handing out laughs for the past 20+ years, Esher’s Follies is part magic show, part vaudeville review and part satire tour-de-force, with a comedic style that takes no prisoners, while offering biting, hilarious satire on all of today’s news makers and headline events. Tickets for this event must be purchased by Monday, July 19. Tickets will not be available on-site at the ACE registration desk.

ACE attendees who purchase presale tickets for this event will be attending the 8:00 p.m. show on Friday, August 6.

Purchase tickets now

Registration Closes Tomorrow for CEC Webinar - Running Your Business by the Numbers

Date: July 21, 2010
Presenters: John Suender & Ethan Cohen
Time: 10 AM PDT / 11 AM MDT / 12 PM CDT / 1 PM EDT
Duration: 1 Hour
Registration Close: July 18, 2010
CE Given: 1 PD

This presentation will provide general guidelines to business owners for targeting percentages for cost-of-sale line items on an income statement. Presented from the perspective of a buyer, the business owner will walk away with several practical benefits, such as (1) ideas on how to organize an income statement to help manage the business; (2) guidelines on targeting expense ranges; (3) things to think about when determining how to charge for services; and (4) identifying expenses that buyers focus on the most when valuing a business.

John is president of Suender M&A Advisors, a merger and acquisition advisory firm focused on representing sellers of medical transcription companies. John’s 20+ years of M&A experience include 13 as MedQuist’s senior vice president of mergers and acquisitions, during which time MedQuist acquired over 50 companies. John is also an experienced M&A attorney, beginning his career at one of Philadelphia's largest and most prestigious law firms. John has been involved in more than 100 transactions ranging in value from under $1 million to over $1 billion.

Ethan Cohen is a director at Suender M&A Advisors, a merger and acquisition advisory firm focused on representing sellers of medical transcription companies. Ethan has 20+ years of experience in strategic consulting, medical transcription, and teleradiology. As the chief technology officer of MedQuist, Ethan envisioned, developed, and implemented the DocQment Enterprise Platform® that MedQuist uses to run its operations. During this time, Ethan was also responsible for facilitating the integration of numerous transcription companies. More recently, Ethan was the president of SPi Healthcare, a medical transcription company with over 1,000 employees and operations in the Philippines, U.S., and India.

Register Now!

Discounted Registration Rate Extended for ACE 2010

AHDI has extended the discounted registration rate through July 29, 2010, to give you the opportunity to save money and still attend the conference that will pave the road for the industry going forward.

Download PDF Registration Form
Register Online

Your Future: The Road Starts at ACE

AHDI understands times are tough and every penny needs to be justified for return on investment. Therefore, we have placed "No Limits" on the potential this conference has to offer. To see just how far we have gone to pull out all the stops, review our interactive program schedule, or watch the ACE 2010 Preview video at ACE365. Every speaker is relevant to what heathcare documentation specialists are facing today.

Download PDF Registration Form
Register Online

Meaningful Use Rules Rolled Out by HHS

At a press conference on July 13, 2010, the US Department of Health and Human Services and HHS secretary Kathleen Sebelius introduced rules that define "meaningful use" of electronic health records. The rules lay the groundwork for a 5-year national initiative to promote the adoption of electronic health records in the United States, and are likely to have a major impact on how medical transcriptionists and MTSOs operate. For a summary of the rules and their implications for the healthcare documentation sector, visit the AHDI Lounge.

Did You Miss the ACE 2010 Preview Webinar? Watch it Now!

Join AHDI staff through a tour of the new social networking community site, ACE365, dedicated to all that is the Annual Convention & Expo 365 days a year. Also covered is an overview of the major events planned for the 2010 convention.

Watch it now!

Join the Health Story Project for a Special Webinar

WHAT: The Health Story Project: Exchange Basic Records and Meet Early Meaningful Use Requirements

WHEN: Wednesday, July 21, 2010; 1:00-2:00 PM Central

AGENDA: Over a billion clinical notes are created by physicians in the U.S. each year. With standards, the output can easily integrate with EMRs/HIEs and provide a glide path to interoperability. The Health Story Project is an industry collaboration working to accelerate the development and adoption of standards for electronic clinical documents using HL7 Clinical Document Architecture (CDA) and Continuity of Care Document (CCD) templates. Learn how use of these standards support ARRA requirements for meaningful use for exchanging basic records - even prior to EMR system adoption. And, discover the benefits of the Health Story approach, including minimal disruption to workflow, physician acceptance, leveraging current technology investments and offering easy access to the right information. Can your system support this strategy? Learn how to get started.

PRESENTERS: Bob Dolin, MD, Chair, Health Level Seven and Principal, Semantically Yours, LLC and Liora Alschuler, Health Story Executive Committee Member and Principal, Alschuler Associates, LLC
Please let us know if you are interested in an update yet unable to make the webinar.

REGISTER: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/549972714

First-time Attendee & New Member Orientation at ACE 2010

Wednesday, August 4, 2010
6:00 p.m. - 6:45 p.m.

First-time attendees and new members are invited to attend an orientation and speed networking event in the Austin Grand Ballroom Foyer at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, August 4. AHDI volunteer leaders will provide a brief orientation to the Annual Convention & Expo. Be sure to stop by the Austin Grand Ballroom Foyer for this overview of all the things you need to know to make your ACE experience a success and an opportunity to connect with members before heading to the welcome reception.

View the ACE 2010 Interactive Schedule at a Glance

Register for ACE 2010

Future Technologies, Updates on Modern Medical Procedures, Skill-Building Workshops, and more at ACE 2010

Have you registered for ACE 2010 yet? Don’t delay, as regular pricing is available for a limited time only! If you are still undecided about attending ACE 2010, check out the schedule of events. The 2010 program is sure to exceed your expectations!

• View the Interactive Schedule, which allows you to click on session titles to read session summaries and speaker bios.
• Register for ACE 2010
• Visit ACE365—Your ACE Headquarters
• Book Your Hotel Room Today as the deadline for obtaining the special AHDI group rate is July 12, 2010.

Still on the fence? Check out what one member attendee has to say about the value of ACE for MTs:

A couple of years ago the service I was working for lost a big contract and I found myself suddenly without a job. I sent an email to my AHDI "friends" and 5 minutes later had a response to submit a resume to another company. The following Monday they hired me.....it’s not just what you know (although that’s critical) but it’s also who you know that makes the difference. If it wasn’t for my AHDI connections, this would have been a much more difficult time for me. Every year I attend ACE I meet new people and make new friends...who knows when I might need them again to help me on short notice. - Carrie Boatman, CMT, AHDI-F

Mega MT Challenge Combo Pack! ONLY $49.99

For the month of July we are cleaning house, and you can reap the benefits! On sale for the entire month is the much sought after Mega MT Challenge Combo (I & II), available for the extremely low price of $49.99. One CD typically retails for $35 at the discounted member rate. For this month only, members can get BOTH CDs for under fifty dollars.


Created by AAMT/AHDI Past President and Speaker Brenda Hurley, CMT, AHDI-F, these CDs contain more than 1,200 total questions related to the practice of medical transcription. You’ll find questions pertaining to medical terminology, English fundamentals, pharmacology, and so much more, covering an array of medical specialties. A broad variety of question formats (including multiple-choice, true/false, circle one, fill in the blank, etc.) are designed to fully test the wealth of knowledge essential to the practice of transcription.

Whether used for self-evaluation, staff training, potential employee testing, or classroom instruction, this product is designed to help meet those needs. These comprehensive disks contain a .pdf file in an easy, printable format as well as the answer key. The answer key includes explanatory descriptionsand reference information, including web addresses where available. You can purchase the combo online by using the link below or by contacting our member relations department toll free: 1-800-982-2182 (direct: 1-209-527-9620) or email: ahdi@ahdionline.org.

Purchase combo now!

Price:
$60 members NOW $49.99
$80 list price NOW $59.99

Registration Ends 7/9 for Component Town Hall Meeting

Date: July 14, 2010
Presenters: Barb Marques, CMT, AHDI-F & Bonnie Monico, CMT, AHDI-F
Time: 2 PM PDT / 3 PM MDT / 4 PM CDT / 5 PM EDT
Duration: 2 Hours
Registration Close: July 9, 2010
Cost: FREE
CE Given: n/a

AHDI’s Board of Directors, Component Leaders, and House of Delegates are spearheading a new initiative to ensure the long-term success, relevance, and business sustainability of our association’s components. This project, called “The Blueprint for Great Governance,” is being lead by AHDI President-Elect Barb Marques, CMT, AHDI-F, and Speaker of the House Bonnie Monico, CMT, AHDI-F, with an esteemed group of team members representing the diversity of our membership. The Team will host a series of online Town Hall meetings to brainstorm new approaches, services, and models to best serve the needs of our members and position MTs for long-term success in this rapidly changing environment of healthcare.

Register Now!

Free Webinar - ACE 2010 Preview

Date: July 8, 2010
Presenters: Coleen Fisher & Andrew Wolf
Time: 11 AM PDT / 12 PM MDT / 1 PM CDT / 2 PM EDT
Registration Close: Until Event Start
CEC Given: n/a

Join AHDI staff through a tour of the new social networking community site, ACE365 dedicated to all that is the Annual Convention & Expo 365 days a year. Also covered will be an overview of the major events planned for the 2010 convention and opportunity for attendees to ask questions.

Register now!

Registration Extended Through Today--Industry Trends: HIT Adoption and Medical Transcription

Date: July 7, 2010
Presenter: Jim Tate
Time: 10 AM PDT / 11 AM MDT / 12 PM CDT / 1 PM EDT
Duration: 1 Hour
Registration Close: July 5, 2010
CE Given: 1 PD

A review of current HIT industry trends affecting MTSOs and the path forward into the age of EHR incentives, Meaningful Use, and HIT adoption.

Jim Tate brings a unique combination of skills to the eHealth field. His direct experience encompasses both clinical and technological environments. Jim is an experienced project manager in the implementation of both EHR and Practice Management systems and has led numerous implementations in the United States as well as China.

Register now!

Integrity Awards Nominees Announced

Congratulations to all of this year’s nominees:

Educator of the Year:
Kim Buchanan, CMT, AHDI-F

Employer of the Year:
Amphion Medical Solutions
Shumaker Transcription
Webmedx, Inc.

Excellence in Credentialing:
Cora Clement, CMT

Member of the Year:
Kathy Dominguez, CMT, AHDI-F
Gayle Faggetti, CMT, AHDI-F
Lisa Farragut
Amy Harper, CMT
Norma Lopresti, CMT, AHDI-F
April Martin, RHIA, CMT, AHDI-F
Lynne Sicignano

Innovation Through Technology:
Collaboration by Sarah Steffes of TRS Institute
and Melissa Longfellow of 3M

Membership Impact:
AHDI West
Capital Chapter (Austin, Texas)

Rising Star Award:
Carolan Scharf
Susan Stanley
Amanda Taylor

Winners will be announced at the “No Limits” Integrity Awards Brunch on Saturday, August 7, 2010, at the AHDI Annual Convention and Expo in Austin, Texas.