ACE 2011 - Payment Plan Option on Full Registrations

New in 2011, AHDI members may pay for their full conference registration in three equal payments spread out over a three-month period. The payment plan option is only available to AHDI members who are purchasing a full conference registration. To utilize this special option, you must register using the Payment Plan Registration Form. The payment plan is only available through May 31, 2011.

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Register by the early-bird deadline of June 20, 2011, to secure the lowest registration rate available!

Register Today

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ACE 2011 - Preliminary Schedule of Events and Confirmed Speakers Update

The ACE 2011 volunteer program committee is hard at work finalizing your convention agenda, packed with hard-hitting, credit-worthy break-out sessions in the categories of clinical medicine, industry trends, and workforce development. The fully detailed interactive schedule of events with clickable session titles that reveal presentation summaries and speaker bios will be published in early May. In the meantime, we’ve created this preliminary schedule that will provide you with the overall dates, times, and activities planned for ACE 2011, so that you may plan your travel and accommodations accordingly.

We’ve also put together this list of speakers who have confirmed their participation at the convention in August. Have a look and check this list frequently for updates, which will be used in the interim until the full interactive schedule is posted in May.

Confirmed Break-out Speakers

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Register by the early-bird deadline of June 20, 2011, to secure the lowest registration rate available!

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ACE 2011 - Keynote Highlight: Shed or You're Dead!

Kathy B. Dempsey, RN, MED, CSP
Shed or You’re Dead®: How to Stay Alive &
Thrive in the Midst of Healthcare Change!


Millions of dollars and thousands of hours are lost each year due to the inability to get employees to move forward with healthcare changes. Why do 75% of all change efforts fail? And what would your organization be like if everyone could lead and master change? Healthcare organizations that equip their people to SHED faster and quicker will be the ones that survive and thrive!

This interactive keynote session is packed with practical strategies for immediate implementation! Leave empowered to SHED for Success™ and:

• Embrace the concept of shedding and why it is a critical skill in today’s healthcare environment.
• Apply the 3 foundational R’s of shedding to stay positive, juggle multiple priorities, and do more with less.
• Understand and conquer the 5 reasons why people resist change and won’t SHED!
• Overcome the number one barrier in leading and managing change.
• Increase your effectiveness by 75% by removing the biggest obstacles to a successful and sustainable change.

Kathy will give the opening keynote at ACE on Friday, August 19, 2011.

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Register by the early-bird deadline of June 20, 2011, to secure the lowest registration rate available!

Register Today

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eMentors for Students/Postgrads Needed

AHDI is looking to its experienced transcriptionists for volunteers to assist with our eMentoring Program. If you have time for one email a week for 60 days, you have time to be a mentor! Share your experience and knowledge with students and postgrads entering the industry and help pay forward your life-long commitment to learning. For details on the program, visit our Become an eMentor web page or email dshelton@ahdionline.org.

Please note this program is available to current AHDI members only.

Call for National Leadership Board District Director Candidates

AHDI is seeking qualified District Director candidates in each of the 6 districts to stand in an election for the National Leadership Board.

As you know, AHDI members recently voted to support a change in AHDI’s governance to expand the current Board of Directors to a National Leadership Board that will now include 6 directors elected from identified districts across the association. These newly elected District Directors will bring representative leadership to this new Board structure and ensure that members continue to have a constituent voice in decisions that are made at the national level. With several key goals and challenges ahead, AHDI needs the very best to lead the way.

The ideal candidate for District Director will have a strong desire to serve and lead at the national level, the leadership expertise and background to contribute to policy decisions and professional practice discussions, and a willingness to work collaboratively toward the association’s strategic goals. To qualify, a candidate must have been an Individual Professional member in good standing for at least one year immediately preceding candidacy. Terms will be staggered for continuity, with two-year terms for Districts 1, 3 and 5 and three-year terms for Districts 2, 4 and 6. Elected directors will take office effective September 1, 2011. More detailed information can be viewed at the AHDI Candidacy web page after login.

To request a candidacy packet, contact Wendy Carriegan at wcarriegan@ahdionline.org. The packet includes an application form, letter of intent, biosketch, and a candidate goals and objectives statement. A digital head shot photo should be included for publication in the candidate ballot. The deadline for receipt of all materials in the AHDI office is April 29, 2011.

Invest in Your Career at ACE 2011 and See Sizeable Returns

April is tax month, and for many of us this means we’ve recently received a much needed and well-deserved boost of income thanks to Uncle Sam. Your frugality and attention to detail has paid off, and now is your chance to use your return to invest in your career by registering for AHDI’s 33rd Annual Convention & Exposition (ACE). Making it to ACE 2011 may not be as unaffordable as you think. Check out this list of savings tips that may make all the difference in helping you get to Phoenix this summer.

2011 is your year to take action toward elevating your career. Join your peers at ACE 2011, where we’ve designed a dynamic professional development and networking experience that will put you on the path to success. All of the critical issues and opportunities in healthcare documentation will be explored via educational tracks in clinical medicine, industry trends, and workforce development. Visit an array of employers, technology providers, recruiters, and vendors in the ACE 2011 exhibit hall or expand your professional circle of connections and potentially enhance your future career opportunities at our exciting networking events. Attending ACE 2011 is sure to provide you with an opportunity to Learn, Evolve, and Shine!

Register by the early-bird deadline of June 20, 2011, to secure the lowest registration rate available!

Register Today

Visit ACE365: Your ACE 2011 Headquarters

National Medical Transcriptionist Week 2011

Every year, through National Medical Transcriptionist Week, AHDI and the transcription community celebrate the critical role our workforce plays on the healthcare team. Medical transcriptionists and editors add contributory value to our healthcare system through accurate, secure capture of healthcare encounters every day. This year we’ve positioned that message as part of a powerful, heart-hitting campaign around patient health stories. With our nation’s rush to force health information into the restricted, data-driven environment of the EHR, preserving the patient’s comprehensive health story has become a significant part of our mission and a rally cry for our sector. Help us celebrate NMTW by advocating for patients through our Capturing America’s Healthcare Story campaign and bringing visibility to your important role in preserving the integrity of those stories. Visit our National Medical Transcriptionist Week 2011 page to download this two-sided, full-color poster and learn more about how you can become an advocate for America’s healthcare story.

Take the 2011 Survey of Medical Transcriptionists

The 2011 Bentley University Survey of Medical Transcriptionists is part of a larger academic project seeking to understand the work experiences of medical transcriptionists as well as the value they add to production of accurate and reliable medical records. This survey is a continuation of the 2007 Survey of Medical Transcriptionists. A primary goal of the project is to provide a better understanding for those involved in medical records production regarding the work and value of MTs. Click here to take the survey.

National Volunteer Week - A Thank You to Our Volunteers

Dear Volunteer Members,

Happy National Volunteer Week! We want to take this time to recognize our outstanding volunteers for all you do. Your time, expertise, and commitment to this organization are very much appreciated and vital to the work that AHDI does. Together, we continue to make great strides within our sector—in advocacy, in credentialing, and in professional development, to name a few. We look forward to working with you on future endeavors.

On behalf of the AHDI Board of Directors and Staff, thank you!

Advocacy Summit - Legislative Agenda

Come to the Hill and/or support our Summit objectives by preparing in advance. The following preliminary resources have been developed to assist you in understanding the AHDI/CDIA advocacy agenda and key messages for 2011.

AHDI/CDIA Advocacy Agenda
This comprehensive document identifies and outlines the 6 Key Areas where the associations have chosen to focus our advocacy efforts.

America’s Healthcare Story
This 2-page, full-color flyer will be the central marketing piece for our advocacy efforts in 2011 and will be included in all legislative packets to be taken to the Hill in May.

AHDI/CDIA Comment on Stage 2 Meaningful Use
Preserving a full patient health story in the EHR is priority one for both organizations, and securing a role for narrative reporting in the EHR is a big part of that. Key Summit messages will come from this formal comment to the HIT Policy Council.

Note: Full legislative packets, cover letters, flyers, and a full-fledged Advocacy Summit Guide will be available in the coming weeks.

Register for the 2011 Advocacy Summit

Credential Qualifying Exam - Congratulations Acusis!

The online Credential Qualifying Exam is up and running and conveniently testing candidates from the comfort of their own homes. We’d like to congratulate Acusis for being the first company to commit to the credentialing qualifying exam by purchasing exam registrations in bulk. Companies have the ability to truly save on credentialing their staff. Take advantage of the following by purchasing in bulk:

• Complimentary eligibility fee ($10 savings per candidate)
• Guaranteed member pricing for all candidate registrations regardless of member status at the time of purchase (up to $80 savings per exam)
• 5% to 40% discount based on quantity of registrations purchased

Bulk pricing is available when at least 50 candidate registrations are purchased in advance. You have the ability to mix and match your credentialing registrations between the RMT, the CMT, and the CQE exams to ensure that you receive what works best for your organization. View the Credentialing Bulk Pricing web page for more specific information. Contact Kelly Kappmeier at kkappmeier@ahdionline.org if you have any questions about bulk offerings.

Advocacy Summit - Early Price Extended Through April 11!

No one can advocate for you better than you can. Bring your industry insight and experience to Capitol Hill on May 3 and 4, 2011. Join fellow MTs, MT employers, and AHDI leaders at the 2011 Advocacy Summit in Washington, DC, where we will be meeting with legislators, healthcare aides, and key committee members to discuss the role this sector plays in preserving America’s healthcare story. Do you want policymakers to understand the critical value of an accurate, comprehensive patient record? Make plans to join us on the Hill. There is nothing more professionally empowering than advocating on the ground in our Nation’s Capitol. Don’t miss it!

What to Expect
Attendees will speak with key legislative officials and healthcare staff about the healthcare documentation industry’s critical role in healthcare delivery. With assistance from our lobbying firm, Dewey Square Group, attendees will receive:

• Orientation and training on effective lobbying techniques.
• Appointment scheduling services for legislative meetings.
• Materials to convey a clear, concise, and powerful message.
• Assistance from AHDI/CDIA staff every step of the way.

Register for the 2011 Advocacy Summit

EHR Readiness Tool Kit

Are you an MT preparing for emerging and evolving roles in the EHR? Did you know that AHDI has an EHR Readiness Tool Kit to assist you in promoting the value of your services as EHR facilitators? This tool kit is designed to orient healthcare documentation workers to the electronic health record, what it means to healthcare organizations seeking to adopt an EHR, and what an MT needs to know in order to prepare for that transition as a member of the health information management team. Each downloadable file will provide MTs with information, resources, and expert opinions on how to navigate this transition.

We also recently added a one-page flyer that is designed to assist MTs in promoting the value of their services as EHR facilitators. An MT who has utilized the tool kit to prepare for EHR integration can be of significant contributory value to a physician or clinic that is looking at the challenges of adoption. The MTs as EHR Facilitators flyer can be downloaded, duplicated, and distributed to clients, employers, and colleagues to promote this emerging role for MTs.

Healthcare Documentation Quality Assessment and Management Best Practices Tool Kit - Now Available for Downloading!

In July 2010 a committee comprised of distinguished experts from the Association for Healthcare Documentation Integrity, the Medical Transcription Industry Association (now the Clinical Documentation Industry Association), and the American Health Information Management Association published a comprehensive revision of standards and best practices in healthcare documentation quality assessment and management. This document, Healthcare Documentation Quality Assessment and Management Best Practices, provides a standardized approach to measuring, reporting, and improving documentation for patient safety and documentation accuracy. Moreover, fundamental principles of quality in healthcare documentation are reevaluated and revised in light of the new technological and policy environments of the 21st century.

The Quality Assessment and Management Tool Kit has been created by another group of industry experts to assist all users with understanding and implementing this new approach. It provides a set of explanatory and operational tools that are intended to be adapted to users’ own needs. Review the tool kit today!