AHDI to Appear at HIMSS14

Orlando welcomes the 2014 Annual HIMSS Conference & Exhibition, February 23-27, 2014, at the Orange County Convention Center. More than 35,000 healthcare industry professionals are expected to attend to discuss health IT issues and view innovative solutions designed to transform healthcare.

AHDI is proud to support this annual event that helps health IT professionals find the right solutions for their organizations.

Conference education sessions include pre-conference symposia on clinical and business intelligence, health IT and rural care, HIEs, ICD-10, innovation, interoperability, mobile health, nursing informatics, physicians’ IT and more. More than 300 peer-reviewed sessions, including workshops and roundtables, along with a new participant-driven education track in which attendees decide the content, round out education offerings at HIMSS14.

Hillary Clinton, 67th Secretary of State of the United States, leads a keynote roster that also includes Mark Bertolini, chairman, CEO and president of AETNA, and Erik Weihenmayer, a world-class blind adventurer.

On the exhibit floor, the enhanced HIMSS Interoperability Showcase will feature an interactive environment where health IT solution providers can collaborate to maximize the collective impact of their technologies and connect with decision makers. The showcase has been expanded to include the Meaningful Use Experience. Two Knowledge Centers, with more than 50 peer-reviewed education and vendor solution sessions, will bring attendees a one-stop experience based on the hot topics of clinical and business analytics/intelligence and mobile health.

Stop by to visit AHDI at kiosk #12 during HIMSS14. For more information about HIMSS14 and to register, visit www.himssconference.org.

Featured Member Benefit: Plexus Archives

Did you know that each issue of Plexus is archived on the AHDI website? Eligible AHDI members may download copies dating back to the very first issue from January 2005. To access the archive, first log in to the AHDI website and then go to "Professional Practices > Publications > Plexus > Plexus Downloads." Here's the direct link to the archive that you can bookmark for easy future reference.

Call for Annual Conference Presentations: Deadline extended to February 28!

AHDI's 2014 Healthcare Documentation Integrity Conference will be held in Las Vegas at The M Resort, July 23–26. We invite dynamic industry experts, educators, practitioners, and authors to submit a proposal to speak at the conference. More information is available online. The extended deadline is February 28, 2014.

Join our Facebook group to stay updated on AHDI’s Healthcare Documentation Integrity Conference and to connect with fellow attendees.

AHDI's Call for Volunteers

If you're thinking of getting more involved in AHDI, there are many rewarding volunteer opportunities available. As a volunteer, you'll be part of something bigger—a community working to protect the integrity of patient health information through continuous workforce development and the support of practitioners and industry partners. You will also benefit by volunteering. It's an excellent way to develop new leadership skills; interact, network, and learn from fellow healthcare documentation specialists; and gain recognition among our diverse community of members.

We invite you to review our 2013-2014 Work Plan. This outlines, in detail, the association’s priorities for this year and the projects for each of our volunteer groups (e.g., committees, task forces, etc.). Once you find an area or two you’re interested in, please complete the Volunteer Application, indicating your preferences. Someone from AHDI will follow up with you shortly thereafter.

We are also in need of social media specialists and a moderator for the AHDI Lounge blog. Contact Kristin Wall, CMT, AHDI-F for further information.

Occupational Outlook Handbook Updated

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has announced the release of the 2014-2015 Occupational Outlook Handbook, providing career information and employment projections. The listing for medical transcription has been updated, and much of the feedback contributed by AHDI has been incorporated.

Read the full news release.
Read the updated MT summary.

2014 AHDI Integrity Awards— Nominations Close April 30, 2014

With the demands and challenges facing our sector, we hear so much about recognition of our workforce and the need to acknowledge the outstanding work being done by so many across the industry and within the association. AHDI's Integrity Awards program is designed to shine a spotlight on those individuals, organizations, and volunteer groups who are truly making a difference in our industry. Not only does this recognition program impact the individuals who are nominated and chosen for these awards, but it generates visibility around best practices and drives recognition of our industry in a public way. Do you know a CMT or CHDS who has a passion for credentialing and helping others get credentialed? What about an MT educator who really made a difference to you as a student? Do you belong to an AHDI component that has done something innovative and engaging this year? Is your employer creating a corporate culture that has inspired you to excel? Every one of us knows someone who has made a professional impact over the last year. Be a proactive colleague. Take the time to nominate that person or organization for one of these awards:

• Hall of Fame Award
• Employer of the Year Award
• Membership Impact Award
• Rising Star Award
• Excellence in Credentialing Award
• Innovation through Technology Award
• Educator of the Year Award
• Advocate of the Year Award

Nominations should be submitted electronically and are due no later than Wednesday, April 30, 2014. Nominees will be notified of nomination after committee vote and winners will be announced at the Integrity Awards session at the 36th AHDI Healthcare Documentation Integrity Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada. Visit the AHDI Integrity Awards page for more information.

AHDI Board Call for Candidates - Deadline March 24

Would you like to make a difference in the future of healthcare documentation? If so, please consider a Director position on AHDI's National Leadership Board. It's an excellent opportunity for professional growth and leadership development. These volunteer positions are key to the strategic planning needed to help shape the future of healthcare documentation in the evolving world of the electronic healthcare record.

If you know someone who would be a great candidate, send us their name and we will follow up with them. Sometimes a nudge is all it takes!

Three (3) At-Large Director positions are available on the National Leadership Board for a 3-year term starting September 1, 2014. One (1) District Director position is open for each of the following districts: District 2, District 4, and District 6. To see the areas within each district, view the district map. The District Director positions are also for a 3-year term starting September 1, 2014.

For more information about the qualifications and role of these positions, please contact Wendy Carriegan at wcarriegan@ahdionline.org or read more on the AHDI website. Call for candidates will close Monday, March 24, 2014, which is when all completed candidate materials need to be submitted to the AHDI office.

A Word from Your National Leadership Board

The AHDI National Leadership Board would like to take this opportunity to wish each and every one of you a very happy, healthy, and prosperous 2014!

The first NLB meeting of the year was held January 8, so we’re getting a quick start on our work for 2014. As you may have seen in other communications, the Super Early-Bird registration for the 2014 Healthcare Documentation Integrity Conference has been announced. Be sure to register by January 31 to get the best pricing for the conference! Read more.

President's Address -- Leave No Doubt

For the past few months I have really enjoyed seeing the posts on social media from our members who have achieved their CHDS or RHDS credential, either by taking the exam for the first time or by passing the bridge course. Even though they are only words on the screen, I can sense the feelings of accomplishment and elation that they convey. I sometimes even hear the songs "We Are the Champions" or "We Will Rock You" in my head. Seriously! Everyone likes to be acknowledged, but there’s nothing like the validation that comes through hard work, mastery, and taking the risk to prove to yourself and others that you've got what it takes. Read more.

Upcoming Events

See all available webinars here. View the AHDI Events Calendar to learn about AHDI component events and other industry-related events.

January 28
HIPAA Final Rule Boosts Patient Rights
Presenter: Brenda Hurley, CMT, AHDI-F
Time: 1 PM PT/4 PM ET
CE Credit: 1 ML

February 11
The Real Cost of Outsourcing
Presenter: Sherry Doggett
Time: 1 PM PT/4 PM ET
CE Credit: 1 PD

March 18
QA for Provider-Created Documentation in the EHR
Presenter: Sherry Doggett
Time: 1 PM PT/4 PM ET
CE Credit: 1 MTT

April 9
ICD-10—A True Future Roles Opportunity
Presenter: Ava Marie George, MBA, CHDS, AHDI-F
Time: 2 PM PT/5 PM ET
CE Credit: 1 PD

2014 Conference: January Super Early-Bird Special

Healthcare Documentation Integrity Conference
July 23-26, 2014
The M Resort ♦ Las Vegas, NV

Unleash your passion for capturing America's healthcare stories.
Feed your desire to learn.
Ignite your confidence. Chase your dreams.

Think of attending AHDI’s Conference as your own mini sabbatical—carving out "me" time to nurture your mind, explore what’s changed, and learn what lies ahead. A place where great minds think alike, uniting you with fellow healthcare documentation specialists who share your commitment to excellence in documenting patient care.

7 Reasons to Attend

1. Learn about trends in healthcare documentation to augment your career planning.
2. Meet with recruiters about employment opportunities and gain insight into the changing dynamics of the job market.

3. Boost your job performance by strengthening your knowledge across the clinical medicine specialties.
4. Engage in discussions on important issues affecting MTs and formulate solutions by brainstorming with fellow attendees.
5. Visit with exhibitors to see the latest tools, technology, and services to improve your efficiency, grow your business, and spark your creativity.
6. Celebrate the profession and make new friends at social events during the conference.
7. Continue your commitment to lifelong learning and earn continuing education credits to support your certification.

Visit the website to see the schedule at a glance, current list of sponsors and exhibitors, and to download the justification kit.

Register by January 31 to save more than 20% off the regular registration rate.

Retiring Your Credential

The Credentialing Commission for Healthcare Documentation (CCHD) has updated the policies for retiring a credential to include the RHDS and CHDS credentials in addition to the CMT credential. For those who are retiring or no longer practicing medical transcription/healthcare documentation, you may choose to retire your credential and maintain the designation of RHDS-R, CMT-R, or CHDS-R. Click here for full details.

CMT/CHDS Recredentialing Tip

College courses and independent study:
Requests for approval of college courses and independent study programs must include: (1) a fully completed CEC Approval Request form, and (2) a copy of the catalog description, course curriculum, or other information detailing creditworthiness. These should be submitted prior to or within 30 days following course completion. Proof of completion with a final grade of C or higher should be submitted at end of cycle, regardless of audit.

For more recredentialing tips, review these resources:

• Recertification page
• CMT/CHDS-Only page
• Recredentialing Resource Guide

From the Library: Let's Chat About Medicolegal Terms: It's More Than HIPAA

Watch this webinar, which will cover the laws that apply specifically to healthcare personnel, the concepts of breach of contract, tort, standard of care, the doctrine of informed consent, the 4 D’s of negligence, and more.

*The AHDI Online Learning Library is a benefit of Individual Professional membership. Log in to watch this webinar, and others, before they are gone!

Featured Member Benefit: Save 20% at Stedman's

Did you know that AHDI members receive a 20% discount on most Stedman’s products? To receive your discount, log onto the AHDI website and visit Member Center > My Benefits to find a special link to Stedman’s or click here to jump directly to the AHDI Member portal on Stedman’s.

To learn more about the personal benefits and discounts available to you as an AHDI member, visit our Vendor Affiliates directory (login required).

Credentialing Corner: Validate Your Breadth of Knowledge to Employers

The healthcare landscape looks different nearly every day, and putting RHDS or CHDS after your name will be like an instant message to your employer that you’re well-prepared, knowledgeable, and a valuable member of the healthcare team. Your credential will also:

• Validate your breadth of knowledge and skills to employers.
• Demonstrate that you take initiative and go above the minimum requirements.
• Distinguish you from those without a credential.
• Raise your employer’s confidence in you when introducing new technologies or services.
• Keep you marketable in the event of cutbacks or mergers.
• Provide you with personal satisfaction that you’ve earned your credential.

Get ready to put four authoritative letters after your name.
AHDI offers a variety of resources to help you prepare for your credentialing exam. Pick what will work best for you based on your unique learning style. AHDI’s credentialing prep products were developed for the current exam blue prints, so they are immediately "RHDS Ready" and "CHDS Ready." Explore our prep products.

Take a test run with a practice exam.
AHDI practice exams will give you the chance to experience what the exam will be like before you sit for your credentialing exam. The practice exams encompass both cognitive assessment (multiple-choice) questions and audio items, represent potential content domains under the exam blue prints, and should give you an overall impression of exam scope, format, and acclimate you with the testing environment. Learn about the practice exams.

Submit your eligibility and register for the exam.
Before registering to take your exam, you need to first submit your eligibility to AHDI. You’ll receive an "Authorization-to-Test" email with a login and password to the Kryterion Webassessor™ platform. Eligibility information will be exported to Kryterion, and you will pay for and schedule your exam with Kryterion. Explore the testing options and pricing.

So whether you are a new graduate or working in a single specialty and will be going for your RHDS, or you have been transcribing and editing in an acute-care setting for years and will be going for your CHDS, we’ve got you covered. It won’t be long before your fingers are perched over your keyboard to send your good news viral!

Nov/Dec Plexus Now Online

The latest issue of Plexus can be downloaded now! Don’t miss great features and columns, the latest news, and helpful information related to our career paths theme, Lost in Transcription. Each bi-monthly issue is delivered in a user-friendly digital PDF format that you can save on many types of mobile reading devices and have readily available at your fingertips!

We invite you to view this issue of Plexus magazine (members must be logged in to the AHDI website). Not a member of AHDI? Visit the Member Center to see membership categories, learn more, and join today!

AHDI welcomes industry contributions, and all submissions for publication are welcome for review and consideration by the editor and the AHDI Research and Development Team. Any individual or group interested in submitting an article or column content should download and follow the guidelines for submission found here.

View the Plexus Editorial Calendar for 2014

2014 Plexus Editorial Calendar Now Available

AHDI welcomes industry contributions, and all submissions for publication are welcome for review and consideration by the editor and the AHDI Research and Development Team. Any individual or group interested in submitting an article or column content should download and follow the guidelines for submission found on our Publication Opportunities page. Components, don’t forget to submit your events for the AHDI Event Calendar. Listings submitted by January 24, 2014, will automatically be included in the February issue of Plexus. All deadlines by which events should be posted are included on the Plexus Editorial Calendar for 2014.

Feature Webinar: HIPAA Final Rule Boosts Patient Rights

January 28, 2014, 1:00 p.m. Pacific (4:00 p.m. Eastern)
Speaker: Brenda Hurley, CMT, AHDI-F, Hurley Makes It Happen

This presentation will discuss the many new and improved rights for patients provided under the HIPAA Omnibus Final Rule. These changes are important for healthcare documentation professionals to understand both as a consumer of healthcare services and as a critical link in the healthcare documentation process.

Some of the new rights that will be discussed will include (1) patients can have access to the information within 30 days (or less) in a format they choose (with some stipulations), (2) the right to restrict disclosure of their information to their health plan when they pay for services out of pocket in full, (3) their genetic information is now protected under HIPAA and cannot be used for insurance underwriting purposes, (4) their decedent information is protected for 50 years after death then it is no longer considered PHI, (5) and more examples of new and/or expanded patient rights.

Click here to learn more about this webinar and to register online. If you cannot attend the live webinar, you may register to receive the recording following the event.

AHDI's Call for Volunteers

If you're thinking of getting more involved in AHDI, there are many rewarding volunteer opportunities available. As a volunteer, you'll be part of something bigger—a community working to protect the integrity of patients’ health information through continuous workforce development and the support of practitioners and industry partners. You will also benefit by volunteering. It’s an excellent way to develop new leadership skills; interact, network, and learn from fellow healthcare documentation specialists; and gain recognition among our diverse community of members.

When you’re ready to explore volunteering with AHDI, we invite you to review our 2013-2014 Work Plan. This outlines, in detail, the association’s priorities for this year and the projects for each of our volunteer groups (e.g., committees, task forces, etc.). Once you find an area or two you’re interested in, please complete the Volunteer Application, indicating your preferences. Someone from AHDI will follow up with you shortly thereafter.

Social Media Specialist Needed!
Do you love connecting with people using social media? Do you enjoy discussing issues, trends, and challenges facing both the healthcare industry and the association? We have a great opportunity that combines both!

AHDI Lounge Moderator Needed!
AHDI has a moderator position available for the AHDI Lounge blog. Candidates should have good writing skills, be knowledgeable about the industry, have a good understanding of various social media avenues and tools, and enjoy engaging members in thoughtful dialogue and information exchange. In-depth knowledge of Wordpress is a plus. Candidates interested in serving in this volunteer position should send an email with his/her qualifications to Kristin Wall, CMT, AHDI-F, (kwall@ahdionline.org) by February 1.

President's Address: Let It Begin With Me

I don't know about you, but I have a love-hate relationship with this time of year. I love the holiday hoopla, but at the same time, my to-do list seems to double and the entire month of December feels like a sprint to the finish line. Every year during the holidays, as I experience that frazzled feeling from trying to do too much, I stop to remind myself to count my blessings and focus on what is important. Life isn't perfect, and sometimes it isn't any fun, but for the most part I am so grateful for the experiences I have had and the people who have crossed my path, both personally and professionally. Read more.

AHDI Conference Registration Now Open

It's never too early to start making your plans to attend AHDI's Healthcare Documentation Integrity Conference. This year's conference will be held July 23-26, 2014, in Las Vegas, Nevada, at the beautiful M Resort Spa Casino.

Registration is now open for the conference. A special rate is available on full registrations this month only. Register by January 31 to save $35.

	Special Rate Through 1/31/14	Early Bird Rate 2/1/14 – 4/30/14	How to Register
Individual Professional Members	$320	$355	Online Download Form
Associate Members	$370	$405
List Price	$420	$505

An ongoing discounted rate of $225 is available for Student, Associate Student, and Postgraduate Members. Register online at www.ahdionline.org/ACE.

A three-month payment plan will be available from February 1 to April 30 for full registration. The payment plan will only be available on the Early Bird Rate. Single-day registration is also available.

Online hotel reservations will open soon. The rate is $125 plus tax, single/double occupancy. The M Resort provides complimentary airport transportation, in-room wireless, access to the fitness center, and self-parking.

Watch your email Inbox for updates on the conference program, Friday fun night, and other important information. We look forward to seeing you in Las Vegas!