From the Library: Information Transparency

According to Chris Dimick in an article entitled "The Empowered Patient," published in February 2010 Journal of AHIMA, the movement to give patients better access to and control of their health information is giving HIM a new customer: The patient. That requires a shift in both operations and culture." For medical transcription, that means greater transparency of information between the patient and transcriptionist and for MT quality programs—it changes everything. This presentation will explore current Risk Management practices in transcription and give light to the changing environment of healthcare quality and data integrity in electronic systems.

Visit the Online Learning Library (Valid login required. Not a member? Click here to join.).

Mastering the EHR Course

The Mastering the Electronic Health Record (EHR) course is a 10-week intermediate preparatory course consisting of weekly review, assignments, exercises, and quizzes to test your understanding of the material presented. Course-takers will have an understanding of the learning outcomes for each chapter, implore skill-building techniques through exercises designed to navigate you through the EHR program, learn about current topics in health care, and develop critical-thinking skills through comprehension of applied concepts of using an EHR and testing those skills through the online exercises and activities provided.

Register now for the upcoming course.

"Social Documentation" for Healthcare

In a recent blog post by John Halamka, MD, Chief Information Officer of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, he suggests a new concept to better gather and use data within an EHR while reducing the redundancy and repetition of patient information and clinicians’ burden of inputting such data. Dr. Halamka calls this concept “social documentation,” which he defines as “team authored care plans, annotated event descriptions, and process documentation sufficient to support care coordination, compliance/regulatory requirements, and billing.” Read the core principles of this concept at the Life as a Healthcare CIO blog.

AHDI Conference: Opening Keynote Speaker from The Joint Commission

Make your plans to join fellow healthcare documentation specialists at the 2014 AHDI conference slated for July 23-26 in Las Vegas, Nevada. We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Wyatt from The Joint Commission as our opening keynote speaker. Dr. Wyatt will speak on Thursday morning, July 24.

Ronald M. Wyatt, MD, MHA
Medical Director, Division of Healthcare Improvement
The Joint Commission

Ronald M. Wyatt, MD, is the medical director in the Division of Healthcare Improvement at The Joint Commission. In this role, Dr. Wyatt promotes quality improvement and patient safety to internal and external audiences, works to influence public policy and legislation for patient safety improvements, and serves as the lead patient safety information and education resource within The Joint Commission. Dr. Wyatt collaborates in the development of National Patient Safety Goals, and oversees data management and analyses related to the Sentinel Event database. Visit the AHDI website to read Dr. Wyatt's full biography.

This year’s conference will be held at the beautiful M Resort Spa Casino. Hotel reservations can be made online. AHDI’s discounted group rate is $125/night plus tax (single/double), which includes the complimentary roundtrip airport shuttle service and in-room wireless internet access.

You can also find everything you need to talk to your manager about attending the conference in our justification kit. It includes an email template, cost analysis worksheet, and more.

Registration is open and The M Resort is accepting reservations for our event. Visit www.ahdionline.org/ACE for complete information. Continue to watch your email inbox for updates on the conference program, the fun night out, and other important information. We look forward to seeing you in Las Vegas!

Upcoming Events

View the AHDI Events Calendar to learn about AHDI component events and other industry-related events.

AHDI Events Calendar

See all available webinars here.

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

April 22
Offshoring Transcription: The Pros & Cons to Utilizing Global Labor Resources
Presenter: Shaw A. Rietkerk
Time: 12 PM PT/3 PM ET
CE Credit: 1 PD

Advancing the Profession: New AHDI Fellows!

AHDI would like to congratulate the following individuals who have met the requirements to be deemed an AHDI Fellow.

Faythe Farwell, CHDS, AHDI-F

Candice Olbrych, CHDS, AHDI-F

If you have given your time and energy to advancing the profession through industry and association service, you may qualify for the designation of AHDI Fellow. Download and review the application. For questions regarding this designation, contact Tina Wilson at twilson@ahdionline.org.

Updated Recredentialing Resources

The AHDI Recredentialing Resource Guide and CEC Requirements Table have recently been updated. If you are a credentialed professional or if you participate in finding speakers for component events, please download and review these materials to stay up to date on the latest information.

Participate in a Special Interest Group Alliance

All AHDI members may join and participate in our virtual networking groups—Special Interest Group Alliances. They each offer members a link to others with a common interest via an email listserv, managed through Google Groups. To see the list of virtual alliances and to sign up today, please visit the website and login to access the sign-up page.

Find MTs Near You

The list of AHDI components and state/regional associations was recently updated on our website. Connecting with AHDI's components is a great way to meet fellow members who live in your area. Visit the website listing by clicking here.

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.

Exam Prep and Continuing Education Resources

AHDI has partnered with OAK Horizons, Inc., to offer a number of specialty modules for exam preparation and continuing education. This is an opportunity for the professional healthcare documentation specialist to increase knowledge and skills, improve quality and production, and learn timesaving research techniques. Each module covers anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, laboratory, word building, terminology, procedures, special tests, and diseases as they pertain to the particular specialty. Participants transcribe physician dictations including chart notes, history and physical exams, discharge summaries, initial office evaluations, consultations and letter formats utilizing transcription guidelines as they pertain to the specialty/body system.

Register Now for the upcoming OAK Horizons online courses.

OAK Horizons, Inc., offers an Acute Care Module that is perfect for anyone who has been working in or for a clinic but have been held back because you do not have acute care experience. The Acute Care Module has five (5) of their continuing education modules bundled to help clinic medical transcriptionists move into the acute care arena. The course covers basic acute care documentation to include discharge summaries, history and physicals, consults, emergency department notes, and operative notes. Each specialty covers basic anatomy and physiology, medical terminology, disease process, pharmacology, laboratory, operative procedures and specialty specific transcription.

Register Now for the upcoming Acute Care Module online courses.

Sharing Your Subject Matter Expertise

Did you know that many of the speakers our events, product developers, and authors are volunteer members of AHDI? If you have special expertise that you feel would be of value to your fellow community of healthcare documentation specialists, we invite you to contact us to share your idea or to complete the online abstract form. Volunteering in this way is an excellent way to give back to the profession and will give you a great experience to add to your resume.

If you’re interested in writing an article for Plexus or presenting a webinar session, please contact Kristin Wall, CMT, AHDI-F, kwall@ahdionline.org. If you have an idea for an online course, book, or other educational tool, please contact Tina Wilson, twilson@ahdionline.org.

2014 Healthcare Documentation Integrity Conference

July 23-26, 2014, at The M Resort, Las Vegas, NV

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.

Start planning your trip to the 2014 Healthcare Documentation Integrity Conference by visiting the website to see the schedule at a glance, current list of sponsors and exhibitors, and to download the justification kit.

Connecting the Dots

On January 23, I was fortunate to attend the annual meeting of the Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) for Health Information Technology (HIT) in Washington, DC. The theme for the day was "Transforming Healthcare One Connection at a Time," indicating a focus on how HIT is impacting the healthcare delivery system through innovation and interoperability. You can read more about my experience at the meeting via a blog post I wrote for my day job.

I learned about several of the ONC's priorities for the healthcare system that we need to consider from the documentation perspective as we navigate our working relationships with HIT in the organizations that we serve. Read more.