- 1. INKY CONNECTION
INSIDE THIS ISSUEeducation corner..2NEWS FROM AHDI..3HOUSE OF
DELEGATES MEETING UPDATE FROM ACE3national news8LOCAL NEWS..13
GOALS THEME....14CALENDAR OF EVENTS..18TREASURERS REPORT..18BOARD
MEMBERS20 HYPERLINKl "CROSSWORD" o "GO TO CROSSWORD PUZZLE"
CROSSWORD PUZZLE..21ISSUE THEME IS: GOALS DECEMBER 2009
PRESIDENTSMESSAGE By Kathy Petty, CMT, AHDI-FWow, I cant believe
2009 is almost over and this is my last Presidents Message to you!
I trust each of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving.It has been an
interesting year to say the least. I do want to take this
opportunity to thank all of the INKY members who have helped
throughout the year. Without each of you, INKY would not exist. I
am delighted to report that our Fall Symposium was held and was a
success not necessarily a monetary success, but we did have several
new faces in the crowd, as well as some old familiar faces. Our
goal for this symposium was not to make money but rather to get
more people in the door so we could spread the word about what is
going on with INKY and AHDI, and to that end I think we were very
successful. I am hopeful that in 2010, more of you will volunteer
in some way, be it on a committee, making a phone call, sending
emails, etc. Every little detail is so helpful and so appreciated.
Lastly, I want to thank you for making my job as 2009 President an
easy one. My wish for each of you is a lovely holiday season and a
happy and healthy New Year!Kathy Petty, CMT, AHDI-F2009 INKY-AHDI
President
___________ __
EDUCATION CORNER
NEW FDA DEVICE APPROVALSPermission Granted From FDAEzPAPA positive
airway pressure system used to treat atelectasis and provide lung
expansion therapy in cases where incentive spirometry alone is not
sufficient.ManufacturerSmiths
MedicalSourcesmiths-medical.comRELIEVA BALLOON SINUPLASTY
SYSTEM9/21 8:50 amA catheter-based system used to unblock sinuses
and restore anatomy.ManufacturerAcclarentSourceacclarent.comVIDAS
fPSA rt Assay - P080008Product Name: VIDAS fPSA rt AssayPMA
Applicant: Biomerieux Inc.Address: 595 Anglum Road Hazelwood,
MOApproval Date: 10/8/09Approval Letter:
http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/cdrh_docs/pdfx/P080008a.pdfApproved:10/08/2009CONSERVE
Plus Total Resurfacing Hip System - P030042Product Name: CONSERVE
Plus Total Resurfacing Hip SystemPMA Applicant: Wright Medical
TechnologyAddress: 5677 Airline Road, Arlington, Tennessee
38002Approval Date: November 3, 2009Approval
Letter:http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/cdrh_docs/pdf3/P030042a.pdfApproved:11/03/2009NEW
FDA DRUG APPROVALS Permission Granted From WWW.Drugs.com UpCal
D9/21 8:50 amCalcium citrate with Vitamin D powder for treatment or
prevention of calicum deficiency. Dosage Information dietary
supplement powder, taken by
mouth.Source:Drugs.com.TwynstaIngredients:Amlodipine besylate;
Telmisartan5 mg/40 mg; oral tabletManufacturer:BOEHRINGER
INGELHEIMTreatment of hypertensionApproved:10/2009Approved
11/13/09: Lysteda WASHINGTON - Federal health officials have
approved a new drug as the first non-hormonal treatment for heavy
menstrual bleeding.The Food and Drug Administration says Lysteda
tablets reduce bleeding by acting on a protein that helps blood
clot. The drug is made by Newport, Ky.-based Xanodyne
Pharmaceuticals.Istodax:romidepsinManufacturer:Gloucester
PharamceuticalsApproved:11/05/2009Treatment of cutaneous T-cell
lymphoma (CTCL) in patients who have received at least one prior
systemic therapy (1). Route:Intravenous
AHDI House of Delegates Meeting, WednesdayOctober 28, 2009, 7 pm
Brenda Hurley, CMT, AHDI-F, opened the meeting.The Nominating
Committee has reported chapters experiencing difficulties getting
volunteers to fill officers positions.Chad Sines of the Bylaws
Committee provided model universal bylaws for chapters.These were
compiled in an effort to remove the burden from each component
having to update their bylaws each year.Now the chapter will also
have a Policies and Procedures document which a model was also
provided for us to customize.Susan Lucci, CMT, AHDI-F, summarized
AHDIs activities over the past year.She spoke about visiting the
AMA to discuss the Health Story Project and the progress made with
the Member Benefits Grid.An additional initiative AHDI worked on
was the SRT curriculum and that is now complete.AHDI has retained
the services of a lobbying firm, DeweySquare Group.Peter Preziosi,
CEO, spoke about the impact of the HITECH Act and its requirements
on our field and how AHDI and MTIA are collaborating to develop a
compliance manual.The very exciting news Mr. Preziosi delivered was
that of a digital highway creating a network system to link up
MTSOs to share uniformly coded records to create an exchange of
documents created by Verizon Business & ICSA Labsa company who
has experience in Ciberspace Security since 1991.This currently
involves 7 MTSOs who report 60,000 records, 2.5 billion records
archived on their platforms, 375,000 unique physicians services,
2500 unique hospitals, and 2400 clinicsbringing together this
infrastructure to push out standardization in a rapid fire way.
AHDI Board will travel to these areas for meetings:Charlotte, NC,
in January 2010; Advocacy in March 2010 in DC; and Austin for the
Annual Convention.Bethany Twist reported that the Power of 10
Campaign has collected $4055 with part of those funds from
components around the country! Linda Brady, new Director of
Membership, reported there will be new restructuring of the
membership categories and using Personify for members to more
easily upgrade. Look for updates in membership information in
January 2010.END.LuAnn Guilfoyle, CMT-Delegate AHDI Announces Newly
Elected Leaders AHDI is proud to announce these newly elected
directors, who will serve from 2010-2012:Sherry DoggettBrett
McCutcheon, CMT, AHDI-F Lisa Johnson Williams, CMT, AHDI-F We are
also happy to announce the Speaker-elect for the House of Delegates
Chad Sines, AHDI-F Thanks to all who voted and congratulations to
the winners!AHDI-Professional Programs CoordinatorJob OpeningDue to
personal reasons, Sue Krajewski, CMT, AHDI-F, will be leaving AHDIs
Professional Programs Department at the end of this month. AHDI
would like to acknowledge and thank Sue for her outstanding
contributions to the association as a staff member and looks
forward to continuing to partner with Sue as a volunteer on
association initiatives. To that end, AHDI is looking for a
qualified candidate to fill the position of Professional Programs
Coordinator. Qualified, credentialed candidates can download the
Professional Programs Coordinator Job Description and forward
resume and qualifications to Lea Sims, CMT, AHDI-F
([email protected]). Latest news from AHDI
Latest news from AHDIAHDI and MTIA Co-sponsors in Best Practices in
Electronic Health Records Event
Join us February 3-5, 2010, in Boston, MA, for a gathering of
healthcare professionals, providers, hospitals, healthcare systems,
and state and federal health departments. This strategic business
forum will highlight strategies for EMR Adopting and Use within
Healthcare Organizations. This conference will show attendees how
to overcome the challenges of implementing an EMR system, offer
best practices in integration, streamline clinical processes,
establish training guidelines for staff and personnel, and how to
benchmark your success of the EMR system. To learn more or to
register for this event, visit Active Communications
International.
Posted by Lea Sims at 3:58 PM
Labels: AHDI, EHR, EMR, MTIA
Thursday, November 19, 2009
HYPERLINK
"http://ahdionline.blogspot.com/2009/11/new-exam-preparation-product-from-ahdi.html"
New Exam Preparation Product from AHDI!
AHDI Flash Cards are designed to provide the student, new graduate,
and/or seasoned MT with quick, high-impact study tools for skill
building and exam preparation. Take this handy convenient pack of
easy-to-use flash cards with you when you travel, have a long wait
in a doctors office or kids soccer practice, or simply with making
the most of that 10 minutes between appointments or on a break.
Each set of flashcards covers a content area on the AHDI exam
blueprint and is designed to put that core knowledge right at your
fingertips. This set of medicolegal flash cards will test your
knowledge and understanding of a broad range of medicolegal
concepts and terms associated with the healthcare delivery and the
documentation sector, including such topics as HIPAA, document
types, document formats, the legal record, malpractice, DNRs, and
much more. Order your Flash Cards today!
Posted by Coleen Fisher at 3:28 PM
Labels: AHDI, MTIA
Thursday, November 12, 2009
HYPERLINK
"http://ahdionline.blogspot.com/2009/11/ahdi-and-mtia-score-advocacy-success.html"
AHDI and MTIA Score an Advocacy Success
Last week, AHDI and MTIA members proved yet again that grassroots
membership involvement is key to the success of our advocacy
efforts. Members calls, emails, and faxes to their Representatives
helped defeat an amendment that would have eliminated from the
Small Business Financing and Investment Act of 2009 (H.R. 3854)
loans for which our members would be eligible and could use to
purchase health information technologies. The amendment was
withdrawn, and the bill passed in the House of Representatives and
now moves to the Senate. This success demonstrated not only the
value of membership participation in advocacy, but also the value
of working with the Dewey Square Group (DSG). DSG alerted us to the
amendment, helped us craft our official statement to legislators,
and coordinated delivery of that statement to every member of the
House of Representatives. Thank you for your continued support of
our associations advocacy efforts and stay tuned for future
developments concerning the bill.
Posted by Lea Sims at 6:30 PM
Labels: Advocacy, AHDI,HYPERLINK
"http://ahdionline.blogspot.com/search/label/Dewey%20Square%20Group"
Dewey Square Group, HIT, HR 3854, MTIA
Latest news from AHDI
Thursday, November 12, 2009
HYPERLINK
"http://ahdionline.blogspot.com/2009/11/medical-transcription-industry.html"
Medical Transcription Industry Celebrates Health IT Week
Washington, DC, November 3, 2009 As health information managers and
professionals across the country celebrate the health information
& technology industry this week, the Association for Health
Care Documentation Integrity (AHDI) and the Medical Transcription
Industry Association (MTIA) announced their support for a
healthcare reform package that improves electronic health records
(EHRs) as well as patient safety. Read the full press release on
the AHDI and MTIA websites.
Posted by Lea Sims at 6:27 PM
Labels: AHDI, EHR, EHR adoption, healthcare reform, HIT Week,
MTIA
Thursday, September 17, 2009
HYPERLINK
"http://ahdionline.blogspot.com/2009/09/speech-recognition-editing-online.html"
Speech Recognition Editing Online CourseNEW!
When used in conjunction with properly trained medical
transcription editors, speech recognition technology (SRT) has
proven its worth by lowering healthcare costs and providing faster
turn-around times. The technology serves as a bridge to the
electronic health record by offering a familiar and efficient
method of data entry to the medical community. The need for
qualified SRT editors is expected to increase in correlation with
the growing healthcare demands of an aging population. In
partnership with TRSi and 3M, and with the contributions of a
volunteer workgroup comprised of SRT developers, MT managers and
supervisors, educators and practicing medical transcription
professionals from around the country, the Association for
Healthcare Documentation Integrity (AHDI) has developed the first
of its kind speech recognition editing course which will: * Assist
the practicing MT to confidently make the transition from standard
transcription production worker to successful SRT knowledge-based
worker. * Provide medical transcription schools and programs an
option to broaden their curriculum. * Offer employers an excellent
training opportunity for their workforce. Click here for more
information and to enroll in the next open session.
Posted by Lea Sims at 8:38 AM
Labels: 3M, AHDI, MTIA, SRT, SRT editing course, TRSi
Latest news from AHDI
An Open Letter to Healthcare Documentation Professionals
On behalf of AHDI
What does the future hold for medical transcriptionists, medical
editors, and the healthcare documentation profession? Quite
honestly, that depends on us. It depends on our knowledge and
understanding of the everchanging technologic landscape of the
healthcare industry and our ability to adapt to these changes. It
depends on our preparedness for emerging technologies and capacity
to use standardized vocabularies that will form the basis of
uniformly structured and coded documents. Frankly, it depends on
our profession staying focused on evolving our craft, becoming more
visible on the healthcare team as the goto experts in clinical
documentation, and working together to prepare ourselves for future
roles in the healthcare industry. We may be unable to directly
control the evolution of the healthcare industry and its enabling
technologies, but we can ensure our future by adapting to it.
The purpose of this letter is twofold. First, we want to promote
AHDI priorities and how they require involvement by the profession.
These priorities address the changing healthcare landscape in
positioning our profession not only to remain relevant but also to
be considered a valueadd service to patient care delivery.
Secondly, whether youre a member of AHDI or not, we must all pull
together at this defining moment in our professions history to help
reset our direction in these changing times rather than waiting to
have others set it for us. We believe AHDI members and nonmembers
alike are part of the solution. You can support the future of your
career and profession in many ways, along with the priorities of
AHDI, and here are a few:
Educate yourself. A solid educational background sustained by
longterm continuing education is the cornerstone of our profession.
We are medical language specialists and that language is evolving
and morphing exponentially along. The documentation sector is also
being shaped by healthcares desire for more standardization and
greater information specificity with the advent of health
information exchanges and ICD10 arriving in 2013. A good knowledge
base is essential. Log onto the AHDI website and take advantage of
the many continuing education opportunities we have to offer.
Get credentialed. Professional credentialing demonstrates
commitment to lifelong education and is necessary to earn the
respect of those both within and outside of our profession. A
professional credential demonstrates that like most every other
professional on the healthcare delivery team, you are committed to
lifelong learning and have taken a competencybased national exam to
validate your knowledge. We know that we are a critical contributor
to patient safety, but without credentials that set us apart and
distinguish our unique body of knowledge and contributions to the
patient care team, our endusers will continue to believe that
anyone can do this job and that our role can readily be replaced by
pointandclick technologies and speech recognition engines.
Use authenticated research tools. Many in our profession do not
have adequate resources for the demanding jobs we hold. There are
many resources available online. Some are very good, and some are
not reliable or trustworthy, so Internet searching is often a
gamble. The AHDI Benchmark Knowledge Base, with the third edition
Book of Style embedded into it, is a onestop, webbased solution to
this problem and represents the professions next generation of
authenticated literature to drive accuracy and quality into the
healthcare document in a quicker and more automated way.
Traditional books are excellent, but you need to keep them
uptodate.
Embrace new technology. The electronic healthcare record is coming,
and in many places it is already here. It is an important and
necessary development in healthcare documentation and patient
safety. We must work toward the goal of a National Health
Information Network because such a network of accessible,
interoperable health information is a critical component of
healthcare reform. Read the Emerging Technologies Focus Group
Findings and Conclusions a comprehensive report prepared from focus
groups conducted with documentation professionals and technology
vendors, and learn what they believe are the challenges and
opportunities that lie ahead for the field.
Get involved. AHDI has a Facebook page there is no cost, and you
can find out more about what we are doing in support of hardworking
healthcare documentation professionals. We discuss what is
happening in healthcare and how staying connected, informed, and
involved can keep us a step ahead of changes as they develop. Check
us out here.
Contribute to the Power of 10 Campaign. AHDI is launching a
yearlong campaign to raise $10 from 10,000 MTs by the end of 2010.
Why? To support the associations advocacy efforts in Washington,
DC, where AHDI and MTIA are working hard to make sure you have a
role in the future of the EHR. Our lobbying firm along with our
government relations staff is making sure our sector is well
represented in important meetings and discussions being held by our
nations legislators and policymakers on healthcare reform, criteria
and standards for EHR systems, and workforce development in allied
health. All Power of 10 funds go directly to this effort. It will
take every one of the silent ten thousand contributing their voice
through support and participation. Find out more about Power of
10.
While everyone around us is deciding our future relevance in
healthcare, we must come together, as the true experts in our
field, and work collaboratively to develop valuable and meaningful
technologyenabled roles that assist in accelerating EHR adoption,
healthcare reform, and improved clinical and reimbursement decision
support through accurate, timely, and complete healthcare
documentation. We can work together, as practitioners, educators,
QA experts, compliance officers, managers, team leaders, and
supervisors to shape a future for our profession and that
contributes to improving the U.S. healthcare delivery system.
There are so many things you can do to build a better future for
yourself. This letter outlines some of the many possibilities for
positioning yourself to not only survive but thrive in the future
of healthcare.
Which ones will you choose?
Association for Healthcare Documentation Integrity
2010 Board of Directors, Volunteer Members, and Staff
www.ahdionline.org
www.facebook.com/AHDIFB
October 2009
Deaconess Goes Electronic, Not Everyone HappyPosted: Nov 18, 2009
5:55 PM EST story by Courtney FischerEVANSVILLE - NEWS 25 is
looking into a new program at Deaconess Hospital.It's been two and
a half weeks since the hospital converted paper records to its
electronic system.Not everyone is happy about the change.Workers
contacted NEWS 25 in fear their jobs will be eliminated. Could it
happen and what does the change mean for you as a patient?When Dr.
Patrick Fouts finishes seeing a patient he doesn't hand off notes
to a transcriptionist, he goes right to a computer.Since November
first, Deaconess Hospital has been electronic.Fouts talks out his
notes, and the computer records it right to your chart."The system
is built so it decreases medical errors," Fouts says.But not
everyone agrees the change is for the better.NEWS 25 was contacted
by a medical transcriptionist who is worried her job is close to
being cut ."We were never really told what EPIC really was--what
the impact was going to be," she says.The transcriptionist says she
went from working 48 hours a week, to now barely working 40."It's
taking the work out from under me.I'm pretty sure administration
and management had to know the impact this was going to have on the
medical transcription department--they had to.""Any time you
implement a new technology there's potential for it to be
disruptive in certain areas," says James Porter with Deaconess
Hospital.He'sthe man who oversees the EPIC program.Porter says
since it's been implemented, it's streamlined the way Deaconess
handles patients.Porter recognizes the fact transcriptionists could
lose their jobs."We won't stop needing transcriptionists--there are
still things we'll need them to do, but many things are no longer
necessary," says Porter.A Deaconess spokesperson says EPIC
increases patient safety.About 30transcriptionists work at
Deaconess---the spokesperson would not say if any positions will be
cut in the near future.Doctors' company creates voice-based records
systemBy David Holthaus [email protected] November 15, 2009
With renewed focus on medical costs and efficiency, a young,
physician-led company believes the time is right to market a
high-tech medical records system it developed and has been using
since 2007.Link to full
Article:http://news.cincinnati.com/article/AB/20091115/BIZ01/911150364/Doctors++company+creates+voice-based+records+systemVENTUREBEAT
Livescribe launches an app store for its Pulse smart pen
platform11/18/2009Inspired by Apple, every hardware maker is
creating an app stores these days. Today, Livescribe is launching a
beta platform that allows developers to create apps for its Pulse
smart pen.For entire
article:http://venturebeat.com/2009/11/18/livescribe-launches-an-app-store-for-its-pulse-smart-pen-platform/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Venturebeat+%28VentureBeat%29(theres
an app for medical transcription)SANTA CRUZ, CA, November 14, 2009
/24-7PressRelease/ -- VIVA Transcription, a leading provider in
medical transcription services, announced that, as of November 1,
it has processed over one million documents for its 450+ clients in
the United States. "As a result of our longstanding commitment to
providing the highest quality medical transcripts, VIVA is thrilled
to have reached this significant milestone before the end of the
year, placing us in the top five percent of medical transcription
companies in the nation," stated Manuel Prado, President.Link to
full
article:http://www.24-7pressrelease.com/press-release-rss/1000000-transcripts-and-growing-124726.phpNATIONALNEWS
CONGRATULATIONS
TO
Diana Albright, CMT and Patty Brown, CMT
For successful completion of the CMT exam in the Fall 2009.
TO
Kathy Petty, CMT, AHDI-F
For successful attainment of the Fellow designation
(See acknowledgement letter on following page)
TO
Michelle Holden, CMT, as INKYs newly elected Vice President
For a 2-year term with the first year beginning in 2010 as VP and
the second year in 2011 as President of INKY.
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF THE ABOVE NAMED MEMBERS.WE ARE PROUD OF
EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU AND SHARE IN YOUR JOY AND SUCCESS!!
KATHY PETTY INDUCTED INTO FELLOW STATUS
I would proudly like to introduce our newest induction into Fellow
status.
Kathy Petty, CMT, AHDI-F
Zionsville, IN
Kathyis an MT who has been certified forfive yearsand has been a
member ofAHDIsince2002.Kathy has volunteered on theINKY-AHDI's
Membership Committeeas well as serving asINKY-AHDI's President,
President-Elect, and Alternate Delegate.Kathy hascontributed
articles and peer presentations, as well as leading credentialing
study groups.
Being a Fellow of AHDI is an acknowledgement of excellence and an
honor which signifies that you have achieved a balance of
successful activities in your professional and personal life that
goes beyond every day transcription practice. Please join me in
congratulatingKathy on her prestigious accomplishment!
Cassie Uber
Credentialing and Education Coordinator
Association for Healthcare Documentation Integrity (AHDI)
Medical Transcription Industry Association (MTIA)
4230 Kiernan Ave., Ste, 130
Modesto, CA 95356
800-982-2182 x2456
[email protected]
[email protected]
AVAILABLE INKY POSITIONCANDIDATES NEEDED!
AHDI LEGISLATIVE LIAISON
AHDI LEGISLATIVE LIAISON PROGRAM
By Kathy Petty, CMT
For those of you who attended the INKY Fall Symposium in October,
you heard the awesome, heartfelt presentation given by Mary
Brinton, CMT regarding her experience at the Advocacy Summit this
year. Mary was an awesome representative for INKY and we are so
proud of her and of her efforts on our behalf. I am hopeful that
Marys presentation also inspired you to become involved in
advocacy.
AHDI is launching a legislative liaison program. The goal is to
identify an AHDI member in each state who would be willing to serve
as a legislative liaison. The legislative liaisons would do the
following:
- Respond to occasional advocacy alerts calling on members to
contact their legislators or government officials about issues of
interest to AHDI;
- 2. Ask other members at the local level to respond to advocacy
alerts;
3. Serve as grassroots coordinators for the annual AHDI/MTIA
Advocacy Summit, including promoting the Summit, coordinating
letter writing, and acting as state delegation leaders during the
Summit; 4. Organize advocacy activities at the state level; and 5.
Share information regarding advocacy opportunities and successes
with AHDIs national office.By implementing this program, AHDI will
have a committed and reliable group of volunteers who can help
share our organizations advocacy messages year round. It will also
facilitate the grassroots organizing necessary to make the Advocacy
Summit a well-attended and impactful event. It will provide a
two-way means of communication between organizational leadership
and the membership base on advocacy issues and work. Lastly, it
will help ensure the sustainability of AHDI advocacy program by
establishing an infrastructure for the organizations advocacy
efforts.
AHDI is asking that each state association appoint a legislative
liaison and each regional association appoint a legislative liaison
for each state within its region. This position is very important
to our advocacy efforts at both the state and national level.
If you are interested in this position, or know another member who
is or would be well-suited for it, please contact me as soon as
possible. You can reach me by email at [email protected] or by
telephone at 317-733-0036.
Recertification Course Now Available for RMTs!The highly
anticipated recertification process and course for RMTs is
complete, and we are ready to start recredentialing our RMTs. In
partnership with OAK Horizons, Inc., AHDI has created a course
provides targeted professional development in the core content
areas required to maintain the RMT credential. The course includes
11 chapters, each with a concluding quiz. To pass the course and
renew the RMT credential, participants must complete all 11
chapters and quizzes, and pass the final exam. This is great news
for CMTs, too! CMTs will receive 11 CECs toward your CMT
recertification upon successful completion of the course. The
credits are broken down as follows: 2 CM, 3 MTT, 3 ML, 2 TW, and 1
PD. Thats nearly half the required credits for a recredentialing
cycle. If you have questions or would like more detailed
information about the recertification process for the RMT
credential, visit the RMT Recredentialing webpage now. For those
who are ready to sign up, you can either call the office toll free
at 800-982-2182 or use the link below. Register NowCost: $100 RMT
members$125 RMT nonmembers $100 CMT members$125 CMT
nonmembers
This email is sent to you by the Association for Healthcare
Documentation Integrity.Copyright 2009 AHDI 4230 Kiernan Ave.,
Suite 130, Modesto, CA 95356-9322If you do not wish to receive this
email, please email [email protected]
INKY SYMPOSIUM & BUSINESS MEETING The 2009 Annual INKY Business
Meeting was held on Saturday, October 24, 2009.Our turnout was 23
registered with 21 members attending.Kathy Petty, CMT, AHDI-F,
President, gave the welcome address to the attendees and then I
gave my presentation as delegate, AHDI 31 Years Reaching Our Future
Together.I tried to touch on all of the initiatives and projects
AHDI has ongoing and introduced this past year.I wanted to give
members different options to get involved and also provided an
update of the HOD meeting at ACE.Mary Brinton, CMT, provided an
Advocacy Update and spoke about the Power of 10 Campaign.As INKYs
legislative liaison Mary attended the Advocacy Summit in DC and
shared her experience with us.She stated there were 80+ attendees
with 30+ states represented who made 100 hill visits and over 200
letters written.Those are impressive figures!Jill Duncan, BS, RT,
of Northwest Radiology, spoke about Everything You Always Wanted To
Know About VR Dont Be Afraid To Ask.Jills presentation enthralled
the audience because she had the PowerScribe up on the screen for
everyone to view and did a live demonstration in the different
modes:dictator and transcriptionist/editor.Jill reminded us
PowerScribe is a tool to make us more efficient, not designed to
get rid of anyone.PowerScribe allows the dictator to make voice
edits and it also allows customization of the program.It was very
sophisticated, and I especially liked the feature that it removes
dead air space automatically."COPYRIGHT 2004-2007 GiggleMed.com,
LLC. Chart Farts is a registered trademark. All rights reserved.
Used with permission from GiggleMed.com."Jennifer Shreve, CMT, gave
a lively presentation on Steps to Credentialing.She explained the
level 1 being RMT and level 2 being CMT. The exam was computerized
in 2004.She explained the exams in depth and how to
prepare.Jennifer then had an interactive session which was both fun
and educational.She had sample questions and the audience members
won prizes.She also provided handouts on test taking
tips.Interesting stats were that 67% of CMTs pass the exam and 45%
to 55% of RMTs pass.Kathy Petty, CMT, AHDI-F, called to order the
business meeting and everyone participated in discussions about
INKY joining a regional group.Jill McCarty, CMT, spoke to the group
about current issues affecting the chapter. Jennifer Shreve, CMT,
provided a treasurers update. We then had a lunch break with choice
of pasta with vodka sauce or spaghetti and meatballs, salad, and
cookies, and soft drinks. It was relaxing and delicious.Kathy
Petty, CMT, AHDI-F, composed an exciting Spelling Bee for us that
had medical and legal words with amazing graphics.I kept trying to
guess what the word would be when the next image popped up.The time
really went quickly in this hour.Cindy Thomas of InfraWare has
participated at our symposiums many times in the past and always
has something fresh to share.She spoke about, How the HITECH ACT
and EMR and Adoption Affect Transcription Business.Cindy relayed
how the HITECH Act provides $44,000 to each physician for the
EMR.She explained the updated definition HIPAA has assigned to the
business associate.Interesting tidbit was that right here in
Carmel, Indiana, is one of the countrys best data centers as it is
where 2 electric companies join and all servers are hooked to
both.Ava Marie George, AHDI Board Partner, spoke on EHRs and Future
Roles.Eva explained about the EHRs certification and the future
roles we have in this new arena.Eva will also be attending the
upcoming AHDI Regional Meeting in Madison, WI.Special thanks to all
our vendors:Bytescribe, CareerStep, Executive Communications
Systems, InfraWare, Jordan Essentials, Lia Sophia, M-TEC, Mary Kay,
MedQuist, Oak Horizons, Pampered Chef, PartyLite, SpeedType,
TranscriptionGear, Webmedx and special thanks to Northwest
Radiology Network for also hosting us and providing such a great
facility for us!Thanks to all who attended!LuAnn Guilfoyle, CMTINKY
MISSION STATEMENTWe are dedicated to the progression of
professionalism and education for medical transcriptionists. We are
dedicated to educating and improving ourselves in our chosen
profession by developing and utilizing our skills to the highest
level through symposia, advocacy, and networking.
QUOTES ON GOALSMy philosophy of life is that if we make up our mind
what we are going to make of our lives, then work hard toward that
goal, we never lose - somehow we win outRonald ReaganMan is a goal
seeking animal. His life only has meaning if he is reaching out and
striving for his goals.AristotleIf you're bored with life -- you
don't get up every morning with a burning desire to do things --
you don't have enough goals.Lou HoltzIf one advances confidently in
the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which
he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common
hours.Henry David ThoreauYou measure the size of the accomplishment
by the obstacles you had to overcome to reach your goals.Booker T.
WashingtonBy losing your goal, You have lost your way.Friedrich
NietzscheYou have to know what you want to get.Gertrude SteinYou've
got to be very careful if you don't know where you are going,
because you might not get there.Yogi BerraTake the pains required
to become what you want to become, or you might end up becoming
something youd rather not be. That is also a daily discipline and
worth considering.Donald Trump
GOAL SETTING FOR YOUR BUSY LIFE
By Kathy Petty, CMT, AHDI-F
How many times have you had that moment in your life, perhaps in
the middle of a busy day, where you realized that you really wanted
to accomplish something? It happens to me about once a day.
However, more importantly, how many times have you or I actually
accomplished that particular goal? For me, not so oftenat least not
as often as I would like. Through the course of a few seminars and
some real life practice, Ive come up with a method that works for
me and maybe will work for you. As you read these routines, they
will seem so simple and pretty basic, but I think that is why they
work.
What is a goal? A goal is something you want to achieve. There are
short-term goals, such as cleaning off your desk by the end of the
day, and there are long-term goals like saving up for a special
vacation next year. When you set a goal, you need to remember what
is important to you to accomplish and what your limitations are.
Lets get started setting a goal!
Pick a goal but dont pick a goal that is unattainable. This will
only discourage you and nothing will be accomplished. Your goal
should be realistic dont expect to have your desk cleared and
organized in 5 minutes. You will also need to be flexible with your
goal if your goal is to have your desk cleared and organized by the
end of the day, but you are interrupted by the boss for a big
project, the goal is probably not going to be realized, but you
have tomorrow. Dont give up on the goal, just extend the
deadline.
Set a deadline. Again, this deadline needs to be reasonable and
attainable. You would not expect to save enough money for a
European vacation in two weeks. I dont know about everyone else,
but that would not be a realistic goal for me unless perhaps I win
the lottery! Whatever your goal, think of it in realistic terms
when setting the deadline.
Write it down! This sounded so silly the first time I heard it. Why
do I need to write it down? I know I want to have my desk cleared
and organized by the end of the day (or end of the week). I dont
need to write it down to remember it. Well, you wont believe how
helpful it is to have that written statement staring me in the face
all day long. I put a sticky note on my monitor where I see it most
of the day. I might have a minute here or there throughout the day
where I can go through some papers on my desk and file, shred,
recycle or toss. Those little increments of time help achieve the
goal.
Continued from previous page.
Keep it visible. Much like the sticky note on my monitor, when I
have a goal of saving for a vacation, I have created a Goal Board
at home. I have the goal written at the top along with things I
want to do while on vacation take the kids to the beach, visit
Paula Deens restaurant again, etc. For the particular vacation Im
saving for now Savannah I have pictures of past trips posted to
remind me of how much I love it there and want to go again. Having
this visual reminder is a great way to keep you motivated for those
long-term goals that may not be fresh in your mind on a daily
basis.
Visualize it. I call it day dreaming because it is fun for me, but
visualizing myself walking around downtown Savannah, admiring the
architecture of the homes and walking through the park squares
keeps me motivated. It keeps me motivated to put that extra $20 in
my vacation fund when Id rather go get a manicure!
Positive statements. I dont recommend doing this aloud in
publicsomeone may think you need to be locked away, but I do have a
little mantra each day reinforcing my goals and my positive
attitude to reach them. Each night before I go to bed, I have a
little routine and part of that routine is reciting my positive
statements out loud with no one but my cat as witness. I will save
enough money for a fabulous vacation in
Savannah is but one of my statements. This even reminds me that I
may not have snuck that extra $20 into my vacation fund that day
and motivates me to do it before I go to bed. Thank goodness for
online banking transfers!
Share it. I dont know about you, but sometimes a goal can be
personal lose that extra 10 pounds, stop smoking, earn the CMT
credential. Goals of this nature are often not achieved because you
dont feel accountable to anyone. I remember when I was planning on
taking my CMT exam, I didnt want anyone to know in case I didnt
pass the exam. But, I realized that if no one knew, maybe I wouldnt
even take the examafter all, no one was expecting to hear whether I
passed or failed. So, I told a few people that I had scheduled the
exam. I knew at that point, that I really had to study as they
would be expecting to hear my final result. Granted, if I failed
the exam, I would have to admit it, but I only told people I
trusted and who understood the process. Luckily for me I did pass
the exam and was truly blessed by my good friends who supported
me.
I hope you can take away something from this article and set some
goals for yourself. Perhaps not all of the tips will help you, but
Im sure at least one will. Happy goal setting!
By Kathy Petty, CMT, AHDI-F
Goal SettingShould I Set Goals?
I believe goals help us to live happy and fulfilled lives.Our lives
lack purpose without goals. Yet I have some friends who detest
goals as they look at them as a guarantee to failure.If you tend to
lean towards that line of thinking, possibly I can change your
mind.I think it depends on your attitude or how you view the goals
to begin with.If you set rigid, unrealistic goals, I would agree
that you are setting yourself up for a crash.But, if you follow a
few basic guidelines, generally, I think people who have goals lead
more satisfying lives than their counterparts who never set any at
all.
First off, I dont try to initiate goal setting.The goal usually
presents itself to me as something obvious.For me, my goals have
usually been things I have really wanted to accomplish, and then I
figured out what I needed to do to make them materialize.I never
sit down and try to compile a list of items to complete.When a goal
is something you have a strong desire for, that passion makes it
easier to achieve it.
I can share one occurrence of this for me about 14 years ago when I
decided I no longer wanted to be employed doing secretarial work.I
was unsure what else I could do but knew I enjoyed transcribing
referral letters for an ophthalmologist when a neighbor who was his
receptionist would bring home tapes.After I transcribed these
referral letters for awhile for extra cash, I realized it suited
all of the job attributes I truly liked:working independently,
research, and some detective work figuring out the diagnoses of
patients in the reports.I thought this could possibly be my second
career.This became my new goal:To change from a secretarial career
to medical transcription.I then took the necessary steps to enroll
in a community college as at that time there were no AHDI approved
schools.I graduated in 2 years and was working as a
transcriptionist having accomplished my goal.
If I had thought about that goal initially in a different way and
said to myself I would need to go to school for 2 years, study, and
then possibly get a job in a new profession, I probably would have
given up.But, instead the goal presented itself to me as something
I felt almost compelled to pursue.I knew I wanted to switch careers
and learn more about medical transcription from my experience with
the ophthalmologist (or at least I thought I did), and I saw
enrolling in school as enjoyable and not a chore.I never viewed any
step of the way as a burden or something to check off my list;
therefore, I never gave up.I enjoyed the entire process of going to
school, all of the classes, and truly got the most out of it.Going
to school in my mid 30s also helped me appreciate this as being a
rare chance, and I did not want to blow it.
I cannot emphasize enough that I think all of our goals should be
like that.Something you truly are dedicated to accomplishing. It
should be something that inspires you to continue to the next
step.I feel strongly we should not get hung up on deadlines. Yes,
you cannot set a pie in the sky goal with no end date in sight.If
you are truly enjoying the necessary steps towards reaching the
goal, it should not matter as much when you finally achieve it.We
should enjoy the daily process of working towards the goals just as
much as the final outcome.Otherwise, you could finally achieve your
goal and say, Well I am here, but I hated the last 2 years of my
life.Then you may feel that it was not worth it at all which could
prove it is time to regroup.A goal should truly be the thing that
brings you hope and provides determination.
In closing I would like to add, I think it is very important to
live each day passionately and with a purpose.Goals should be tools
for us to move forward and to help us experience our dreams.Again,
I dont think we should stress over how much time it will take to
fulfill our goals because that time will pass by whether we are
working towards something or not. For me, the true reward is always
taking the trip, not arriving at the destination!
By LuAnn Guilfoyle, CMT
ANOUNCEMENTSThe theme for our next newsletter (Marchissue) is: a
BALANCED LIFESTYLE.Please send your thoughts on this topic to
[email protected] can range from one paragraph to one page
for inclusion in our next issue.Thank you.ATTENTION INKY
MEMBERS.!!!BRAND NEW INKY WEBSITE!INKY has a new, updated website.
You can access this through the AHDI website or by simply typing
the URL www.site.inky-ahdi.org in your browser.This is YOUR
website...please send items for posting or ideas for updates to
Kathy Petty at [email protected] CONNECTION DISTRIBUTION
CHANGE:Beginning with the next issue, March 2010, our newsletter
will be posted to the website as it always has been but not
distributed via email.This change is due to some membershaving
difficulty downloading attachments and requesting less
emails.Please be sure to check the website for our INKY
Connection.The newsletter publication schedule is:March, June,
September, and December at the first of the month.If you would like
to include any information at all, please email it to me no later
than the 15th of the prior month.CALENDAR OF EVENTSEvent
Calendar--What's Happening With
AHDIhttp://www.ahdionline.org/GetConnected/Events/EventCalendar/tabid/187/Default.aspxDecember
20098Duncanville, TexasGDC-ahdi, General meeting, Olive
Garden12Dallas, TexasGDC-ahdi, General meeting, Presbyterian
Hospital Dallas, SE conference roomTREASURERS REPORTBalance in
checking account as of Nov. 1, 2009: $2,182.74Fall
Symposium:Income: $563.00Expenses:Gift Cards/Misc. $
311.78Food:617.05Travel: 301.86$1,230.69 Net Loss:($ 667.69)The net
loss is mostly due in part to the low fee charged for this
symposium. This was done in hopes of attracting more participants
now and in the future. We were also very fortunate to be able to
approve funds so an AHDI representative could be at our
symposium.Respectfully submitted,Jennifer Shreve, CMTINKY AHDI
Treasurer
Donate to the Power of 10 Campaign
Ten people who speak make more noise than ten thousand who remain
silent.
Napoleon Bonaparte
Donate to the Power of 10 Campaign
What is the Power of 10 Campaign?
AHDI is launching a year-long campaign to raise $10 from 10,000 MTs
by 2010. Why? To support the association's advocacy efforts in
Washington, DC, where AHDI and MTIA are working hard to make sure
YOU have a role in the future of the EHR. Our lobbying firm, along
with our government relations staff, is making sure our sector is
well represented in important meetings and discussions being held
by our nation's legislators and policymakers on healthcare reform,
criteria and standards for EHR systems, and workforcedevelopment in
allied health. All Power of 10 funds go directly to this
effort.
Why should I donate to the Power of 10?
First and foremost, it takes considerable resources to lobby
effectively on behalf of an industry, so all donations help to get
us to our goal. Beyond that, AHDI wants to make sure every MT feels
connected to and part of this effort, since it is going to take
more than just contributions and sponsorships from big businesses
to secure our future role in healthcare. It will take every one of
the "silent" ten thousand contributing their "voice" through
support and participation.
How do I contribute?
You can make your donation to the Power of 10 campaign by turning
in a donation envelope with your contribution or mailing it to the
AHDI office (4230 Kiernan Avenue, Suite 130, Modesto CA 95356).
Please be advised that contributions to the Power of 10 campaign
are not tax deductible.
As of 10/28/2009- Bethany Twist reported that the Power of 10
Campaign has collected $4055 with part of those funds from
components around the country! Please contribute to your
future.
AMERICAN NEUROLOGICAL ASSOCIATIONhttp://www.aneuroa.org/indexCheck
Out Neurology Resources/Neuroscience Links INCLUDEPICTURE
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Neurology INKY OFFICERS AND BOARD MEMBERSDiana Albright, CMT2009
[email protected] Patty Brown, CMT2009 Immediate Past
[email protected] Guilfoyle, CMT2009 Delegate
[email protected] McCarty, CMT2009 Vice President/Pres
[email protected] Petty, CMT, AHDI-F2009
[email protected] Shreve, CMT2009
Treasurer/Alternate [email protected]
Brinton, CMTLegislative Liaison/Advocacy [email protected]
Kathy Petty, CMT, AHDI-FWebsite Manager [email protected]
Guilfoyle, CMTNewsletter [email protected] WEBSITEIt
contains our contact information,upcoming events, newsletter, and a
link to AAMT/AHDI.FOLLOW INKY TO FACEBOOK AAMT/AHDI WEBSITE: This
website includes events, webinars, resume posting, networking, and
professional development, among others.Also, please remember to
keep your personal information updated on that site.Just sign in,
go to account information, and view or update your personal
profile.You can also access JAAMT and Plexus past issues.HELPFUL
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HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL INKY MEMBERS!!!