HIM Professionals to Advocate for Patients on the Hill

AHIMA announced that registration is open for its 2022 Advocacy Summit. More than 200 health information (HI) professionals are expected to advocate on urgent topics—like patient identification, telehealth, and health equity—related to patient health information at the virtual event, taking place March 28-29.  

Lauren Riplinger, JD, AHIMA’s vice president of policy and government affairs, said the conference is a must-attend for HI professionals who are leaders or who aspire to leadership roles within their organizations.  

“Participation in the Advocacy Summit not only allows attendees to become plugged in to the latest regulatory and legislative developments impacting the industry, it’s also a chance to make sure Congress knows the value of the HI profession and the impact its professionals have on health and health care,” Riplinger says. “Speaking with members of Congress and congressional staffs also sharpens the communication and critical thinking skills needed for leaders.” 

Debi Primeau, MA, RHIA, FAHIMA, an HI professional and regular attendee of the Advocacy Summit, said it was gratifying to see recent positive developments around patient identification. 

“At last year’s Advocacy Summit, we discussed with legislators and their staffs the importance of repealing Section 510 from the Labor-HHS appropriations bill,” Primeau says. “I was thrilled the Senate bill recently removed Section 510, and it’s a credit to health information professionals who have advocated for years to improve patient safety. This drives home that Advocacy Summit attendees truly make an impact.” 

In addition to meeting with lawmakers and their staffs, attendees will become more well-rounded health care professionals after attending education sessions like "Improving the Patient Journey by Advancing Health Equity" and "Protecting Against Future Public Health Threats Through Modernization."  

“We’ve lined up influential speakers and panelists for the Advocacy Summit, and this event is an important opportunity to transform health and health care by connecting people, systems, and ideas,” Riplinger says.  

HI professionals can register for the event at AHIMA.org/AdvocacySummit.

Source: AHIMA