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Seven Valuable Insights From AHIMA24

By Beth Friedman, BSHA, FACHDM

It began nearly 100 years ago with a single vision: improving the collection and organization of health information (HI) for medical professionals to improve public health. The association Grace Whiting Myers started in 1928 came full circle at the AHIMA24 Conference, when HI professionals from all over the nation gathered to advance the capture, collection, analysis, exchange, and protection of patient information.

Kevin Klauer, DO, EJD, the former CEO of AHIMA, kicked off the association’s annual event by reiterating HI professionals’ commitment to Myers’ vision. He emphasized that AHIMA members’ responsibilities are even more diverse and relevant in the era of digitized—vs paper—HI.

Keynote speeches by Diana Nyad, famed long-distance swimmer, and Scott Hamilton, retired American figure skater and Olympic gold medalist, bookended the conference, which also included association updates, member awards, and new program announcements. I attended sessions, listened to speakers, and sat down for one-on-one conversations with industry leaders during this year’s event. The following are seven valuable insights I heard at AHIMA24:

1. Stacey Sexton, RHIA, vice president of TruBridge, says, “The core themes at AHIMA24 included new legislation, autonomous coding, data exchange, and the need to integrate HI expertise into revenue cycle and value-based care initiatives. My personal message to the profession is to embrace change and use our knowledge to advance technology-driven processes in health care, rather than fighting against them. It’s time to ensure that HI skills are fully connected to the larger revenue cycle and health IT ecosystems.”

2. Jami Woebkenberg, MS, RHIA, CPHI, FAHIMA, senior director of HIM operations for Banner Health, suggests, “Explore options to improve efficiency and compliance in your HI processes. Look for new ways to perform old tasks and partner with innovators in the industry wherever you can.”

3. Angela Rose, MA, RHIA, CHPS, FAHIMA, vice president of client success for MRO, states, “Automation is here. If you are not automated or considering automation of your HI teams, you’re behind the times. For example, MRO’s autoretrieval technology electronically processes up to 97% of requests, making ROI [release of information] staff much more efficient.”

4. “It will be important for the industry to focus on upskilling coding teams to master new AI coding tools. The coding workforce understands the need to move forward and is prepared to advance and perform at the height of their credentials. Educational programs are essential to support this evolution,” says Barbara Hinkle-Azzara, RHIA, senior vice president of HIM operations for HRS Coding.

“As the technology improves and the industry progresses, coders will be able to elevate their performance and accuracy, expand their skills, and eliminate repetitive tasks to focus on the most complex and high-value work.”

5. Lori Jayne, senior director of HIM for Maine Health, says, “Process optimization occurs over time. It is not a once-and-done endeavor. For example, our organization completely transformed our denial management function.

“The journey was overwhelming because it was so disparate. Every hospital used different workflows to receive, process, and manage payer denials. We now use our audit management platform to view payer activity concurrently, standardize denial management tasks across all locations, and make immediate impacts to mitigate revenue risk.”

6. “We are facing a sea change in every aspect of our roles: data integrity, privacy, revenue integrity, data exchange, emerging technologies, and more. Our vision is for the health care industry to see all the various HI professionals, wherever they work, as a unified profession and recognize the importance of our credentials to improve health. This includes coding professionals.

“AHIMA’s roots are with coders, and coders represent 45% of our membership. You’ll see AHIMA moving to support our coder members in the years ahead,” shares Maria Caban Alizondo, PhD, MOL, RHIT, FAHIMA, an assistant professor at Rutgers University and the incoming president of AHIMA.

7. Mary Beth Haugen, RHIA, MSHSA, president of Haugen Consulting Group, says,
“The AHIMA Conference is every member’s opportunity for lifelong learning, networking, and professional rejuvenation. It’s an exciting time for the industry, and I’m energized to see new opportunities open for our profession.”

Looking Back and Ahead
I am truly grateful for my HI roots and the ongoing knowledge I received at the annual AHIMA Conference. As I reflect on my first job as a medical record coder, 20 years of experience in health IT, and current focus on data quality in health care, I realize how the core principles of Grace Whiting Myers still ring true. We’re all in this profession to improve HI and thereby better patient health.

— Beth Friedman, BSHA, FACHDM, is a senior partner at FINN Partners.