So, what's up from your director from San Diego? Well, I have been busy, albeit behind the scenes. Here's a small excerpt from my Washington, DC, trip. We actually convinced Bob Filner, 51st District, California, House Representative, Chair of the Veteran's Affairs Committee that a dictation/transcription/narrative model was worthy of his support. My spouse had the opportunity to meet Duncan D. Hunter and talk Padres, which solidified the conversation Representative Hunter and I had about critical medical errors housed with the EHR environment.
Currently I am participating in a future roles board workgroup as we attempt to put a face to the healthcare documentation specialist of tomorrow. What exactly are the expectations of the expert of 21st Century healthcare documentation? What skills sets will be needed and what does that career actually look like? I am also serving on the MTIA workforce development workgroup and we have been focusing on future roles as well.
Hmmmm, do you see a theme here? Are we ready to be the keepers of re-purposing health information data? Authenticating the accuracy of the written encounter? How about shouting out the front line nature of risk management role? Whoa, wait just a minute. That's a far cry from medical transcriptionist. Or is it? The EHR is here to stay and between the HITECH act, defining "meaningful use"; hiring a lobbying firm to stake our claim as experts in healthcare documentation workflow process, we must, repeat must, stake our claim not only about what we do – but why what we do matters.
At MTIA in Louisville, I spent half a day conversing with a roomful of professionals deliberating the meaning of quality and am working with a break out group on just what does "consistency" mean to quality assurance? We will then meet again for a face-to-face QA Summit at ACE in Nashville, Thursday July 30, at 3:30. All are invited to participate. I also met many of the new directors on the MTIA board whom I hope to be working with and continuing to strengthen our partnership through a greater understanding of our common goals and how to bridge some of our disparate differences as AHDI and MTIA leaders and members.
Speaking of Nashville, what an exciting event we have in store for everyone in Nashville, Tennesee, AHDI ACE, July 28 to August 1, 2009. Of note, I ask every independent contractor or telecommuter (a.k.a. work-at-home MT) to attend Scott Edelstein's session on Saturday, August 1. His presentation on the current changes in the HIPAA laws, how those changes directly effect the working MT, is a show stopper. HIPAA not only has teeth but it is growing jaws. Highest on my list is how to bridge the gap between the telecommuter responsible for their own office and their own HIPAA compliance and now having the same guidelines as covered entities. We will still be called business associates but the expectations are now equal to that of the facilities. My goal: how do we ensure our ICs and telecommuters are in tune with the new rules and better yet compliant beyond question. Don't forget your formal wear for the Integrity Awards banquet on Saturday – yes, let's put on our finest as we celebrate our peers.
We need to be intentional in our strategies of how we grow this association, how we implement better member services, how we envision our path of the future. I ask you, my colleagues who read this blog, members from my board partner regions, AHDI-West and New Mexico, reach out to your keyboard and write to me. Tell me what you are thinking. What's on your mind? I look forward to a meeting of the minds as we take on the complex nature of the 21st Century healthcare documentation profession and future roles of the professional.
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