On November 14, 2007, I attended an event at the Pentagon announcing the Military Spouse Career Advancement Initiative sponsored by the U.S. Departments of Defense and Labor. Present at the ceremony were military spouses, employers, Congressional members, staff from DOD and DOL, and members of the press. Dr. David Chu, Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness, served as host of the event. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao described the $35 million education and training program for military spouses pursuing portable careers in high-growth, high-demand occupations in information technology, education, health services, financial services, and the construction trades.
The program offers military spouses Career Advancement Accounts to pay for expenses directly related to post-secondary education and training, including tuition, fees, books, equipment, and credentialing and licensing fees. The initiative targets military spouses with a GED, high-school diploma, or some post-secondary education and who are married to active-duty service members in the grades of E1-E5 and O1-O3. Accounts may be up to $3,000 for one year, and may be renewed for one additional year, for a total two-year account amount of up to $6,000 per spouse.
The DOD and DOL selected eight demonstration states targeting 18 military installations as follows:
• California (San Diego Metro and Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base)
• Colorado (Fort Carson Army Installation and Peterson Air Force Base)
• Florida (Jacksonville Naval Air Station, Eglin Air Force Base, and Hurlburt Field)
• Georgia (Fort Benning Army Installation)
• Hawaii (Hickam Air Force Base, Naval Station Pearl Harbor, Kaneohe Bay Marine Corps Base, and Schofield Barracks Army Installation)
• Maine (Naval Air Station Brunswick)
• North Carolina (Fort Bragg Army Installation and Pope Air Force Base)
• Washington (Fort Lewis Army Installation, McChord Air Force Base, and Naval Station Kitsap)
After remarks from Secretary Gates and Secretary Chao, military spouses joined them on stage to sign the proclamation marking the official start of the program. The first Career Advancement Accounts will be issued in January 2008. While at the event, I had the opportunity to network with DOD and DOL staff, as well as distributed brochures to military spouses describing Mission Medical Transcription: A Career that Moves with You, the career outreach program AHDI and MTIA developed with DOD and DOL for military spouses.
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Thursday, September 27, 2007
East Meets West: The Shanghai Experience
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Of all the places visited in China, Shanghai was by far the most western in its appearance and culture. With a population of over 18 million, Shanghai ranks first in population and population density. Beautifully shaped contemporary skyscrapers line the Shanghai skyline, contrasting the older, more traditional buildings.
The first evening in Shanghai, the delegation was treated to an acrobatic show performed by top Chinese acrobatic performers. These incredibly talented performers generally retire in their mid-twenties due to the strenuous acts. Just watching created sweaty palms and heart palpitations.
The next day we experienced the sites and culture in Shanghai. We walked the Bond on the Yangtze River where visitors can view Shanghai’s signature skyscrapers erected less than twenty years ago. From there we toured the Shanghai Museum, housing a high-quality collection of ancient Chinese bronze, coins, ceramics, calligraphy, paintings, furniture, and sculpture. We also toured a silk rug factory, a traditional Chinese garden, and shopped in Old Town. Delegates completed their day with a traditional Chinese foot massage.
The professional day included meetings at the Shanghai International Medical Exchange Center and the Shanghai Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western Medicine. The meetings focused on reviewing similarities and differences in electronic health records and documentation practices. The Medical Exchange Center affiliates with the Shanghai Health Bureau to facilitate the introduction of new technologies and medical exchange between China and other countries. The photo above shows the delegation presenting to the Shanghai International Medical Exchange Center. Where electronic health records exist in China, they’re used to capture diagnostic procedures, basic collection of demographics and health statistics, and financial administration. China uses ICD 10 rather than ICD 9 as we do in the U.S.
The hospital we visited in Shanghai was the most modern and clean facility in China. The physicians we met with attribute this to the increased competition in Shanghai for patients since more hospitals are located there and the influence of Western culture through television and movies. When the Chinese see modern, clean hospitals in the West, they want the same things in their hospitals. Much changed when President Nixon opened relations with China in the early ‘70s and Western medicine was introduced and widely used throughout China. Computers were introduced in the hospital in 1984 and information based medical recording started in 1998. However, many of the traditional Chinese medicine doctors don’t know how to use computers. This facility and others throughout China that use computers still rely on the printed medical record.
The Local and Rural Experience in China: Guilin
When flying into Guilin, one of the most popular Chinese cities for tourism, we were immediately struck by the beauty of the mountain formations. These formations are actually limestone karst hills formed more than 200 million years ago when the oceans receded from this area.
The delegation began the program in Guilin with a cultural day of traveling down the Li River on a flat bottom boat cruise. The river trip winded through small villages and the mountain formations. We saw water buffalo, caves, local fishermen, farmers, and children along the waterfront. We had the opportunity to visit a local village and tour a woman’s home. The home was a typical construction for the poor villagers who live in the countryside. The three-room home was made of brick and had dirt floors. As you step into the back of the home, there was an open-air kitchen. The utensils were crude and the woman cooked over a fire pit. The woman was selling hand made embroidery balls, her way of making an income.
The professional program offered a different perspective on healthcare delivery and medical record documentation from our experience in Beijing. We toured a Guilin hospital in the morning and a local clinic and health center in the afternoon. The hospital is beginning to implement computerized methods to capture health information for departmental services. Physicians have the ability to access diagnostic reports from decentralized locations on patient units. The hospital still prints out paper records and stores medical records in vertical file formats using a card catalogue system for retrieval. The local health center and clinic serviced the rural areas and was responsible for overseeing physicians who go out to practice in the villages. They deliver approximately 600 babies a year. There was a baby born while we were visiting. Although medical transcription roles don’t exist in China, the Chinese professionals were very interested in learning more about how this process can improve documentation.
The delegation began the program in Guilin with a cultural day of traveling down the Li River on a flat bottom boat cruise. The river trip winded through small villages and the mountain formations. We saw water buffalo, caves, local fishermen, farmers, and children along the waterfront. We had the opportunity to visit a local village and tour a woman’s home. The home was a typical construction for the poor villagers who live in the countryside. The three-room home was made of brick and had dirt floors. As you step into the back of the home, there was an open-air kitchen. The utensils were crude and the woman cooked over a fire pit. The woman was selling hand made embroidery balls, her way of making an income.
The professional program offered a different perspective on healthcare delivery and medical record documentation from our experience in Beijing. We toured a Guilin hospital in the morning and a local clinic and health center in the afternoon. The hospital is beginning to implement computerized methods to capture health information for departmental services. Physicians have the ability to access diagnostic reports from decentralized locations on patient units. The hospital still prints out paper records and stores medical records in vertical file formats using a card catalogue system for retrieval. The local health center and clinic serviced the rural areas and was responsible for overseeing physicians who go out to practice in the villages. They deliver approximately 600 babies a year. There was a baby born while we were visiting. Although medical transcription roles don’t exist in China, the Chinese professionals were very interested in learning more about how this process can improve documentation.
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Learning About the Chinese Medical Record System: Beijing
As we near the end of our four day stay in Beijing, the People-to-People Delegation learned a great deal about the people of China, its culture, and their medical records system. Upon arrival to Beijing, (the plane ride was 14 hours from LA to Hong Kong and two hours from Hong Kong to Beijing), delegates quickly changed and visited the Lama Temple. The Lama Temple is one of the sacred sites in Beijing and it houses one of the world's largest Buddhas, carved from a single piece of sandalwood.
On day two, we had an opportunity to present to approximately 200 physicians, nurses, and medical records personnel during an event hosted by the Chinese Medical Records Association (CMRA). There was great interest in the role of medical transcriptionist, since in China physicians are responsible for documenting care. Although medical records departments have personnel to provide quality checks, it is the primary responsibility of physicians to document encounters. However, as China moves toward fully adopting electronic health records, there is interest in learning more about the role of the documentation specialist and determining how it might be adapted into their medical records system. A subgroup of delegates is considering a task force to provide technical assistance and consultation to CMRA.
On day three, the delegation toured Capital University of Medical Sciences, founded in 1960, the key municipal university in Beijing and one the advanced medical institutes in China. The delegation held a roundtable discussion with university leaders and presented to a class of 50 medical information management students on healthcare information trends in the U.S. and the role of medical transcriptionists in patient care delivery.
The delegation also toured the Department of Medical Records at Peking Union Medical College Hospital, a 1,800-bed Class A hospital that averages 7,000 admissions per day. The photo above shows the scanning process used in their medical record department. We met with several medical records heads from the Northern China Provinces to discuss the challenges of health information in China. Chinese representatives were impressed with the level of support the U.S. receives from the Administration in moving our healthcare system to an electronic platform. The Chinese recognize the importance of this goal to improve patient care, decrease medical errors, and create more cost effective and efficient systems of care.
Day four was a cultural day where delegates and guests toured Tian’an Men Square, the Forbidden City, and climbed the Great Wall of China. The people we have met along the way have been very gracious, willing to share and exchange cultural stories, and make us feel at home. We also passed by the construction sites for the 2008 Olympics. We are now ready to fly to our next city, Guilin.
On the Road Again: Destination China
As part of the People-to-People Ambassador Program, I’m leading a delegation of industry professionals to China for a program on Healthcare Documentation and Data Capture. The delegation consists of three medical transcriptionists, two MT business owners, two transcription managers, an MT educator, and an administrator of an ambulatory specialty center. We also have four guests who have come along for the cultural opportunities. The delegation is from eight U.S. states and Canada. I’m writing this initial blog in the Los Angeles International Airport close to midnight. We arrive in Beijing through Hong Kong.
We have professional meetings scheduled with the Chinese Medical Records Association, several healthcare facilities in urban and rural areas, and a school for health information management. We’ll exchange ideas and discuss trends in healthcare documentation and data capture related to emerging technologies, information exchange, and educational efforts to address the growing complexity of clinical documentation. The delegation will also go to historical cultural sites and spend some time learning about the Chinese people and their culture. We hope you follow along as we provide the citizens of China information on the medical transcription profession in the U.S. and the essential role transcriptionists play in quality patient care delivery.
We have professional meetings scheduled with the Chinese Medical Records Association, several healthcare facilities in urban and rural areas, and a school for health information management. We’ll exchange ideas and discuss trends in healthcare documentation and data capture related to emerging technologies, information exchange, and educational efforts to address the growing complexity of clinical documentation. The delegation will also go to historical cultural sites and spend some time learning about the Chinese people and their culture. We hope you follow along as we provide the citizens of China information on the medical transcription profession in the U.S. and the essential role transcriptionists play in quality patient care delivery.
Sunday, May 6, 2007
The End of the Road to New Beginnings
Although it just seems like yesterday that I packed my car and left Modesto, CA, I'm now in my new home in Washington DC ready to begin the next generation of AHDI and MTIA with our committed volunteers, the leadership, and the many stakeholder groups interested in seeing that the clinical documentation sector succeeds. As far as settling in, the most bizarre part of the move is my furniture hasn't left Modesto yet. While typing this blog on the floor in my living room, I have to believe with as smooth as everything else has gone up to this point, that my furniture will arrive soon. By the way, while crossing the country I got through two full audio books (Iacocca & Gladwell), half through Einstein's biography, and one quarter through "Social Intelligence."
This evening I had the pleasure of meeting with Peter Tippett, MD, PhD, Chairman of MD-IT and a member of the President's technology assessment commission. Tracey Browne, CMT, sold her company to MD-IT and made the introductions. Also at our dinner was Ann Fraser and Richard Browne. We discussed at length the need to seek out a broader set of member benefits, tied to increased profitability and production, making it essential for members to join. Peter's suggestion was to keep on innovating until we 'hit' on the right benefits that will keep members engaged, like AAA with auto insurance and maps, AARP with long-term care insurance.
It was a thought provoking and lively discussion - a great first day in Washington DC. I hope you enjoyed reading this blog and I look forward to our new beginnings together.
216 miles driven today
3,560 total miles driven
This evening I had the pleasure of meeting with Peter Tippett, MD, PhD, Chairman of MD-IT and a member of the President's technology assessment commission. Tracey Browne, CMT, sold her company to MD-IT and made the introductions. Also at our dinner was Ann Fraser and Richard Browne. We discussed at length the need to seek out a broader set of member benefits, tied to increased profitability and production, making it essential for members to join. Peter's suggestion was to keep on innovating until we 'hit' on the right benefits that will keep members engaged, like AAA with auto insurance and maps, AARP with long-term care insurance.
It was a thought provoking and lively discussion - a great first day in Washington DC. I hope you enjoyed reading this blog and I look forward to our new beginnings together.
216 miles driven today
3,560 total miles driven
Saturday, May 5, 2007
Down to the Home Stretch
My last stop before arriving in Washington DC, I met with members of the Tidewater Chapter of AHDI in Virginia Beach, VA and several of their guests. Among the group included a coding professional, a gynecologist, a military spouse attending M-Tech and her Navy husband, and a hospitalist. It was interesting to listen to the perspectives from other disciplines in healthcare. It's no surprise that everyone is feeling the pinch with healthcare reform, the need to embrace change, and realization that health information exchange, if standardized correctly, will be a major achievement in improving patient care and decreasing medical errors.
It's hard to believe that I'm nearing the end of the trip although I look forward to settling into a new home and building a presence in Washington DC for the clinical documentation sector. It will be nice to be on the East coast again, knowing that when I wake up I'm not three hours behind the other side of the country but ahead. This means I'll find out earlier who wins American Idol before someone from my family calls up and ruins the surprise.
We've got a great deal of work ahead of us - important work. Together we will make a major contribution to healthcare reform by working on policies, standards, best practices, and programs to ensure that the workforce is delivering accurate, timely, and relevant clinical information to optimize healthcare delivery.
262 miles driven today
3,344 total miles driven
It's hard to believe that I'm nearing the end of the trip although I look forward to settling into a new home and building a presence in Washington DC for the clinical documentation sector. It will be nice to be on the East coast again, knowing that when I wake up I'm not three hours behind the other side of the country but ahead. This means I'll find out earlier who wins American Idol before someone from my family calls up and ruins the surprise.
We've got a great deal of work ahead of us - important work. Together we will make a major contribution to healthcare reform by working on policies, standards, best practices, and programs to ensure that the workforce is delivering accurate, timely, and relevant clinical information to optimize healthcare delivery.
262 miles driven today
3,344 total miles driven
Friday, May 4, 2007
Southern Hospitality - North Carolina Style
Thanks to the generosity of Bob Harvey and TRS for dinner tonight. It was an evening filled with lively discussion and debate concerning the future of clinical documentation and how the AHDI and MTIA partnership can work on advancing a relevant platform to optimize healthcare delivery through timely, accurate, and useable health information. That may sound pretty boring for a Friday night conversation, out on the town in Greensboro. NC, but the conversation had a distinctive flair - the Southern twang. Everything sounds good with a twang. It's almost like singing or playing the banjo.
When you say something with a twang, others seem to smile and shake their heads in agreement. Just like what happened during dinner tonight - the tone at the table appeared to be very agreeable. I'm wondering if it has to do with the twang or more to do with the context in which the words are said. The Southern hospitality way is to couch things in pleasantries, making you feel at home, respected. We talked about some fairly contentious issues confronting the sector, yet it was done with appreciation and regard for others' perspectives. Tonight was a pleasant reminder of how to get your point across without pointing fingers. Thanks for that wonderful lesson.
When you say something with a twang, others seem to smile and shake their heads in agreement. Just like what happened during dinner tonight - the tone at the table appeared to be very agreeable. I'm wondering if it has to do with the twang or more to do with the context in which the words are said. The Southern hospitality way is to couch things in pleasantries, making you feel at home, respected. We talked about some fairly contentious issues confronting the sector, yet it was done with appreciation and regard for others' perspectives. Tonight was a pleasant reminder of how to get your point across without pointing fingers. Thanks for that wonderful lesson.
Thursday, May 3, 2007
Sinners or Saints: The Lessons We Learn
Today was an awesome day. The landscape was beautiful from Brentwood, TN to Atlanta, GA and the travel companionship was tremendous. I was driving with Jay Cannon, MTIA 2007 President. Now most of you would be skeptical to read that statement, knowing that I officially became the CEO of AHDI and MTIA a mere two days ago, making Jay one of my two bosses (Cathy Baughman, AHDI 2007 President is the other {you know how equal billing goes}). But truly, Jay is an amazing man (and Cathy an amazing woman). Most people who meet Jay immediately feel his spiritual presence, openness and warmth. In fact, while we were driving to Atlanta, Jay shared with me an audio CD of a powerful testimonial from a spiritual leader who recently spoke at his church. In a nutshell, the message dealt with our human frailties, our nature to sin, the need to rely on God who loves us unconditionally in spite of our sins, and the importance for us to love, accept, and forgive others.
So here we are, driving through the wilderness, listening to this man's testimonial of falling from grace; seeking forgiveness and love. I was truly moved, but was Jay sharing this testimonial with me for a reason? For as long as I've known Jay, I have always thought of him as a pillar of strength, spirituality, and moral fortitude. Was this all an act, a ploy to manipulate me into thinking he was someone else? Did Jay have a dark side, yearning to come out?
Well, over lunch at a well known BBQ restaurant in Marietta, GA, I found out the truth. I asked Jay if he began his career as a medical transcriptionist since I had heard this from several different individuals. Jay confessed, he was never an MT. The only way to describe what I felt next was like the time I was in the first grade and found out my parents weren't perfect. Jay Cannon, struggling MT, strikes it big as a successful business owner, paving the way for other MTs to reach that dream. This story dashed and the real story is... Jay would perform medical transcription when his company fell behind on their accounts, working closely with a QA editor, to turn around the work for their clients. Some would say that this is practicing as a medical transcriptionist, not Jay. He has a real appreciation for the practice and the knowledge base needed to be a professional medical transcriptionist. I have a new found respect for Jay.
While in Atlanta, InterFix hosted a meeting for us to discuss the new formed partnership between AHDI and MTIA. We had both the president and delegate from the Georgia/Alabama regional association, Drake & Drake (the authors - not the drug book), several other AHDI and MTIA members. A special thanks to Scott Faulkner and Denise Vadnais for organizing the event. We had a productive discussion on the partnership, where the industry is and where it is going, and how we can keep the associations relevant to the membership. As we were discussing the partnership, I thought about my reaction to Jay and the testimonial he played for me this morning. Do the members of both associations question the motives behind the partnership as less than upfront and forthright? I thought about the relationship between AHDI, InterFix, and Stedmans in the development of a knowledge base and information portal for the clinical documentation sector. The tireless commitment of Scott Faulkner, Gary Higbie, and the InterFix team in developing a vehicle for the sector to use in pushing out health information exchange and quality data standards. Have we adequately communicated the decision making process behind these initiatives so the membership understand our motives?
We live in a world where we hear people tell us all the time to watch our backs, don't trust the other guy, and find out what they really want from us. Maybe if we learn to give each other the benefit of the doubt, learn to appreciate ourselves more so we can appreciate others, we won't be so skeptical.
260 miles driven today
2,731 total miles driven
So here we are, driving through the wilderness, listening to this man's testimonial of falling from grace; seeking forgiveness and love. I was truly moved, but was Jay sharing this testimonial with me for a reason? For as long as I've known Jay, I have always thought of him as a pillar of strength, spirituality, and moral fortitude. Was this all an act, a ploy to manipulate me into thinking he was someone else? Did Jay have a dark side, yearning to come out?
Well, over lunch at a well known BBQ restaurant in Marietta, GA, I found out the truth. I asked Jay if he began his career as a medical transcriptionist since I had heard this from several different individuals. Jay confessed, he was never an MT. The only way to describe what I felt next was like the time I was in the first grade and found out my parents weren't perfect. Jay Cannon, struggling MT, strikes it big as a successful business owner, paving the way for other MTs to reach that dream. This story dashed and the real story is... Jay would perform medical transcription when his company fell behind on their accounts, working closely with a QA editor, to turn around the work for their clients. Some would say that this is practicing as a medical transcriptionist, not Jay. He has a real appreciation for the practice and the knowledge base needed to be a professional medical transcriptionist. I have a new found respect for Jay.
While in Atlanta, InterFix hosted a meeting for us to discuss the new formed partnership between AHDI and MTIA. We had both the president and delegate from the Georgia/Alabama regional association, Drake & Drake (the authors - not the drug book), several other AHDI and MTIA members. A special thanks to Scott Faulkner and Denise Vadnais for organizing the event. We had a productive discussion on the partnership, where the industry is and where it is going, and how we can keep the associations relevant to the membership. As we were discussing the partnership, I thought about my reaction to Jay and the testimonial he played for me this morning. Do the members of both associations question the motives behind the partnership as less than upfront and forthright? I thought about the relationship between AHDI, InterFix, and Stedmans in the development of a knowledge base and information portal for the clinical documentation sector. The tireless commitment of Scott Faulkner, Gary Higbie, and the InterFix team in developing a vehicle for the sector to use in pushing out health information exchange and quality data standards. Have we adequately communicated the decision making process behind these initiatives so the membership understand our motives?
We live in a world where we hear people tell us all the time to watch our backs, don't trust the other guy, and find out what they really want from us. Maybe if we learn to give each other the benefit of the doubt, learn to appreciate ourselves more so we can appreciate others, we won't be so skeptical.
260 miles driven today
2,731 total miles driven
Wednesday, May 2, 2007
When it Rains it Pours
While driving from Garland, Texas to Brentwood, Tennessee today, it didn't just rain, it poured. The down pouring of rain made the longest segment of the entire trip across the U.S. feel even longer. At times, the rain made it difficult to see where I was going requiring me to slow down to stay the course.
I arrived at the Spheris headquarters just before the five o'clock whistle blew, to meet with Spheris Chief Medical Officer, Christopher Rehm, MD. He too, has just experienced the "when it rains, it pours" phenomenon - his wife delivered their second set of twin boys six weeks ago. Their first set of twin boys are only three years old. They're working out feeding, sleeping, bathing, and diapering schedules while negotiating the developmental challenges of their toddlers. It was never said, but I'm sure they had to slow down their schedules to readjust with the new family additions in order to stay balanced, healthy, and happy.
You could probably also say that it's not just raining but pouring in the clinical documentation sector when it comes to the changes we're experiencing. It's coming down on all sides: cost containment, increased client expectations, faster turnaround times, new technologies, greater regulatory requirements, and stiffer competition. Christopher and I spent some time discussing the multitude of challenges facing the sector and what it will take to stay the course. It was interesting to learn that the Chief Medical Officer role at Spheris actually helps the company stay the course, slow down in a sense to understand and evaluate what's important to the client - the end user clinician. If we don't know what the customer wants and help them to better discern what's best for them in the long run, we can't build our businesses - whether that business is a small, medium, or large transcription company, or if it's producing short, intermediate, or long transcription documents, or serving the needs of members at the local, state, or national level.
670 miles driven today
2,471 total miles driven
I arrived at the Spheris headquarters just before the five o'clock whistle blew, to meet with Spheris Chief Medical Officer, Christopher Rehm, MD. He too, has just experienced the "when it rains, it pours" phenomenon - his wife delivered their second set of twin boys six weeks ago. Their first set of twin boys are only three years old. They're working out feeding, sleeping, bathing, and diapering schedules while negotiating the developmental challenges of their toddlers. It was never said, but I'm sure they had to slow down their schedules to readjust with the new family additions in order to stay balanced, healthy, and happy.
You could probably also say that it's not just raining but pouring in the clinical documentation sector when it comes to the changes we're experiencing. It's coming down on all sides: cost containment, increased client expectations, faster turnaround times, new technologies, greater regulatory requirements, and stiffer competition. Christopher and I spent some time discussing the multitude of challenges facing the sector and what it will take to stay the course. It was interesting to learn that the Chief Medical Officer role at Spheris actually helps the company stay the course, slow down in a sense to understand and evaluate what's important to the client - the end user clinician. If we don't know what the customer wants and help them to better discern what's best for them in the long run, we can't build our businesses - whether that business is a small, medium, or large transcription company, or if it's producing short, intermediate, or long transcription documents, or serving the needs of members at the local, state, or national level.
670 miles driven today
2,471 total miles driven
Tuesday, May 1, 2007
Everything is Big in Texas
Everything in Texas is big -- big sky, big state, big trucks, big highways, and big homes. My hosts tonight were Melinda and Bob Owen. The Owen's provided me with a Texas home cooked meal in their big home (Melinda tells me that homes in her planned community - on a big lake and big golf course - must be at minimum of 3,400 square feet) that ended with a big home made cake. Although Melinda's husband has some knowledge of healthcare, he served as a volunteer EMT, he works full time as an engineer. They have three boys and a dog.
Paradoxically, Melinda is a petite Texan, and so is her transcription company. As one of thirteen MTIA board members, Melinda claims to have the smallest transcription service on the board, where she has the opportunity to represent the interests of small transcription service providers. Her company specializes in Radiology and Cardiology documentation services. Surprisingly, even when Melinda presses her clients to adopt a speech recognition platform, with help in the transition from her MTSO, her clients beg off because they're extremely satisfied with the services they receive from her company. However, Melinda is poised to grow the business with the use of technologies. She sees the opportunity the sector has in the health information exchange debate and believes there is a bright future for transcriptionists and transcription companies willing to create new value in the documentation sector to optimize healthcare delivery.
Melinda is looking forward to attending the AHDI convention and working closer with the AHDI board and membership through the newly formed partnership. She assures me that during convention she'll be sweatin' to the oldies with Richard Simmons and already has her red dress picked out for the Red Dress Gala Awards. Thanks again to Melinda, Bob, and their sons for the BIG hospitality in Texas.
521 miles driven today
1,801 total miles driven
Paradoxically, Melinda is a petite Texan, and so is her transcription company. As one of thirteen MTIA board members, Melinda claims to have the smallest transcription service on the board, where she has the opportunity to represent the interests of small transcription service providers. Her company specializes in Radiology and Cardiology documentation services. Surprisingly, even when Melinda presses her clients to adopt a speech recognition platform, with help in the transition from her MTSO, her clients beg off because they're extremely satisfied with the services they receive from her company. However, Melinda is poised to grow the business with the use of technologies. She sees the opportunity the sector has in the health information exchange debate and believes there is a bright future for transcriptionists and transcription companies willing to create new value in the documentation sector to optimize healthcare delivery.
Melinda is looking forward to attending the AHDI convention and working closer with the AHDI board and membership through the newly formed partnership. She assures me that during convention she'll be sweatin' to the oldies with Richard Simmons and already has her red dress picked out for the Red Dress Gala Awards. Thanks again to Melinda, Bob, and their sons for the BIG hospitality in Texas.
521 miles driven today
1,801 total miles driven
Monday, April 30, 2007
A New Chapter Forming in Carlsbad, New Mexico
It's always great to meet new MTs entering the field. There are so many opportunities emerging for future documentation specialists. We had a lively discussion before my send off in Tuscon today with Tina and MaryBeth regarding the future risk management and compliance roles for transcriptionists - with the health insurance market as a primary employer. The challenge will be to educate and build new roles that bridge to careers with today's MT.
When I arrived in Carlsbad, I was greeted by Bonnie Bakal, CMT, FAAMT, Pat Bowen, CMT, FAAMT, and Rusty (I didn't catch his last name), a new MT working for DTS America. Rusty has a great deal of enthusiasm and many new ideas for making the local chapter a success. He plans to be the president-elect of the local chapter, so he can spend a year learning from Bonnie on how to run the chapter. Bonnie has become the hometown hero for MTs in the area. The group filled me in on their plans to start a new chapter in Carlsbad, New Mexico, and talked about how successful their state meeting was over the past weekend. Pat Bowen mentioned that one-third of the state members attended the conference and she believes there is a new found excitement in New Mexico with an alliance developing with the New Mexico Health Information Management Association.
Post Script
It seemed to be a long haul into Carlsbad, New Mexico. I learned to keep the air in the car circulating rather than circulate air from the outside. That may be the reason for becoming a little under the weather - unless it's because I'm not used to sitting in one position for so many hours. The scenery was spectacular, especially around the mountain range I drove through south of El Paso into New Mexico. The border police stopped me to check my citizenship around the New Mexico border.
475 miles driven today
1,226 total miles driven
When I arrived in Carlsbad, I was greeted by Bonnie Bakal, CMT, FAAMT, Pat Bowen, CMT, FAAMT, and Rusty (I didn't catch his last name), a new MT working for DTS America. Rusty has a great deal of enthusiasm and many new ideas for making the local chapter a success. He plans to be the president-elect of the local chapter, so he can spend a year learning from Bonnie on how to run the chapter. Bonnie has become the hometown hero for MTs in the area. The group filled me in on their plans to start a new chapter in Carlsbad, New Mexico, and talked about how successful their state meeting was over the past weekend. Pat Bowen mentioned that one-third of the state members attended the conference and she believes there is a new found excitement in New Mexico with an alliance developing with the New Mexico Health Information Management Association.
Post Script
It seemed to be a long haul into Carlsbad, New Mexico. I learned to keep the air in the car circulating rather than circulate air from the outside. That may be the reason for becoming a little under the weather - unless it's because I'm not used to sitting in one position for so many hours. The scenery was spectacular, especially around the mountain range I drove through south of El Paso into New Mexico. The border police stopped me to check my citizenship around the New Mexico border.
475 miles driven today
1,226 total miles driven
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Lessons Learned from Cowboys, Elk, and Deserts
I began today's journey with a home cooked meal prepared by Karen Fox, CMT, FAAMT, in the California desert and ended the day with a home cooked meal prepared by Tina Whitecotton, RMT, FAAMT in the Arizona desert. The meals were a pleasant surprise, but so were the lessons learned during the conversations over these meals. The biggest surprise of all was that I ate elk for the very first time and it was surprisingly tasty (it didn't taste like chicken, but more like beef). Driving through the California and Arizona desert to get to my next destination, I was surprised to see how green the desert actually was, the number of cactus present, and the lack of tumbleweeds - all told, however, a beautiful part of America.
Now to the meal conversations. Karen invited Teri Costa, CMT, RHIT, Health Information Manager from the Betty Ford Center to the breakfast. It's probably no surprise that the subject of health information privacy and security became a topic of conversation - especially considering the patient population at the Betty Ford Center. The non-MTs in the group were asking what binds an MT to keep patient information confidentiality. Karen talked about the Code of Conduct and credentialing but qualified her response with it being a voluntary process and that only a small fraction of transcriptionists are actually credentialed, therefore questioning how familiar most transcriptionists are with the Code of Conduct.
Licensure and credentialing soon became the topic and I learned some interesting things about other fields. First, in California a hairdresser must be licensed before they cut your hair, but a permanent make-up artist does not have to be licensed. An individual performing an invasive procedure (putting permanent color on your lips and eyes like a tattoo) not required to be licensed makes little sense to me. Come to find out my one host, Kevin, just completed beauty school and he is taking his state board test on Wednesday to become a beautician. He must pass the test by demonstrating the ability to make a pin curl and finger wave. Do women - or men - walk around with pin curls and finger waves anymore (except maybe Christina Aguilera)? So much for the beautician license. Kevin was previously in the flooring industry with Linda and the issue of licensure for floor installers was discussed. Linda mentioned that the floor installers don't want licensure because many installers are in the U.S. illegally and would get deported. So much for opposing licensure for that reason.
The conversation was rekindled with my hosts tonight in Tuscon, Arizona. I was commenting that if you're going to license a profession, make sure the license is relevant. We got to talking about ranch hands and cowboys and how changed their jobs have become over the years. Ken Whitecotton, who I thought was a cowboy but was also a retired policeman, talked about the difference in the skills/expectations 0f police today versus when he was a policeman. "Basically, you got your gun, your handcuffs, and keys and then you became a police officer." MaryBeth Moran, CMT, mentioned a similar situation in the medical transcription profession. "It was pretty much you learned on the job, but you had the benefit of being mentored from more seasoned transcriptionists because you were working side by side in the hospital so if you didn't understand a word you had resources immediately available to assist you." Home based transcription has somewhat changed that opportunity. It really got me to thinking whether or not our educational systems, credentialing programs, and on-the-job training and staff development offerings still remain relevant for medical transcriptionists who are challenged today with more complex clinical documentation.
416 miles driven today
845 total miles driven
Now to the meal conversations. Karen invited Teri Costa, CMT, RHIT, Health Information Manager from the Betty Ford Center to the breakfast. It's probably no surprise that the subject of health information privacy and security became a topic of conversation - especially considering the patient population at the Betty Ford Center. The non-MTs in the group were asking what binds an MT to keep patient information confidentiality. Karen talked about the Code of Conduct and credentialing but qualified her response with it being a voluntary process and that only a small fraction of transcriptionists are actually credentialed, therefore questioning how familiar most transcriptionists are with the Code of Conduct.
Licensure and credentialing soon became the topic and I learned some interesting things about other fields. First, in California a hairdresser must be licensed before they cut your hair, but a permanent make-up artist does not have to be licensed. An individual performing an invasive procedure (putting permanent color on your lips and eyes like a tattoo) not required to be licensed makes little sense to me. Come to find out my one host, Kevin, just completed beauty school and he is taking his state board test on Wednesday to become a beautician. He must pass the test by demonstrating the ability to make a pin curl and finger wave. Do women - or men - walk around with pin curls and finger waves anymore (except maybe Christina Aguilera)? So much for the beautician license. Kevin was previously in the flooring industry with Linda and the issue of licensure for floor installers was discussed. Linda mentioned that the floor installers don't want licensure because many installers are in the U.S. illegally and would get deported. So much for opposing licensure for that reason.
The conversation was rekindled with my hosts tonight in Tuscon, Arizona. I was commenting that if you're going to license a profession, make sure the license is relevant. We got to talking about ranch hands and cowboys and how changed their jobs have become over the years. Ken Whitecotton, who I thought was a cowboy but was also a retired policeman, talked about the difference in the skills/expectations 0f police today versus when he was a policeman. "Basically, you got your gun, your handcuffs, and keys and then you became a police officer." MaryBeth Moran, CMT, mentioned a similar situation in the medical transcription profession. "It was pretty much you learned on the job, but you had the benefit of being mentored from more seasoned transcriptionists because you were working side by side in the hospital so if you didn't understand a word you had resources immediately available to assist you." Home based transcription has somewhat changed that opportunity. It really got me to thinking whether or not our educational systems, credentialing programs, and on-the-job training and staff development offerings still remain relevant for medical transcriptionists who are challenged today with more complex clinical documentation.
416 miles driven today
845 total miles driven
Saturday, April 28, 2007
The Fortune Cookie Message
The fortune cookie is always the highlight of a Chinese dinner. Dining out with my hosts tonight at a Chinese restaurant in Desert Hot Springs, California, one of our fortunes read "Integrity is doing the right thing, even if nobody is watching." An appropriate message for how we lead our lives and for the responsibilities we have in the medical transcription and clinical documentation sector. This past week we had the privilege of presenting at the Healthcare Compliance Association convention in Chicago and our message to compliance officers was similar to the fortune cookie message -- wake up to the sloppy dictation and documentation practices going on in healthcare facilities around the country. Not only is it the right thing to do, but poor dictation and documentation habits in an electronic health environment will increase the number of medical errors to exponential proportions, threatening the integrity of the information captured and exchanged within the broader system.
Cathy Baughman, CMT, FAAMT, 2007 AHDI President, showed errors that went unchecked from the Children's Hospital Radiology Department in St. Louis, Missouri, following implementation of front-end speech recognition and self editing from the radiologists. This example is not confined to radiology at Children's Hospital in St. Louis, it is rampant in the healthcare industry because quality data standards are non-existent. Policy makers and architects of the National Health Information Infrastructure hope to one day see consumers access their health information similar to using an ATM card to access their banking information. The ability to exchange healthcare information that is usable, relevant, and accurate is critical to this goal. Look forward to a legislative agenda from AHDI and MTIA promoting these important principles.
In the meantime, AHDI and MTIA, along with AHIMA and M*Modal are working on implementation guides using HL7's clinical documentation architecture for common narrative reports beginning with tags that will enable the History & Physical to be exchanged across healthcare systems. However, even with the proper computer tagging and taxonomy in place, if the information going into the system to begin with is inaccurate, it will remain inaccurate. We still must address the issue of good dictation and documentation hygiene. AHDI recently released a Dictation Best Practices Tool Kit, generously sponsored by MedQuist, to assist clinical authors in becoming more efficient and effective with their dictation. We have widely distributed this tool kit at several national conventions and through AHDI local and state/regional components to assist dictators in doing the right thing.
429 miles driven today
Cathy Baughman, CMT, FAAMT, 2007 AHDI President, showed errors that went unchecked from the Children's Hospital Radiology Department in St. Louis, Missouri, following implementation of front-end speech recognition and self editing from the radiologists. This example is not confined to radiology at Children's Hospital in St. Louis, it is rampant in the healthcare industry because quality data standards are non-existent. Policy makers and architects of the National Health Information Infrastructure hope to one day see consumers access their health information similar to using an ATM card to access their banking information. The ability to exchange healthcare information that is usable, relevant, and accurate is critical to this goal. Look forward to a legislative agenda from AHDI and MTIA promoting these important principles.
In the meantime, AHDI and MTIA, along with AHIMA and M*Modal are working on implementation guides using HL7's clinical documentation architecture for common narrative reports beginning with tags that will enable the History & Physical to be exchanged across healthcare systems. However, even with the proper computer tagging and taxonomy in place, if the information going into the system to begin with is inaccurate, it will remain inaccurate. We still must address the issue of good dictation and documentation hygiene. AHDI recently released a Dictation Best Practices Tool Kit, generously sponsored by MedQuist, to assist clinical authors in becoming more efficient and effective with their dictation. We have widely distributed this tool kit at several national conventions and through AHDI local and state/regional components to assist dictators in doing the right thing.
429 miles driven today
Friday, April 27, 2007
Ready, Set, Go!
We're off. After packing the boxes, loading up the car, and getting a special send off from the Modesto staff, I'm ready to hit the road. The staff made sure I have plenty of power bars, energy drinks, and trail mix to keep me nourished along the way. A very special thanks to Angie Adams for helping above and beyond in organizing and assisting in the packing - a true friend and colleague.
I'm prepared for the highways, overpasses, deserts, and mountain tops armed with some interesting audio books to pass the time. "Where Have all the Leaders Gone?" - Lee Iacocca, "Blink" - Malcolm Gladwell, "Einstein, His Life and Universe" - Walter Isaacson, and "Social Intelligence: the New Science of Human Relationships" - Daniel Goleman. I hope to receive inspiration from these books along with the inspiration and great hospitality of members and health information professionals along the way. I'll make sure to take some time out to appreciate the nature and the beautiful countryside.
Thanks for all your well wishes.
I'm prepared for the highways, overpasses, deserts, and mountain tops armed with some interesting audio books to pass the time. "Where Have all the Leaders Gone?" - Lee Iacocca, "Blink" - Malcolm Gladwell, "Einstein, His Life and Universe" - Walter Isaacson, and "Social Intelligence: the New Science of Human Relationships" - Daniel Goleman. I hope to receive inspiration from these books along with the inspiration and great hospitality of members and health information professionals along the way. I'll make sure to take some time out to appreciate the nature and the beautiful countryside.
Thanks for all your well wishes.
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Welcome and Introductions to AHDI/MTIA Advocacy on the Move
Welcome AHDI and MTIA members. As you may know, I'll be moving to Washington DC to begin building a stronger advocacy and visibility presence for the clinical documentation sector and our associations. The timing of this move couldn't be better considering the many policy issues arising now in our nation's capitol around the exchange of health information, the quality of the information exchanged, and how we will insure privacy and security.
Thank you for joining me as we begin this important journey across the United States. I'll be stopping along the way to meet with members and other professionals to learn what they are doing to advance relevant, useable clinical information to optimize healthcare delivery.
Right now I'm knee deep in boxes getting ready for the movers to come. I embark on Saturday, April 28, 2007. Please consider subscribing to this blog and post your comments as we begin the next era in our associations' history.
Thank you for joining me as we begin this important journey across the United States. I'll be stopping along the way to meet with members and other professionals to learn what they are doing to advance relevant, useable clinical information to optimize healthcare delivery.
Right now I'm knee deep in boxes getting ready for the movers to come. I embark on Saturday, April 28, 2007. Please consider subscribing to this blog and post your comments as we begin the next era in our associations' history.
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