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Position Statement
President-elect candidates were asked to respond to the following: CHIA, like many professional associations, faces challenges with declining active participation despite maintaining membership. Considering these challenges, what operational and strategic strategies would you implement to transform the following: financial outcomes, membership engagement and championing the HI profession?

CHIA is one of the largest state HIAs and is in a unique position to help further the HIM profession as a whole. We have the ability to not only change how our state addresses the current state of HIM but also its future state.

With declining active participation, we need to address this from several different perspectives. We need to identify why members are reluctant to give us their time and energy. Are their employers not seeing the benefit of being a part of this field? Are we losing our seats at the table? Has technology changed our landscape that extensively that job security is a factor? If we identify the primary factors that are causing the decline, we can identify better solutions.

Within my own experiences within the HIM profession and this association, I’ve identified the following that can provide a baseline, expecting that others are experiencing similar situations.

1. Engagement beyond every day, active membership- this may come with CHIA engaging with any subchapters or sister associations. The purpose of identifying what that association may be providing that we are not.
2. Identify better methods of communication- utilizing common and alternative social media platforms. Continually updating events, needs to know, regulation changes, and other topics that can impact current and future jobs. Identifying volunteer opportunities and other needs that members can engage in.
3. Engagement through involvement in all levels of schooling. Engagement at career day in high school, career fairs and through Associate level programs. Identifying careers both inside HIM and where skill sets can be utilized outside HIM (like SIU). Also, reviewing of credentials and what purpose they serve and their benefits. This is more for school fairs but so that population can say they know what a credential is and what it can do for them in their future.
4. Engage in local schools and showcase the HIM profession. This is not limited to local colleges and universities but setting up an innovative process to reach local high schools as well. Most high schools have career fairs, however, HIM is not widely known at the high school level.
5. Identification of areas of education that aren’t normally addressed at conferences. This can be compliance, SNF, regulatory, etc. that are outside the normal avenues such as STACs.
6. Acknowledging barriers and fears that keep future generations away from HIM, including areas such as AI that are currently affecting specific HIM positions. How do I address these? What is the future with AI? How do we make AI work for us in this space vs. us working for AI? Providing options and opportunities for growth either through AI or with AI. By being proactive with what matters most, and finding solutions that are viable, it helps to ensure that there will be a position for them in the future.

As stated above, HIM has significant challenges and changes in our future. We must work together to have an open mind to changes coming up and support each other. Personally, our first and most crucial step in combating these changes will be engaging our members and listening to what the members’ concerns are and what they want to see from us. CHIA and its leadership are solely her for the members and supporting these members.

Relevant Health Information Professional Positions

• Sharp Healthcare - Drirector HIM Coding, 2022 - current
• Cottage Health - Director of Revenue Integrity, 2020 - 2022
• Kaiser Permanente - Manager of National Compliance, provider Oversight, 2/2020-9/2020
• Kaiser Permanente - Sr. Manger of Revenue Integrity, 2018 - 2020
• Renown Health - Manager of Medical Coding, 2017 - 2018
• Centura Health - Manager of Coding AUdit and Education, 1/2017 - 11/2017
• Denver Health - Manager of Coding Compliance, 2014 - 2017

Academic and Professional Degrees or Training Received

• Masters in Public Health, Western Governor's University - Currently enrolled
• MBA from Western Givernor's University, 2021
• Bachelor in Health Infromation Management, The College of St. Scholastica, 2017
• Associates in Health Information Management, Central New Mexico Community College, 2009

Association Board Activities

• CHIA Director 2022 - 2024
• NvHIMA President Elect 2018
• NCHIMA President 2014 - 2016
• NMHIMA Delegate 2017
• Souther Denver AAPC President 2016
• ABQ AAPC Member Development Officer 2011 - 2013

Association Committee/Task Force Activities

• CHIA Nominating Committee - 2023 - 2025
• CHIA CDQ 2020 - 2022
• CHIA Professional Education 2025
• CHIA Convention Committee 2024

CHIA does not endorse or sponsor any candidates and the views expressed in the position statements and campaign videos are those of the candidates and do not necessarily reflect the policies and opinions of the Association.