Becoming AHMIA: Good Health Practices

Pebbles Lafleur05/15/2018HS115My Scope of PracticeAs many people know, there are steps into making into the medical field world. There are still certifications and levels to have under your belt to move up. Many people start as a CNA, then LPN, RN and so on and so forth. However, currently, I am enrolled in school to become a CMA (Certified Medical Assistant) and hopefully adding phlebotomy under my belt as well. Nevertheless, before all this to happen, there is a process to go by and complete it accordingly.To be competitive in the medical field marketplace, all medical assistants have to be certified through the AMA. The AAMA (American Association of Medical Assistants) is the association that is responsible for producing the

* (NHA) National Health Career Association offers two medical assistant certification tests for clerical and administrative work.

If you are interested in an exciting career in health information management or getting started in your new career in HIM, then this is your guide to career development, improved salary, and greater success in your chosen profession. Receiving an AHIMA credential puts you in a unique organization. AHIMA credentials are earned through a stimulating platform through extensive education, experience, and maintained through endless review and continuing education. The experience, cost, and education requirements vary between the different AHIMA credentials that are available for you to obtain. Some benefits of attaining the AHIMA certification credentials are demonstrated capabilities, successful income, and devotion to high standards of care, quality,

The American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) is a recognized, respected association of health information management (HIM) professionals worldwide. Founded in 1928, AHIMA has become a respected authority for professional education and training in the effective management of health data and medical records needed to deliver quality healthcare to the public. Throughout AHIMA’s history back to 1928, the American College of Surgeons established the Association of Record Librarians of North America (ARNLA) to “elevate the standards of clinical records in hospitals and other medical institutions” (www.ahima.org, 2015). Since its formation, the Association has undergone several name changes in its evolution of the profession. In 1938 the Association changed its name to the American Association of Medical Record Librarians (AAMRL) for a more concise representation. When the Association became the American Medical Record Association in 1970, health information professionals had increased their involvement in hospitals, community health centers, and other health service facilities. As the health industry continues to evolve, the Association changed its name in 1991 to American Health Information Management Association to capture the expanded scope of clinical data beyond medical records to health information comprising the entire continuum of care.

The U.S. Office of Education recognized AMA/AAMA as an official accrediting agency for medical assisting programs in public and private institutions.

A valuable organizational site to look further into would be the Florida Health Information Management Association (FHIMA). This is the sub-compartment state association of AHIMA. In order to be a member of this site you MUST be a member of AHIMA and designate Florida as your state. Once you have done so you will be able to access the resources from this site. Their web outline is pretty basic and easy to navigate. Its goal is to support and promote health information, educate professionals in the field, provide information on technology, development, advocacy and communication. I did not delve too much further into this site as it led me to AHIMA initially to register membership there, but I noticed right away on their home page a list of events such as the upcoming FHIMA annual convention and exhibit taking place next week in Orlando. Combined with membership at AHIMA I will find this site to be a valuable tool in my career of billing and coding. It is important for us to stay informed and cast as wide of a network as possible when trying to further our education and careers. Once I graduate and become certified I will be joining both of these

Credentials- The American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) and the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC) offer certification in coding.

Joining the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) benefits individuals and distinguishes them apart from others. AHIMA labels individual’s as competent, knowledgeable and committed to the association through quality healthcare delivery and quality information.

“With the increase in computer usage, many individuals are finding out that they are becoming more dependent on the computer. Individuals begin to find ‘virtual life’ more interesting than what is going on in their real lives,” (Computers and Their Impact, California State University Northridge, n.d.).

Although the internet can be a helpful tool in all facets of life, the negative effects it has on one’s body are undeniable. The brain is very adaptable, and changes occur at a biological level as one

Users need to limit their time in cyberspace. Eye safety, repetitive stress syndrome, and sound ergonomic practices are issues that need to be addressed in a new technological world. Beyond the physical issues are those of the psychological issues that are becoming more prevalent such as Internet

Some experts are recommending that people looking to start a new career in HIT pursue a certification program rather than university programs since they provide more specified training for this field (Versel, 2016). These programs ensure that prospective employees are knowledgeable about HIPAA, EHR utilization, and other industry initiatives. Some professional associations, such as the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA), are pursuing certification programs for HIT professionals. For example, AHIMA offers a certification for a Certified Healthcare Technology Specialist (CHTS). According to AHIMA (2016), this exam assesses individuals in regards to tasks related to the implementation and management of electronic health information., such as workflow assessment, system selection, vendor relationships, validation, education, and implementation of systems, and

Looking ahead into the coming century and seeing that life is becoming only more complex and busier, the program attempts to make its plans as easy as possible and to customize them to people's lives. To that end, it presents tools and calculators to help their clients keep their health on track, as well as personalized health sites and personal assessments to help people know where they stand in terms of their health (http://www.uhc.com/health_and_wellness.htm). United Health Care realizes that people spend much of their time on eh Internet and some

knowledge at their own pace. They are multi-taskers who stay connected socially via networking sites. Twenty-first century learners want to be engaged in the content and see the relevance. Thus the teachers of these 21st century learners must adapt the skills, already possessed by the students, and use technology to their advantage by integrating technology into the classroom curriculum and lesson plans. It is important that the instruction is interactive and tailored to the needs and learning styles of today’s youth. While Net Gen students enjoy working in groups, computer-based education should have the ability to be individualized to meet a particular student’s specific need without fear of embarrassment or stigma by the rest of the class. (Casazza & Ciccazzo, 2006). A study by Skinner, Biscope, Poland, and Goldberg (2003) noted that health was not an important issue for most youth and that to be effective in health education “one needs to go where they are.” Casazza & Ciccazzo (2006) found that the use of technology such as web sites and computer based programs had a greater impact on motivating participants of all ages to change their diets and behavior. (p. 46).

For the majority of people, it is difficult to imagine what life would be like without the internet. The world of education has also undergone tremendous change since the advent of the internet. It allows students to quickly obtain a vast amount of information on every subject. They also get the convenience of going to class and completing assignments, permitting them to schedule their time with great flexibility. The internet has become one of the easiest, fastest and most effective tools that can be used to explore and comprehend more about the world; however, it is not without problems. The uses of the internet by students changes their thinking patterns, distracts their attention and reduces their interpersonal skills.