More than 2,000 administrators, coders, privacy officers and other HIM staff gathered Oct. 3-8, 2009, for the 81^st Annual American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) Convention and Exhibit. Held at the Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center in Grapevine, TX, the conference attracted a group of "smart," "enthusiastic" and "quite rowdy" conventioneers, according to Mayor William Tate. But as energy buzzed, concerns also mounted about the expanding duties of HIM.

AHIMA Leaders Applaud and Inspire
The convention followed a year of "inspiration, perspiration and realization," noted outgoing AHIMA President Vera Rulon, MS, RHIT, CCS, FAHIMA, who reflected on the association's accomplishments during Monday's general sessions. Last January, the ICD-10 final rule "lit the torch" for the road to better health care, she said, and progress has continued with the passing of the HITECH Act and current health reform efforts.

Rulon also commended groundbreaking work within the association; AHIMA established a Global Services Office in Brussels and launched the AHIMA Foundation's Research and Policy Institute. Later that day, Rulon helped introduce AHIMA's Health Information Bill of Rights, a set of seven principles that protect patient privacy and access to information.

Looking ahead, Rulon is confident there will be no shortage of duties for HIM professionals. "Health care information will be a catalyst and conduit for the future," she said.

The prospect may intimidate some, but Rulon urged attendees to continue leading the charge.

Taking the stage for the first time as 2010 AHIMA President, Rita Bowen, MA, RHIA, CHPS, SSGB, echoed Rulon's message during Tuesday's general sessions. "We must be ready to play, to lead and to win," she said.

Bowen applauded recent advancements in health care, especially those that improve patient access and engagement, but cautioned attendees to avoid complacency. Stakeholders have yet to tackle more complex issues like semantic interoperability; they'll need that momentum to fuel the search for solutions.

For those feeling overwhelmed or discouraged, she offered inspiration from The Wizard of Oz. "We have the brains, heart and courage to change health care in the U.S. and around the world," said Bowen, her red dress a shimmering allusion to Dorothy's ruby slippers.

Several Changes, Single Time
Despite the uplifting remarks, speakers admitted quality health care won't happen with a click of their heels-or a mouse. The industry still faces wide-ranging problems in the move toward a fully digital environment, many of which were addressed in the general sessions.

HIM is under pressure not only to implement major projects, but to tackle several of them at the same time. That conflict was illustrated Monday morning, when attendees chose between three options for AHIMA's new Prime Time general session. The topics on tap were ICD-10, e-HIM and new Certification Commission for HIT requirements. Making a choice was no easy feat, but attendees read about the sessions they missed in AHIMA Today, the daily convention newspaper.  

Tuesday morning featured a panel discussion about data standardization issues. Using diabetes as an example, experts explained how a lack of standards hinders secondary use of data for public health, clinical research and quality reporting initiatives. Each speaker identified unique challenges, but they all agreed the key to standardization is figuring out what providers and researchers really need. "Don't tell me what measures you want; tell me what questions you want to answer," said Justine Carr, MD, from Caritas Christi Health Care System, who spoke about public health efforts.

Teamwork in Transition
HIM professionals will be leading the charge for quality health information, but they won't be alone in the fight. During Tuesday's general sessions, David Blumenthal, MD, MPP, national coordinator for HIT, extended a hand to HIM professionals and urged them to get involved in efforts to educate providers about "meaningful use" of EHRs. "We're going to need more people like you," he said.

Dr. Blumenthal called for a new perspective on HIT that focuses on information and outcomes rather than the equipment itself. HIT can facilitate processes, but better health care depends on documentation. "Information is the lifeblood, and technology is the circulation system," he said.

The HIT Policy and Standards Committees have already made significant progress in outlining requirements for EHR initiatives, but work will continue, especially in areas of privacy and security, according to Dr. Blumenthal. He invited HIM professionals to share their expertise with the committees and participate in other ventures, such as the establishment of regional extension centers to promote HIT.

"This is a big problem and a big challenge, but it's also a great opportunity," he said.

HIM professionals also heard from The Joint Commission President Mark Chassin, MD, MPP, MPH, who glimpsed into the future of quality reporting. Providers once denied they had problems; now they admit problems, but no one's offering solutions, Dr. Chassin said. The Joint Commission, therefore, is sifting through reporting requirements to identify true measures of accountability. It's time to take measures out of the "ivory tower of academia" and put them into "the reality of the patient care situation," he said.

Last month, the Commission launched the Center for Transforming Health Care, which is using "robust process improvement" strategies like six sigma to find measures that produce "consistent excellence." The goal, Dr. Chassin said, is to give feedback that has an "inspirational effect" and suggests interventions that improve care.

Following a final address by author and columnist Jeffrey Zaslow-"the Last Lecture of 3 days," he joked-Rulon adjourned the convention. She encouraged attendees to keep up the good work and-waving an oversized Mickey Mouse glove-invited them to Orlando, FL, for the 82^nd Annual Convention and Exhibit, which will be held Sept. 25-30, 2010.

Cheryl McEvoy is an assistant editor with ADVANCE.