With excitement and uncertainty about the future echoing through the assembly hall on Tuesday morning, it was the perfect time for AHIMA CEO Linda Kloss, MA, RHIA, CAE, FAHIMA, to take the stage with a motivational speech. 

Sporting a burgundy suit and a proud smile, Kloss thanked AHIMA members, past and present, for the diligence and contributions that carried the association to its 80th anniversary. What began as a small gathering of HIM professionals, Kloss said, has expanded into an international organization of nearly 53,000 members spanning 45 countries.

In celebration of AHIMA's longevity, Kloss listed four qualities the association shares with other long-standing organizations: learning, identity, ecology and evolution. But instead of just offering a pat on the back, Kloss used each quality as a guideline for future progress. According to Kloss, members must continue to learn skills and develop foresight to manage any changes in HIM. AHIMA's identity is also shifting, and the membership is no longer homogenous, Kloss noted. "This is the time to embrace and celebrate the breadth and diversity of our profession as never before," she said.

Channeling the image of birds in flight, Kloss addressed the ecology of AHIMA and said members must flock together and learn from each other to meet challenges on the horizon. Finally, HIM must evolve with emerging technology and policies to improve health care, Kloss advised. 

Kloss called on members to stay active in the association and said HIM professionals can get involved by going on the communities of practice every week, mentoring a new graduate, advocating for sound policies and voting in state and national HIMA elections, among other suggestions. "AHIMA is an extraordinarily youthful and vigorous 80, with so much important work to do for the health care industry and the public we serve," she said.