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NOTAT IONSS p r i n g 2 0 1 0

ASSOCIATION FOR HEALTHCARE ADMINISTRATIVE PROFESSIONALS

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT

WINTER 2012

Happy 2012 to all our members!

The New Year always offers a time of reflection, both personally and professionally — reflecting on what has been and what has yet to be. It’s a time for taking stock of things;

a time for seizing opportunities. And with all the resolutions we make, it’s a time of action … not just to resolve to do something, but to do it!

As a healthcare administrative professional, I hope one of the actions you embrace this year will be becoming cHAP certified. In our demanding field, cHAP — that’s an acronym for Certified Healthcare Administrative Professional —offers an in-depth assessment of the substantive skills that show value and distinction to your peers and superiors. Certification provides an opportunity to establish an educational pedigree, and cHAP designees enjoy the pride of being recognized among the best of the best.

It’s a chance to enhance not just our careers, but also our industry. By becoming certified, you’re standing up for all of our industry and proudly promoting the hard work we do in healthcare organizations all over the country.

If you’ve wondered what cHAP is or how it can help you, this is the year to check it out! And we’ve made it easier than ever before. At our upcoming conference, members will have the unique opportunity to explore the kind of topics cHAP covers in a fun and interactive game show-style setting. Come and experience what cHAP can offer while connecting with your fellow members — and having a few laughs too!

As always, more details are available online by clicking here. You may also contact AHCAP Headquarters at ahcap@hqtrs.com today for more information on the certification process and how to get started.

I hope each of you have a safe and prosperous New Year. Thank you for all that you do for our industry, and for your continued support of AHCAP!

With best regards,

Carol Rose | Acting AHCAP President

MEDICAL CODING UPDATE..................................................................................................2

HEALTHCARE ACCREDITATION HIGHLIGHT.......................................................................2

2012 EDUCATIONAL CONFERENCE SAVE THE DATE...................................................4 – 5

MEET YOUR FELLOW MEMBERS: Lynn Morin.....................................................................9

2012 SPONSORSHIP PROGRAM & FORM..................................................................10 – 11

What’s Inside

www.ahcap.org

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Spring 2010

Medical coding involves transforming narrative descriptions of diseases, injuries

and healthcare procedures into numeric or alphanumeric designations. The detailed

codes accurately describe the diagnoses and the procedures performed to test or

correct the diagnoses.

Medical coding professionals are in demand across the country. Nationwide, there is a shortage of certified medical coders.

According to the United States Bureau of Labor, employment of medical record and health information technicians is also

expected to grow.

In addition, the requirement for all health care organizations in the country to comply with the International Statistical

Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th Revision (ICD-10) on October 1, 2013 will impact the demand

for certified coding professionals. Currently the ICD-9 codes number about 4,000. When the ICD-10 codes are implemented

coders will be dealing with around 20,000 codes.

AN UPDATE ON MEDICAL CODING: ICD-10By Kathy Bretsch

Many hospitals in the U.S. use the Joint Commission for accreditation. However, another accreditation organization, that

works with more than 250 hospitals in the U.S. is NIAHO® (National Integrated Accreditation for Healthcare Organizations),

which delivers accreditation through Det Norske Veritas (DNV).

DNV’s history goes back to 1864, when the foundation was established in Norway to inspect and evaluate the technical

condition of Norwegian merchant vessels. DNV was retained by the United States to investigate the cause of the

Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

DNV’s philosophy toward healthcare accreditation is that a hospital is a place where people seek advice, comfort and

expertise and especially a place where excellence is expected. They note that accreditation is a strategic tool to help

hospitals live up to and surpass expectations. Accreditation provides a systematic way to manage the risks that come with

these challenges.

DNV International Accreditation is built on the NIAHO® standards, adapting to local legislative and functional requirements.

This accreditation requires the organization’s continual compliance with the DNV accreditation process.

DID YOU KNOW ... THE HISTORY BEHIND THE DNV HEALTHCARE ACCREDITATION?

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2012 Association for Healthcare Administrative Professionals

Educational Conference

OPPORTUNITIESJuly 11–13July 11– 13

Building Bridges to Professional Advancement

Claremont Hotel & Spa, Berkeley, CA

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www.ahcap.org

ASSOCIATION FOR HEALTHCARE ADMINISTRATIVE PROFESSIONALS

SAVE THE DATE2012 AHCAP EDUCATIONAL CONFERENCEJULY 11–13, 2012

CLAREMONT HOTEL CLUB & SPA IN BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA

Detailed information on the 2012 AHCAP Educational Conference will be

available in April but you can get a jump on your plans now by making your

hotel reservations at our exciting 2012 conference hotel, the Claremont

Hotel Club & Spa at the special AHCAP rate.

Click here to make your reservations online.

Situated overlooking the San Francisco Bay, the Claremont Hotel sets new heights in service, amenities, and accommodations. While its

279 rooms all offer a mix of old world charm and California comfort, no two are alike. Each has its own distinct personality. Originally a

romantic castle at the start of the Gold Rush and later a grand hotel during the Age of Romanticism, the Claremont remains the majestic hotel

on the hill. The Claremont features three restaurants, three outdoor pools, a tennis court, a fitness facility and a full service spa and salon.

With a hotel this fabulous there is no need to venture far but you may want to extend your stay to take in some of the local attractions

within a short distance of the hotel. Here are just a few:

Bay Street: 11 minute drive from hotel

Combining retail, entertainment, hospitality and residential uses, Bay Street Emeryville invites customers to escape into a casual

village designed for strolling, shopping and having fun.

www.baystreetemeryville.com/info/mallinfo

Jack London Square: 13 minute drive from hotel

Experience the natural beauty of Oakland’s waterfront jewel, Jack London Square. Discover innovative dining opportunities or return to

well-loved favorites. Enjoy expansive lawns, picturesque piers and sun-drenched walking paths. Shop in some of Oakland’s unique local

boutiques. Steps from downtown, but a world away.

www.jacklondonsquare.com

Golden Gate Park: 35 minute drive from hotel (with ferry)

Museums, recreational activities, gardens

Hornblower Dining Yachts: 15 minute drive from hotel

Tour options include casual daytime outings and formal sit-down dinners complemented by live music and fine wine. Each sails by the

spectacular scenery that makes San Francisco famous — and, each features stellar guest service from start to finish.

www.hornblower.com/hce/port/category/berk+diningcruises

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ASSOCIATION FOR HEALTHCARE ADMINISTRATIVE PROFESSIONALS

Triple Rock Brewery Alehouse: 10 minute drive from hotel

America’s oldest brewpub, established in 1985. Quality, craft beer in

classic styles.

Takahara Sake USA: 10 minute drive from hotel

America’s largest Sake brewery. Tasting Room and Sake Museum. It is our

hope to introduce the public not only to different types of sake but also to

Japanese culture through our facilities.

Alcatraz: 25 minute drive from hotel (plus ferry time to island)

The tour of Alcatraz departs daily from Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco.

Alcatraz was used as a federal maximum security prison from 1934 until 1963,

when it was closed due to high costs and security issues. Allowing tourists to

visit Alcatraz has proven far more popular.

http://www.alcatraz.us

San Francisco Museum of Modern Art: 20 minute drive from hotel

Founded in 1935, SFMOMA was the first museum on the West Coast

devoted to modern and contemporary art. From the outset, the museum has

championed the most innovative and challenging art of its time, and we

continue to exhibit and collect work by both modern masters and younger,

less-established artists.

www.sfmoma.org/about/about_sfmoma#ixzz1nb8tA2qt

Scherffen Berger Chocolate Factory: 20 minute drive from hotel

America’s first contemporary artisan chocolate manufacturer, SCHARFFEN

BERGER Chocolate Maker set out to craft the richest, most flavorful chocolate

by sourcing the best cacao in the world, blending it in small batches, and

gently processing it to maintain the subtle flavors in the beans.

www.scharffenberger.com/beans/history

San Francisco Chinatown: 25 minute drive from hotel

San Francisco Chinatown is the largest Chinatown outside of Asia as well as

the oldest Chinatown in North America. It is one of the top tourist attractions

in San Francisco.

www.sanfranciscochinatown.com

Help support this year’s conference by encouraging your facility to become a sponsor/donor. For more information see page 10 and 11 for the 2012 sponsorship program and form.

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Spring 2010

OK, I know I’m a geek. I admit it freely and even embrace it — so, it will come as no surprise to anyone that when I see a

person walking around with one of those wireless telephone ear pieces I’m reminded of an episode of Star Trek the Next

Generation. If you immediately said to yourself “Yeah, the BORG,” you too are a geek. The nefarious BORG were a race of

human-machine hybrids that remained in constant contact via implants in their person, not unlike many of us walking around

with ear pieces, talking to the air and hearing several voices in return. Of course, the connectivity doesn’t stop with our

phones, we also have chat on our computers, Facebook, Twitter, email and all kinds of blogs begging for our attention.

This constant connection to our friends, colleagues, bosses and peers brings a powerful shift in what is expected of us.

Suddenly collaboration is not an option, but an expectation. A plea for help is now a summons to a larger community to drop

what they are doing and to pay attention to our immediate need. I often find myself “unplugging” from the collective, in

order to get my work done, only to plug back in, because I don’t how to do some obscure task. I guess that makes me a bad

citizen of the plugged-in world.

So, let’s boil this down to a single question: Is the expectation of our plugged-in peers such a bad thing after all? Maybe the

expectations aren’t as dire as a ringing phone, or a knock at the door, and maybe the connectivity is just a way to get the

help we need in a timely manner. I pose the question to you the professionals — “Should we plug, or unplug?”

TO PLUG… OR NOT TO PLUGBy Robert ChurchManager, Learning TechnologiesBJC HealthCare

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WELCOME NEW MEMBERSOCTOBER 2011 — FEBRUARY 2012

NEW cHAP: LeAnn Cupples, Executive Assistant, Hardtner Medical Center, Olla, LA

Alexa Horak, Executive Assistant, Sacred Heart Health System, Pensacola, FL

Corrie Rudd, cHAP, Executive Assistant, O’Connor Hospital, San Jose, CA

Lynn Baker - Maricopa Integrated Health System (Phoenix, AZ)

Susie Bowen - North Kansas City Hospital (North Kansas City, MO)

Laura Bowers - SSM Health Care of Wisconsin (Madison, WI)

Sandra Carringer - Mission Health System, Inc. (Asheville, NC)

Pamela Dorman - University of Missouri Health Care (Columbia, MO)

Julie Garrity - Cardiovascular Consultants, Ltd. (Phoenix, AZ)

Auga Grabb - Ozarks Medical Center (West Plains, MO)

Kristen Grondin - Franklin Memorial Hospital (Farmington, ME)

Sandra Hannah - St. Vincent’s Health System - Ascension Health (Birmingham, AL)

Deanne Herrling - Group Health Cooperative - South Central Wisconsin (Madison, WI)

Alexa Horak - Sacred Heart Health System (Pensacola, FL)

Denise Manion - Northwest Medical Center (Albany, MO)

Linda Mayer - Poudre Valley Health System (Fort Collins, CO)

Sherry Pruett - Cirrus Medical Staffing (Mount Holly, NC)

Angelic Salyer Towe - SSM St. Joseph Health Center (St. Charles, MO)

Mary Ann Stegeman - St. Mary’s Health Center (Jefferson City, MO)

Melissa Wagner - Heartland Hospital (St. Joseph, MO)

www.ahcap.org

MEET YOUR FELLOW MEMBERS

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NAME: Lynn MorinTITLE: Corporate Manager, Administrative Services at HealthAlliance Hospitals, Inc.

Leominster, Massachusetts

What are your areas of expertise?

My organizational and multi-tasking skills probably are my top assets. In my current position as corporate manager of administrative services (AKA executive assistant to the president & CEO) and secretary to the Board of Trustees, this is extremely important. I have been in the healthcare field for 35 years. I began working for Leominster Hospital, which later merged with Burbank Hospital and we are now known as HealthAlliance Hospitals, Inc. Positions I held during these years were the executive assistant to the following: VP of finance, COO, and the VP of strategic planning and marketing.

I have worked for many wonderful executives and am very fortunate to now work for the “best” CEO, Patrick L. Muldoon.

Through Mr. Muldoon’s leadership, HealthAlliance Hospitals, Inc. has maintained strong financials and was named one of the “25 Most Wireless Hospitals” three years in a row and in 2011 was included in the “HealthCare’s Most Wired” by Hospitals & Health Network magazine.

What are challenges you face you would like advice on?

The biggest challenge that faces each of us is scheduling, changing and moving meetings for our CEO’s. They have so many obligations, not only in the office, but within our community, it sometimes makes it difficult to find time for “we must have a meeting ASAP.”

What encouraged you to become a member?

I am a member and the immediate past chair of AHEA (the Association of Health Care Executives Assistants in Massachusetts) which is associated with MHA (the Massachusetts Hospital Association).

Both Sarah Perry at MHA and Mary Larson at UMMHC had spoken about AHCAP … the contacts they have made throughout the country and the engaging speakers at the meetings they have attended. When the annual meeting notice came to my attention, I spoke with my CEO and asked if I could join and attend the meeting in St. Louis to further my education and learn more from my peers. Thankfully he agreed.

What would you like to learn more about from your AHCAP peers?

I am very interested in how the various members prepare and produce their monthly Board Reports. Do they use one of the companies that have packaged programs? Do they still handle them manually or do they send them out to be printed by an outside company? What are the pitfalls of each?

On the personal side…

I am married to a wonderful man and we have two sons and four grandchildren.

I started my own side business called “In Home Treasures.” This is a cash and carry home business wherein the hostess invites her friends and family members for a “ladies night out” where they can shop for a variety of home decor. At some point I would like to set it up a mini website to go along with home shows for those who are not able to attend and would like to see what products are available and be able to purchase them online.

My favorite place to be is the ocean, riding the waves or relaxing and reading a book.