July 3, 2019
AHIMA Election and Guidance for CHIA Members
On Behalf of the CHIA Board of Directors:

The CHIA Board would like to encourage all CHIA members to actively participate in the AHIMA national election, which will be taking place July 8 – 22, 2019. As the CHIA Board communicated previously, the 2019 AHIMA ballot includes only one candidate for President-elect and one candidate for Speaker of the House. In addition, members may also choose to enter a write in candidate for these two positions. The lack of communication on the part of the AHIMA Nominating Committee regarding single candidates for President-elect and Speaker of the House has caused a lot of discussion on the AHIMA Engage Community as well as some CSA’ websites. We encourage you to review the conversations if you are interested in understanding other member’s views and to participate in these discussions as you wish.

Please keep in mind that AHIMA’s primary goal is to provide the knowledge, resources and tools to advance health information professional practices and standards. Voting, or choosing not to vote, is an opportunity for CHIA members to influence which HIM leaders will represent their interests on our national AHIMA Board of Directors.  

The 2019 Ballot Candidate bios and photos are posted on the AHIMA website and in the AHIMA Membership and State Leaders and House of Delegates Engage Communities. CSA Leaders will also feature candidates on their websites.

AHIMA Board Positions to be Filled:
  • AHIMA Board President/Chair-elect (1 position – only one candidate on the ballot for this position); write in candidate is possible.
  • AHIMA Board Directors (3 positions)
  • CCHIIM Commissioner (1 position; members with an RHIT or RHIA and a CCA, CCS-P, CHDA or CPHI credential)
  • Speaker-elect of the House of Delegates (1 position – only one candidate on the ballot for this position); write in candidate is possible.
  • Council for Excellence in Education Member (3 positions), including Debra Hamada, a candidate from CHIA

AHIMA Election Requirements:
AHIMA bylaws require a 3% voter response from members for a valid election. There are three ways a member can choose to respond:

  1. Voting: Voting for one or more AHIMA board positions counts towards the 3% requirement.
  2. Partial Vote: You can choose to vote for some candidates, but not all candidates (abstaining), which is considered a partial vote. A partial vote counts towards the 3% requirement.
  3. No Vote: A no vote means you do not complete any part of the AHIMA ballot. This is the only option that removes you from the percentage of members placing a vote and does not count towards the 3% requirement.

AHIMA Election Timeline
  • June 24, 2019 – July 5, 2019: AHIMA National Candidate Discussions in Engage. 
  • July 1: AHIMA ballot candidates are featured in the July/August Journal of AHIMA
  • July 8, 2019 - July 22, 2019 5:00 pm CDT: AHIMA election polls are open
  • Late July: Announcement of the 2019 AHIMA Election Results

The CHIA Board of Directors urges our membership to be thoughtful in considering the voting options. Ultimately it is each member’s individual decision on how to approach/vote this year.

Thank you,
Nancy Andersen, MS, RHIA, CCS
CHIA President 2019-2020
CSA Member on the AHIMA Ballot
Get ready – the AHIMA Election starts Monday, July 8 at 8 am (CT) and closes July 22 at 5 pm (CT). Vote – it’s your membership right and responsibility. CHIA member Debra L. Hamada, MA, RHIA is on the ballot for CEE Council Member. Support Debra Hamada, as well as the other candidates by voting.

The entire AHIMA membership, with the exception of student members, may vote by electronic ballot on the candidates for the AHIMA Board of Directors, the Commission on Certification for Health Informatics and Information Management (CCHIIM), and the Council for Excellence in Education (CEE).

Please go to AHIMA Membership and Business Community in Engage, AHIMA Election – 2019 for more information on the candidates, check out candidate videos at AHIMAonDEMAND, or read about them in the July/August Issue of Journal of AHIMA, pages 28-35.
Thanks for the CHIACON19 Memories
Take a peek at the CHIACON19 memories, where the health information community connected and had a good time while learning about Empowering Patients, Breaking Boundaries, and Bridging Gaps. We look forward to creating more memories at CHIACON20 in Riverside.
Call for CHIACON20 Presentations
Become one of CHIA’s content leaders at the 2020 CHIA Convention & Exhibit. Share your knowledge and expertise as we explore Expanding HIM Horizons: Excellence in Health Information Integrity.

CHIA is currently accepting presentation proposals for the upcoming 2020 CHIA Convention & Exhibit in Riverside, California on June 13 - June 17. With hundreds of HIM professionals in attendance, don’t miss this exciting opportunity to present at the most popular HIM event on the West Coast.

  • General & Keynote Sessions: Engaging presentations for a wider base of interest and application.
  • Track Sessions: Programs on specific topics, applications, and learning track themes.
  • Tutorials: Half/full day sessions on specific topics and/or exam preps in small-group settings .
  • Industry Innovations: Presented by CHIA Corporate Partners and highlighting HIM best practices and vendor solutions.

Convention proposals due October 7 for consideration.
Submit an Article for the CHIA Journal
CHIA is looking for articles on a variety of timely educational topics that represent the depth and breadth of HIM roles and interests, and can include tips, strategies, techniques, case-studies, opinions and commentary to be included in the peer-reviewed CHIA Journal .

CHIA encourages members, Corporate Partners, educators, and HIM professionals to submit articles and share their knowledge with CHIA readers. Learn more or submit a article here . 
Love to Write?
Publishing original HIM-related material is a qualifying activity and authors may earn two (2) continuing education credits.
Emerging Professionals Column
HIM students can contribute their work and recent research on HIM-related topics. 
Corporate Corner Column
Devoted exclusively to business developments of CHIA Corporate Partners; company’s products, services, personnel, and changes. 
RN Link's CDI Specialist Training - Discount for CHIA Members
August 17-18, 2019 in Glendale
October 19-20, 2019 in Glendale

Are you a coding professional interested in learning about clinical documentation improvement (CDI)? Are you a retired nurse or a nurse who wants to explore other career options? There are enormous needs in the health care industry to become a CDI Specialist where you will assist physicians to accurately document how truly ill patients are with severity ratings. The trend nowadays is quality documentation and this course will teach you how to achieve this. 

RN Link is offering a 10% discount to CHIA Members. ​Learn more and register today!
Latest HIM News Updates
New Frequently Asked Questions on HIPAA and Health Plans Support Care Coordination and Continuity of Care
Office for Civil Rights; Jun 26, 2019

The Office for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services issued a frequently asked question (FAQ) document that clarifies how the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Privacy Rule permits health plans to share protected health information (PHI) in a manner that furthers the HHS Secretary's goal of promoting coordinated care.

The FAQ explains when and how one health plan can share PHI about individuals in common with a second health plan for care coordination purposes under the Privacy Rule. The FAQ also clarifies that, in certain circumstances, the Privacy Rule permits a health plan to use PHI to inform individuals about a replacement for health insurance, even if the plan received the PHI for a different purpose, and without the communication to the individual being deemed marketing. For example, a health plan could use PHI to inform customers reaching the age of Medicare eligibility of the availability of Medicare Advantage plans for continuity of care purposes without seeking a separate authorization for the communication. The new FAQ may be found here .
CMS Expands Coverage of Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring (ABPM)
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services; Jul 2, 2019

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) finalized its national coverage policy for Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring (ABPM). ABPM is a non-invasive diagnostic test that uses a device to track blood pressure over 24-hour cycles, allowing a doctor to assess a patient’s blood pressure during routine daily living, instead of when they are sitting nervously on an examination table. ABPM may measure blood pressure more accurately and lead to the diagnosis of high blood pressure in patients who would not otherwise have been identified as having the condition.

“CMS is dedicated to improving cardiovascular health in the Medicare population,” said CMS Administrator Seema Verma. “Today’s decision reflects CMS’ commitment to continually updating our policies to ensure that more Medicare beneficiaries have access to the latest technology and appropriate evidence-based health care. We believe stakeholders will appreciate the policy being expanded to include diagnostic uses recommended by the multi-society task force blood pressure practice guidelines.” Read Decision .
CHIA Events Calendar
The Patient-Driven Payment Model and ICD-10
Thursday, August 29 - Live Webinar

FY2020 ICD-10-CM/PCS Update
Tuesday, September 24 - Southern California TBD
Thursday, September 26 - Northern California TBD

Diaries of a Professional Fee Coding Compliance Auditor
Tuesday, October 08 - Live Webinar

CHIA Student Chat
Thursday, October 8 - Live Webinar

Confidentiality and the ROI in California
Wednesday, November 13 - Southern California TBD
Thursday, November 14 - Northern California TBD