Hi and welcome to PHIMA’s 83rd year, and what a crazy year it has been. I hope that you and your loved ones are adjusting to the new normal as best as you can. I am very excited to serve as your President for the next year, and while my fellow incoming board members and I did not have the chance to celebrate with all of you as planned in April, we’ve been busy transitioning and getting ready for the new year.
The theme for the year is #PHIMASTRONG. Access. Connection. Integrity. And TRUST ME when I say, I had NO idea how 2020 was going to shape up when I selected that theme. It seems to resonate given how COVID-19 has changed the way we access, connect, and behave and has certainly tested our strength as an industry and human-kind in general. My goals are straight forward.
First, I want to ensure that all members have access to the resources they need to be successful including education and PHIMA leadership. The first new opportunity for education (aside from our delayed Annual Meeting) will be our Fall Conference, scheduled for Friday, November 13th. At the moment we are planning an onsite meeting but are prepared to pivot to virtual if need be. We will also provide webinars, as well as our Annual Meeting to be held in Lancaster April 25 – 27, 2021. I also want you to have access to PHIMA leaders. We have our own Pennsylvania engage site where you can ask questions or participate in discussions with PHIMA leadership and other members or you can reach out to us directly. I encourage you to join our engage site and “like or follow us” on all social medial channels.
Second, I want to see our members connecting and engaging more to grow PHIMA. You can do this in several ways. If you are on social media, please like or follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. And tag your friends to join along. We have used these outlets for years and our Social Media campaign will be amplifying our presence with important association updates, thoughts from leadership, event announcements and more. Keep an eye out for our new PHIMA presence on LinkedIn and be sure to follow us there. We also have brought back the committee structure to give more members the opportunity to volunteer and learn what we are about.
Lastly, I want to make sure that we operate with integrity, keeping our members, our profession, the patients we serve, and our communities’ best interests in mind. We will be conducting surveys to make sure we are meeting YOUR needs. We will also continue to increase awareness of the HIM profession and ensure that we can all serve as advocates for the patients who entrust their health information to us. And finally, I’m hoping that we can also make an impact in our community and will be exploring an activity that supports a local cause as part of our in-person meetings.
If the first half of this year is any indication, buckle and enjoy the ride as we venture into our 83rd year.
A few reminders: Take the time to vote. One of our own is on the AHIMA ballot. PHIMA is proud to support Sandy Frey, RHIT, CCS, who is on the ballot for CCHIIM commissioner. And don’t forget to register for the upcoming annual conference being held virtually August 24-25.
Thank you for the opportunity to serve as your President, and I hope to see you soon. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me at DFrench@nthrive.com.
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