Opportunities come knocking

A couple of weeks ago, I was asked by my boss at the Tom Baker if I would train a correspondence student taking the Health Information Management Program (that is what we are now called HIM Professionals) for a couple of days in coding. I have been in training mode since May - sure why not? It is challenging as Tom Baker is strictly outpatients and they don't code and abstract their charts; but me muddle our way through and she received some understanding especially with neoplastic coding. It was nice chatting on the differences we would face comparing the acute care facilities to a Cancer facility. Tomorrow we are meeting at my lunch break to answer some questions she has to create a coding report as part of her practicum. She said she wished she had more time as she can ask questions based from my own experiences thus far. That was a nice compliment.

Lucky for me, Tom Baker is attached to Foothills, so I went on my lunch break to see how she was making out with the charts she was given. On the return to my office, I bumped into my first boss at Tom Baker - Kathie. She had done a short stinct at the local college (SAIT) in the HIM program before being recruited back to Tom Baker. The 3 new hires I am training currently in inpatient coding, were her students!! (small world). We chatted catching up - she is now working in the Finance Department and she is working on establishing coding NACRS (National Ambulatory Coding Reporting System -which is used in majority of the provinces except for Alberta - that will change in 2009 or 2010) for Tom Baker cancer clinics. Of course they will need coders, right? So I kidded with her - remember me when you need coders - her reply of course - here is my card, email me with my address. As I just read themselves, I shared some changes coming in our coding and abstracting for 2009 as well as shared that in Ontario the Cancer Care Centres have implemented a new data collection prefix that are mandatory. Funny - networking in the hallways of your own hospital!!

Kathie is such a knowledge and smart lady - talk about learning from someone in our field - she would be one of them. She is such a forward thinker - taking a proactive approach instead of reactive (backpedalling) approach. Just from that brief talk that I would good for being a trainer in something called NETCARE (a computer software linking documents electronically). I had shared that a couple of months ago, CIHI had a posting for a Classification Specialist (1 year contract) - I would be responsible for answering other coders coding queries, leading coding workshops etc. Told Kathie I didn't think I was qualified enough as majority of my coding experience is NACRS not Inpatient disciplines. Will admit, now that I have been training for a while now, and some of the feedback I have received, who knows it might be a door I will revisit in the future.

I still shake my head of what different opportunities that I have had the chance to try and see if it is me since my move to Calgary. Seems surreal really - as 4 years ago I learned that for whatever reason - I would not be able to advance further in my field (to be able to code inpatient charts) if I remained in Thunder Bay. With determination, prayer and persevance - doors opened and I was offered a position here in Calgary. I feel blessed everyday to be able to spread my wings and learn what confidence I have and what I can accomplish with that. Having the love and encouragement of my family and friends play into this too - Thank you everyone!!