MT Exchange

ADVANCE Perspective: HIM Go to Source The economy’s so far down the tubes, even health care’s feeling financial pains. I scan news sites for blog-worthy developments as part of my morning routine, and I’ve noticed that a frightening number of articles reporting hospital layoffs are popping up where those happy little ditties about job security [...]

Confessions of an HIM Student Go to Source Today we all woke up to freezing rain and frozen sidewalks. It was not a fun walk to class today to say the least. Thankfully we only had one class today, financial management, which I actually was on time for despite our unfortunate weather conditions. I also [...]

MT Connections Go to Source How’s that New Year’s resolution coming along? Did you have one, several, or a long list as we welcomed 2009? According to experts, if you do something different for 21 days, it becomes a habit. Did that work for you? It’s been over 21 days since New Year’s so hopefully [...]

ADVANCE Perspective: HIM Go to Source I usually like to share a newsworthy item or intriguing tidbit on our staff blog, but today I’m in the mood for some personal griping. Despite my daily immersion in health care at the office, I’ve had limited experience with hospitals outside of work. My immediate family has a [...]

The XY Files in an MT World Go to Source As someone who has spent a fair amount of time over the years perusing online MT forums, I’ve learned that if there’s one thing you can count on in such venues, it’s the chronic naysayer. For these folks, the glass isn’t just half empty, it [...]

Passage Go to Source I transcribe acute care, heavily skewed toward ICU patients, STAT admissions, Code Blue events, and emergency procedures. Many of these patients are frequent flyers, meaning they’re in often and usually for a long time. Some are 90 years old, some are homeless drunks with liver failure, noncompliant diabetics, smokers with their [...]

HIM Transitions Go to Source I am constantly learning how to do a better job instructing in the classroom. This is particularly challenging for those students who are accustomed to the traditional classroom setting. They are used to face-to-face communication with the instructor. Students get weekly personal attention and we discuss any questions they might [...]

I had someone gush this week that I’m a guru. Wanna know why? I read the help file. Yes, that’s all it took. Someone asked for help with something, I didn’t know the answer – so I read the application help file. If that’s all it takes to be a guru – and there’s lots [...]

ADVANCE Perspective: HIM Go to Source We all complain about health insurance, but oh how reassuring it is to tote an insurance card in your wallet. I remember counting the days until my coverage kicked in; after graduating from college, I was promptly dropped from my parents’ plan and was flying sans-security until I found [...]

ADVANCE Perspective: HIM Go to Source Editor’s Note: This is a guest blog written by Scott Warner, MLT(ASCP), laboratory manager at a critical access hospital. It gives HIM professionals a peek into the “other side” of HIT implementation.  We should be paperless by now. We have computers, interfaces, scanners and nursing point-of-care software.  It should be easy. [...]