Vision 2010: No Limits!

I recently had the pleasure and responsibility of introducing my vision for 2010 when I have the honor of being AHDI president. My remarks were given at ACE, after the Integrity Awards, during the "after" party. In case you weren't there, I would like to share my message:
Picture this: Yours truly dressed as a road construction flagger, I called a halt to the music and dancing to ask, "WHAT are you thinking? You KNOW healthcare is under construction! Heaven knows healthcare documentation is a work in progress, but you have just sped on ahead with all that you are doing!
Carrie Boatman, President of AHDI-West (a 7-state regional component): Has no one explained to you that there are state lines and boundary limits?
Lynette Shipp, President of Arkansas-AHDI: Did you not notice the "no trespassing" signs on those 12 or so military bases you have visited over the past few months?
Kathy, "used-to-be-Rockel", the new Mrs Nichols: Did no one warn you of the dangers of international travel?
Brenda Hurley! (Speaker of the HOD): There are speed signs all over, but I don't see you slowing down one bit!
And students! Has no one made it clear that there are only 24 hours in a day??
As I chastized for the seeming inattention to limits, my cell phone rang. It was Austin calling. You know, Austin, Texas, where next year's annual convention will be?
In speaking with Cynthia Alder, president of Texas-AHDI, it turns out that for music in Austin, we can have anything we want. For lunch choices, well, Austin has everything. In fact, Austin is a city of every culture, every flavor, every color. Austin has No Limits!
As your AHDI president in 2010, I would challenge you to consider that we have no limits on our profession, on our association or on each of us personally as to what we can achieve with together.
We have so much work ahead of us; heaven knows that, too. Our message MUST be crystal clear and spoken with ONE voice: That the preservation of the narrative story of every patient's healthcare encounter matters to their healthcare.
We must not use our time to squabble over structure or commas or tablecloth colors because we realize this week more clearly than ever that time is short for us to relay that message for the future of our profession and quality healthcare.
I challenge each of us to consider moving outside ourselves and not keep asking, "What's in it for me?" but rather "What is in it for our profession and our future?"
We must pursue a credentialed profession, not because it might mean 4 cents more per line somewhere down the road or allow MTSO services to charge more for work done, but because our professional body of knowledge and critical thinking skills deserve it and quality healthcare documentation deserve it.
I know first hand what levels of knowledge and intelligence we bring to our jobs every day that we work. But I also know that we use our hearts. Is there any one of us not touched with the healthcare story of a small child with an undeserved broken arm, or an elderly patient receiving comforting hospice care, or a young man or woman with a positive, hopeful cancer prognosis?
I invite you to open your hearts and stand with me next year to consider how we might impact hungry children in our communities.
I also ask each one of you to consider what kind of impact you and your collegues are making on our profession. Are we moving ahead to higher levels of professionalism and expertise? As each year turns to the next, are we leaving our profession a better place by virtue of our involvement and care?
I challenge each one of you to continue with me this journey that has no limits. We'll throw away the stop signs and cautionary notices. It's going to be full speed ahead, and I hope to see everyone one of you and more next year in Austin!