By: Deanna Matson, RHIA
HIM Healthcare Consultant
Have you ever sat and wondered how all the events that AzHIMA puts on throughout the year, year after year, get done? Have you ever wondered how the newsletter, the web page, the specialty meetings and the special events take shape? Have you ever thought that maybe, just maybe, you could contribute in some small, special, or significant way? If this sounds like you then now is the time to act.
As Deb Beisel-Denton stated to me recently “people think they have to be great speakers or be an expert on a subject to be involved, that is not true.” What AzHIMA needs most to keep the wheels turning and the education coming is for people to share what they enjoy and what they have a passion for.
This might mean you could write an article of interest for the newsletter, you might like to create puzzles or word games. Perhaps you like to bake and you would be willing to provide baked goods for a Coding Roundtable meeting. Maybe you have a desire to speak at a meeting on a topic of special interest to the membership at large. Or perhaps you have a special interest in helping to plan a meeting or annual event or to assist with the association web presence. No matter what your skill level or area of interest there is a place where you can contribute.
We are always our own worst critics. We often talk ourselves out of offering our services because we feel they have no value. Or we think we are not an “expert”. We do not need to be experts to participate. We just need a desire, a starting point, and willingness coupled with action to participate. We also need the opportunity. AzHIMA can be your opportunity to have your turn.
I encourage you to consider how much value you take away from the AzHIMA web page, publications and web or face-to-face meetings because “someone else” took the time to contribute. These members are not always experts. But they do shine!
Have you had a turn? I encourage you today to take the action needed to begin on your path of contribution. We all have something to contribute which will allow us all to shine!