Kimberly Lee, M.Ed., RHIA, CCS-P
Biography
I recently retired in 2020 from a full-time tenured position at Tacoma Community College (TCC) after thirteen years of teaching online in both associate and baccalaureate HIM programs. I still find tremendous joy in mentoring HIM students. I have been in the HIM profession for 29 years. My HIM experience is extensive and I have worked in various positions in the healthcare arena from project manager, senior coding consultant, auditor, and implementation of EHRs. I have also held previous credentials of CPC and ICD-10-CM/PCS Train the Trainer. I am active in HIM by working with CAHIIM as a peer reviewer, writing HIM articles for various organizations, and serving as the WSHIMA Director of Advocacy & Collaboration.
Hear from Kimberly Lee
Position Statement Question
What makes you uniquely qualified to serve on the AHIMA Board of Directors?
AHIMA’s core values are central to the success of AHIMA. Integrity is a fundamental quality for AHIMA to build trust, credibility, and accountability in supporting AHIMA’s mission. Moreover, it requires the AHIMA Board of Directors to share information in an open and honest format to ensure that our members trust the Board to engage in informed decision-making. The AHIMA Board must encourage empowerment and collaboration while encouraging diverse perspectives and creating a space where everyone feels comfortable sharing ideas. AHIMA must clearly define its “big ideas” with boldness and direction. These big ideas must be prioritized to ensure focused action. Equally important in pursuing these challenges is to be cognizant of the potential and negative impacts on our members. AHIMA must be bold and advocate for change around data and evidence to build stronger support and gain broader buy-in from its members. No organization does this alone and AHIMA must seek partnerships with individuals, groups, and organizations who share AHIMA’s goals and try to amplify that impact in the health information arena. AHIMA cannot be complacent and wait for others to steer the direction of AHIMA. AHIMA must be ready to adapt and adjust to this ever-changing technological climate. AHIMA must also recognize the diverse voices that influence health information. Creating an inclusive environment is an ongoing process and AHIMA must continue this journey in ensuring that we create an atmosphere of diverse perspectives and listen to understand them, even if they differ from our own. We must encourage dialogue and be aware of our own unconscious biases. AHIMA must continually reflect on the cultural biases at AHIMA and work to challenge them, so that AHIMA can move forward to ensure that all Americans have equitable healthcare.