Let’s Hear From Stefanie…

Stefanie’s Health Information Journey

Stefanie started off as a scanner for her first project five years ago, which helped her develop a greater understanding of medical terminology and documents. She was then put on an eMPI project and learned more about healthcare systems and their role in accurate patient data. Her next project was for document indexing, which required more extensive medical knowledge to accurately label documents for effective retrieval in patient charts. She eventually became a lead on that indexing project and starter her path towards project management. The first project she managed was an indexing project for Mt Carmel, which lasted approximately ten weeks. She is currently the project manager for another indexing project for Yakima Valley Farm Workers Clinic that started in April 2021 with no concrete end date. Once she started working for e4health, she knew she wanted to grow and develop her career in health information management. She went back to school and got a degree in Healthcare Administration with a concentration in Health Information Management to help further her career. She has a growth mindset and continues to develop her skills and experience through hard work and guidance. Her journey has only just begun.

What made you decide to become a health information professional?

I was a stay-at-home mom for years efore getting hired at e4health. e4health offered training and opportunities for growth, which was exactly what I was looking for, but it was more than just the offers that made me apply to become a health information professional. When I was younger, one of my sisters was diagnoses with Peripheral T-Cell Lymphoma at the age of nineteen. The struggles and battles she had to face were not only within herself, but also with the healthcare facilities in charge of her treatment. She was handed off to so many different facilities and specialities that care coordination became a nightmare that impacted her health and recovery. Even to this day she struggles with receiving treatment due to the obstacles patients face from inadequate health information management. I want to be part of the change that helps facilities manage their patient health information data while ensuring compliance with regulations.

What is something that made you feel proud during your health information management career?

During my health information management career, the one thing that has made me feel proud is being able to work as a team towards a common goal. The healthcare industry is the largest and fastest growing industry in the world, which makes collaboration a necessity to ensure success. Health Information Management is constantly evolving with time and access to more advanced technology. Being part of a team working towards improving patient outcomes through accurate patient data for numerous facilities provides purpose and is rewarding work that I am proud to be part of.

Do you have a mentor or someone you look up to in the HIT world that supported or inspired you? 

Starting my career in health information management was a bumpy ride that was pushed along by the help and mentorship of different people. Geoff Deck was one of my first project managers and his leadership enabled me to grow and learn more through numerous questions. He never complained or ridiculed me for asking too many questions, which helped me build confidence in the work we were doing and later deveoped the groundwork necessary to advance in my career. Paige Vial is another person that has inspired me through their selfless actions and collaborative mindset.  Paige single-handedly helped numerous people (including myself) set up their equipment so we could work more efficiently and effectively. Another person that has supported me is Jim Eckel, who was the potential in me and made me lead on his project. His guidance and support have helped me grow in my current position as project manager. He continues to teach me new and better ways for reporting and is alwaays there to help support me. I wouldn’t be where I am today without the support and guidance from either of them so thanks for the continued support and inspiration.

What does being a health information management professional mean to you? 

Being a health information professional means I have the opportunity to either help improve or hinder patient outcomes. This career is more than just handling patient data since our actions as health information management professionals have an impact on patient care.

What makes you excited about the future of health information management?

I am excited to watch the advancement of health information management systems, which will revolutionize healthcare. We have already made leaps and bounds in health information management by transitioning to electronic medical records. Health information exchange networks are becoming more prominent through the years, which has helped further care coordination amongst providers. I am looking forward to a time when healthcare software systems are more regulated and have universal user interfaces, which will make it easier for healthcare professionals and patients to access records. Our role as health information management professionals will continue to be crucial for quality control, especially with the use of artificial intelligence. 

Stefanie has been an integral part of the organization for quite some time now, and hit the 5-year mark just recently, which is a major accomplishment. Stefanie joined us for a local onsite project, which had its own challenges, but has shined there and continues to do so leading several projects. She has rightfully earned her spot as one of our top project managers and truly dedicates her efforts to learning the project, the customer, and her team, supporting those efforts all the same. Stefanie has also grown her dedication to the profession by recently earning her bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration. 

 

– Todd Goughnour, Vice President of HIM, e4health