I was informed yesterday that I had been elected to the CDIA (formerly MTIA, Medical Transcription Industry Association) board of directors.

Now, more than ever before, influencers in healthcare documentation decisions need to hear how our industry is a critical part of the formula for success. They need to hear how little the transcription service costs when compared to the value of a physician’s time. They need to hear how many corrections transcriptionists make to dictated reports by catching errors. They need to hear how studies show that point-and-click reports lack the richness of a free flowing narrative and also tend to obscure the critical observations with excessive template text. They need to hear how patients only get a few precious minutes with their provider, and they don’t want that time buried in a computer screen. Most importantly, those influencers need to hear that the medical transcription industry is completely on board with the broad objectives of structured medical records and that we are the safest, most expedient path to realize those goals. And, naturally, we need to welcome related service activities into our association while our members diversify their scope of services by adapting to the post-HITECH era.

I appreciate the confidence my peers have placed in me, and I will commit myself to collaborating with them to help refine and promote these messages.