An Organization’s Progress Depends on Empowering Individuals
I’ve often been asked what I attribute to my leadership success. My response includes empowering people, advocating for change, and establishing common ground. In the tapestry of progress, the threads of empowerment, advocacy, and common ground weave the fabric of a resilient society and profession.
By empowering individuals, we untangle the knots of limitation; through advocacy, we amplify voices and issues that might otherwise not be heard or realized; and on common ground, we build bridges that connect diverse perspectives, fostering a collective strength that propels us forward into a future of shared prosperity. This is my hope for health information (HI) professionals and AHIMA.
As the president/chair of AHIMA, it is crucial to embody a forward-looking and future-focused mindset while also reflecting on the journey and factors that have brought me to this pinnacle point in my career.
I am a Texan, born and raised. Like many others, the HI profession found me. My undergraduate studies started in the nursing school at Texas Woman’s University (TWU) in Denton, TX, for three reasons: I wanted to help people, the institution had one of the best nursing programs in the world, and I wanted job security. However, as I progressed in my studies and completed my first clinical rotation, I realized direct patient care was not my calling. I mentioned my dilemma to one of my sorority sisters, Dr. Barbara Odom-Wesley, who was on the faculty and chairperson of the health information management program.
And the rest is history. I have been in the profession for close to 39 years. After completing my undergraduate degree, I earned a master’s in healthcare administration from TWU. I also earned a master's in rehabilitation counseling from Coppin State University (CSU), in Baltimore, MD, and, in 2021, graduated with a PhD in psychometrics from Morgan State University in Baltimore.
I moved to Maryland in 1993, where I continued to practice in acute care hospitals. In 2006, I was afforded the opportunity to pursue a bachelor’s degree in health information management at CSU, which is the only accredited bachelor’s degree in Maryland. In 2021, CSU started offering a master’s degree. I am very proud of our graduates who are now leading and managing HI departments and working in public health and research across the Maryland, Washington, DC, and Virginia regions. We must empower and prepare our emerging leaders in HI to advance this profession beyond what we could imagine.
My past and current professional and volunteer activities include serving as an active Maryland Health Information Management Component Association member since 2004. I served on its board as president, president-elect, secretary, treasurer, delegate, director, and chair of education, nomination, and the annual meeting. I have chaired the Council for Excellence in Education, the AHIMA fellowship program, and the organization’s nominating committee. I’ve been a member of the AHIMA Advocacy & Policy Council and Professional Ethics Committee, the Journal of AHIMA Editorial Advisory Council, and a CAHIIM Accreditation Peer Reviewer.
Locally, I have participated in the West Baltimore Primary Care Access Collaborative Sub Workgroup and was a mentor for two P-Tech workforce development programs in high schools in Baltimore and Prince Georges County. Volunteerism has provided me with a solid foundation that empowers my professional growth and endeavors and has enabled me to give back to the profession that has sustained me.
The Path Forward
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the healthcare ecosystem; it is not business as usual. The skills and knowledge HI professionals possess help position AHIMA to address some of the biggest challenges in healthcare.
We need to continue forging ahead in advocating for change in policies and legislation that impact privacy, security, management, and accessibility of health data; evaluating and considering different approaches to education and how we can rebrand our certifications and elevate our profession; and making sure our product lines are sustainable, accessible, and relevant to our members and other disciplines.
The AHIMA Board of Directors is finalizing our next strategic plan to guide these efforts, with the recent acquisition of HCPro complementing this work through its products and services. As the new strategies are rolling out, we will focus on:
- Building brand and increasing influence;
- Elevating and broadening the profession;
- Demonstrating exceptional financial stewardship; and
- Embedding culture and values in our daily work.
More information regarding the strategic plan will be shared soon. I look forward to this exciting work and collaborating with my fellow HI professionals in bringing it to fruition.
Mona Calhoun, PhD, MS, Med, RHIA, FAHIMA, is the president/chair of the AHIMA Board of Directors. She also serves as the chair of the HIM program at Coppin State University in Baltimore.