American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA)

Problems Solved: Obsolescent Need to Adopt Communities of Practice, Losing Competitive Position.		Strategic Focus: Crafting and Leading/Navigating Change, Crafting/Executing Strategy, Transforming Organizational Culture, Developing Staff/Organizational Culture.
Thought Leader and Project Manager: Donald M. Norris, Rhea Blanken, Allen Liff, Ann Kenworthy

AHIMA represents 40,000 professionals serving the information needs of U.S. healthcare systems, as manifested in managing, analyzing, and utilizing the data used in patients' records. Strategic Initiatives has guided AHIMA in its two-year initiative to reinvent its relationship with members, customers and stakeholders and to establish AHIMA's position as the recognized leader in defining the body of knowledge for health information management (HIM).

Strategic Initiatives' assistance included visioning, strategic planning, expeditionary product development, implementation, and development of staff and board capabilities. AHIMA has invested substantially in Web and portal infrastructure, which it has used to transform from a governance-centric to a community-centric model. New relationships with members are being crafted through these communities. AHIMA has developed new learning applications, a defined body of knowledge for the profession, an iconic textbook for HIM, and other learning and knowledge products.

As a result of these efforts, AHIMA has established a leadership position in defining the health information management profession and its place in the heath care industry.