Idaho State University Health Information Technology Program

Idaho State University Health Information Technology Program The ISU HIT program is accredited by CAHIIM, is a HIMSS Academic Organizational Affiliate, and a Top

🐾 Happy & Faculty Takeover Wrap-Up! 🐾It feels incredible to be back home in Idaho after an empowering two days at the ...
03/18/2026

🐾 Happy & Faculty Takeover Wrap-Up! 🐾

It feels incredible to be back home in Idaho after an empowering two days at the AHIMA 2026 Advocacy Summit in Washington, DC! As I officially wrap up this takeover, I’m reflecting on my journey wearing three hats: as a Clinical Assistant Professor for our AAS in HIT and ITC in Medical Coding programs, as the IdHIMA President-elect, and as a health information consultant.

My mission this week was to show our lawmakers that health information (HI) is the most powerful currency for change in healthcare. I had the honor of taking the concerns of Idaho’s students, professionals, and patients directly to Senator Mike Crapo and Senator Jim Risch.

Why Does This Advocacy Matter to Idaho?

✅ For our Students: I am fighting for the federal funding and scholarships you need to enter this high-impact field. Your education in our AAS and ITC programs is the first step toward having a seat at the national table.

✅ For our Professionals: A recent study found that 66% of HI professionals reported understaffing, leading to burnout and turnover. By presenting H.R. 2002, the MATCH IT Act, I advocated for a national strategy to reduce the manual burden of correcting duplicate records, allowing you to focus on high-level data governance.

✅ For our Patients: We are all patients eventually. I advocated for the Advancing Non-Clinical Artificial Intelligence in Health Care Act of 2026 to ensure that as 52% of organizations increase AI use, there is always a "human in the loop" to protect the accuracy and privacy of your health story.

Graduating from our program doesn't just get you a job — it can get you involved in the very heart of healthcare policy by volunteering with your health information state association, such as IdHIMA, as well as nationally with AHIMA. Whether it’s solving the patient identification crisis or leading the AI revolution, our students are trained to be the leaders healthcare needs.

💬 Our Fall 2026 cohort is waiting for healthcare professionals like you! What part of the HI profession excites you the most — the technology, the advocacy, or the patient safety? If you’re ready to start your journey, contact us at 208-282-2622 or [email protected]! 🐾📊

Thank you for following along with me in D.C.! It has been an honor to represent the Bengal spirit and the Idaho HI profession on the national stage. 🏛️🥔

Signing off from this Faculty Takeover,

Mona P. Doan, MS, RHIA, CCS-P

I hope to see YOU in the classroom! 🐅

🍀 Happy St. Patrick’s Day! 🍀Today’s the day to wear green, follow the rainbow, and maybe even find a pot of gold! But wh...
03/18/2026

🍀 Happy St. Patrick’s Day! 🍀

Today’s the day to wear green, follow the rainbow, and maybe even find a pot of gold! But what about some fun medical codes to go along with your celebrations? If medical coders documented some of these St. Patrick’s Day scenarios, here are the codes you might see:

🍀 R11.0 – Nausea from too many green beverages ("I swear, it’s just the shamrock shake…")

🍀 T63.431A – Acute exposure to leprechaun magic (Warning: May cause sudden luck and mischief!)

🍀 F41.9 – Generalized anxiety from the fear of finding the end of the rainbow ("Wait, do I get to keep the gold?")

🍀 Z63.5 – Disruption due to excessive St. Patrick’s Day fun ("Too much Irish dancing... can’t walk straight!")

🍀 Z72.0 – Problems with overindulgence in St. Patrick’s Day treats ("I think I’ve eaten enough green food to turn into a leprechaun!")

So today, as you celebrate with friends, family, and a bit of St. Patrick's Day magic, remember that health information helps keep all that data safe, accurate, and accessible!

🍀 Interested in making your mark in this essential field? Our online Health Information Technology program can guide you to a career full of opportunities. No luck needed! Start your journey today! Contact us at 208-282-2622 or [email protected] to learn more.

And that’s a wrap on Hill Day 2026! 🏁Today we represented every Idaho HI student, professional, and patient in the offic...
03/17/2026

And that’s a wrap on Hill Day 2026! 🏁

Today we represented every Idaho HI student, professional, and patient in the offices of our nation's leaders.

By presenting both the MATCH IT Act and the Non-Clinical AI Act to Senator Crapo, and Senator Risch, we’ve made it clear: Health Information is vital to the safety and success of our state.

Whether I’m in the classroom, leading IdHIMA, or consulting in the field, my goal remains the same: ensuring that your health information is accurate, accessible, and secure.

Ready to join the movement? Our AAS in HIT and ITC in Medical Coding programs are training the leaders who will manage these very policies. 🎓✨

💬 Ready to start your career at the intersection of healthcare and tech? 📞 Contact us at 208-282-2622 or [email protected].

Final meeting of the day with Senator Jim Risch's office! We focused on American leadership in technology and the protec...
03/17/2026

Final meeting of the day with Senator Jim Risch's office! We focused on American leadership in technology and the protection of Idaho’s healthcare data.

The Advocacy:

🚨 The MATCH IT Act: We highlighted that patient misidentification leads to potential HIPAA breaches. As an HI professional, I see the risk to privacy when data isn't matched correctly. This bill is a win for both privacy and security.

🚨The Non-Clinical AI Act: We discussed the White House AI Action Plan and the need for American technological dominance. We urged the Senator to support non-clinical AI that addresses workforce shortages in rural health systems while maintaining data integrity.

The Takeaway:

⚠ For Students: We are advocating for federal grants and scholarships to help you enter this high-demand field.

⚠ For Patients: As we all partake in healthcare, we want a system that is efficient, secure, and utilizes the best technology safely.

💬 We are wrapping up our legislative work! If you could tell Senator Risch one thing about your healthcare data, what would it be? Leave a comment! 👇🏙️

Our first stop was with Senator Mike Crapo's office!The Advocacy:🚨 The MATCH IT Act: We discussed how accurate patient m...
03/17/2026

Our first stop was with Senator Mike Crapo's office!

The Advocacy:

🚨 The MATCH IT Act: We discussed how accurate patient matching is foundational to Value-Based Care. Without it, we see increased claims denials and operational inefficiencies.

🚨 The Non-Clinical AI Act: I spoke as an educator, emphasizing that 75% of our workforce needs upskilling to succeed with AI. We asked for federal support for programs like our AAS and ITC to ensure our students can oversee these tools rather than being replaced by them.

The Impact:

⚠ For Professionals: This legislation addresses the technical burden and oversight needs reported by professionals using AI tools today.

⚠ For Patients: We are advocating for AI that is free from bias and pursues objective truth.

💬 AI is changing healthcare. Do you think we need more human oversight of technology? Tell us your thoughts (🧐 or 🛡️) in the comments!

🏛️ HILL DAY 2026: Let’s Get to Work! 🏛️The sun is up over the Capitol, and the Idaho delegation is ready! Today, I am ta...
03/17/2026

🏛️ HILL DAY 2026: Let’s Get to Work! 🏛️

The sun is up over the Capitol, and the Idaho delegation is ready! Today, I am taking our state's voice directly to the halls of Congress. I’m wearing three hats today: as a Clinical Assistant Professor training the next generation of HI professionals, as IdHIMA's President-elect advocating on behalf of the profession, and as an HI Consultant navigating the complexities of our current healthcare system.

We have a packed schedule with Senator Mike Crapo, and Senator Jim Risch and their staff. Our goal is simple: to advocate for the quality, integrity, and safety of Idaho’s health information.

Our Asks:

🚨 H.R. 2002, the MATCH IT Act of 2025: Creating a national strategy for accurate patient identification.

🚨Advancing Non-Clinical Artificial Intelligence in Health Care Act of 2026: Ensuring AI implementation is safe, transparent, and supports a worker-first agenda.

💬 We are heading to our first meeting! Drop a 🥔 or a “Go IdHIMA!” in the comments to show our lawmakers you're with us!

Wrapping up the afternoon discussing the AI Revolution in healthcare. While 52% of organizations plan to increase AI use...
03/16/2026

Wrapping up the afternoon discussing the AI Revolution in healthcare. While 52% of organizations plan to increase AI use this year, we’ve learned that AI cannot replace the human expert.

The Takeaway:

✅ As an Educator: This is why we are advocating for federal funding for rapid upskilling programs. Our HIT students need to be trained not just how to code medical records, but to supervise the AI that assists them.

✅ For Professionals: AI tools like Computer-Assisted Coding (used by 83% of departments) can improve productivity, but they also require increased oversight to prevent errors.

✅ As a Consultant: I see AI as a tool to alleviate the burnout caused by understaffing, but we must maintain a "Human in the Loop" protocols to ensure data integrity.

💬 AI is here! 🤖 Are you more excited about its ability to reduce busy work or concerned about its accuracy? Let’s debate in the comments! 🚀 vs 🧐

One of the most critical sessions of the day: Patient Identification and Matching.The Facts:⚠ For Professionals: Two-thi...
03/16/2026

One of the most critical sessions of the day: Patient Identification and Matching.

The Facts:

⚠ For Professionals: Two-thirds of HI professionals report understaffing, and manual record matching is one of the most time-consuming tasks we face.

⚠ As IdHIMA President-elect: We are specifically asking our Idaho lawmakers to support HR 2002, the MATCH IT Act, to create a national strategy for accurate patient identification.

⚠ For Patients: Inaccurate matching leads to duplicate records and overlays (where your data is mixed with someone else’s). This is a major safety risk.

💬 Safety starts with knowing who the patient is! Comment "MATCH IT" if you support a national strategy to stop medical record mix-ups! 🛡️📑

Did you know that Idaho’s health data is part of a global conversation? We’re hearing from Sue Bowman about AHIMA’s role...
03/16/2026

Did you know that Idaho’s health data is part of a global conversation? We’re hearing from Sue Bowman about AHIMA’s role with the World Health Organization and how global decisions impact us here at home.

The Global Perspective:

✅ As an Educator: I’m already looking at how our curriculum will need to evolve to prepare students for these international standards.

✅ As a Consultant: I am closely monitoring the transition to ICD-11. It’s about more than just new codes; it’s about making sure the administrative and clinical data can talk to each other on a global scale.

✅ For Patients: A global standard means that if you travel or move abroad, your health story is still understood by the doctors treating you.

💬 ICD-11 is on the horizon! Professionals, are you feeling ready for the next big coding transition? Let’s hear your ICD-11 thoughts! 🌍📊

Data is more than just clinical — it’s social. We are currently discussing the importance of Trust when collecting Socia...
03/16/2026

Data is more than just clinical — it’s social. We are currently discussing the importance of Trust when collecting Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) data.

The Deep Dive:

⚠ For Students: In our HIT program, we emphasize that accurate coding of social risk factors is a vital part of building a patient's longitudinal record.

⚠ For Professionals: SDOH factors (like housing and food security) impact up to 80% of health outcomes; however, capturing this is a challenge. We need global standards to ensure this data is used for care coordination, not for stigmatization or discrimination.

⚠ For Patients: Sharing your personal challenges with a provider requires immense trust. We are advocating for policies that ensure your data is kept private and used only to connect you with the resources you need.

💬 Do you think your ZIP code has as much impact on your health as your genetic code? Share your thoughts (and your emojis 🏠🌳🍎) in the comments!

We just heard a powerful keynote on the CMS Interoperability Framework. Interoperability is the ability for different sy...
03/16/2026

We just heard a powerful keynote on the CMS Interoperability Framework. Interoperability is the ability for different systems to share data so that the meaning remains unaltered.

Why This Matters:

⚠ For Students: Our HIT program focuses on Standards and Interoperability because you will be the ones managing these two-way electronic data exchanges in the future.

⚠ For Professionals: Better information flow reduces the manual burden of phone calls and faxes. As a consultant, I see how much time is wasted on data chasing — this framework aims to fix that.

⚠ For Patients: Timely access to your health info is a right, not a privilege. We are advocating for a system where your records move with you — no more carrying paper files from one specialist to another.

💬 Give this post a "Like" if you’ve ever had to wait days (or weeks!) for a medical record to be transferred! Let’s show CMS we need faster data exchange! 👍💻

The sun is up in D.C., and we are officially hitting the ground running at the Policy Institute! 🏛️ We started the morni...
03/16/2026

The sun is up in D.C., and we are officially hitting the ground running at the Policy Institute! 🏛️ We started the morning with a deep-dive training session on Capitol Hill Day.

My Three-Hat Perspective:

✅ As an Educator: I’m taking notes on the legislative process to bring back to my AAS and Medical Coding students. Understanding how a bill like the MATCH IT Act becomes law is just as important as learning to code a diagnosis.

✅ As IdHIMA President-elect: I’m coordinating with our Advocacy Director to ensure we are ready to tell Idaho’s story to Senator Crapo and Senator Risch tomorrow.

✅ As a Consultant: I know that the red tape discussed in the 2026 Advocacy Agenda isn't just a talking point — it's a daily hurdle for the facilities I work with.

💬 We are practicing our elevator pitches for Congress! If you had 30 seconds with a Senator, what is the #1 healthcare issue you’d want them to fix? Tell me below! 👇

Address

921 S. 8th Avenue
Pocatello, ID
83209

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm

Telephone

+12082822800

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Idaho State University Health Information Technology Program posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category