Next week, 70+ AHDI members are traveling to Washington, DC, (most on their own dime) to meet with legislators and help to ensure our future in the electronic health record. These are involved members who care about our profession. There are many groups out there who would like to eliminate us from the future of healthcare documentation, and they will succeed if we allow them. We need to come together as a profession and convince the decision-makers that we ARE the healthcare documentation specialists and that we absolutely CANNOT be left out of the equation.

Active, vocal, involved associations are key to promoting their professions. Without the American Nurses Association, nurses would still be "stuck" in the 1940s, wearing short skirts and cute little caps, acting as glorified waitresses, and making minimum wage. Without the American Medical Association, physicians would not have the power that they do today. Without AHDI, today's working MTs would still be considered secretaries and would be unemployed in the very near future.

Please allow me to list some of the things that AHDI is doing for the working MT.
- helping to protect students from "predatory" schools by operating an approval process for MT educational programs
- promoting respect of our profession by encouraging credentialing and continuing education
- promoting education in emerging technology to prepare the MT workforce for the future
- maintaining dialog with the "decision-makers" (with events such as the Advocacy Summit, as described above) to convince them that we are essential
- developing tools such as the Book of Style and Benchmark KB to help MTs maintain documentation standards and increase production

And we can do more if we have more active members who bring their ideas to the table. There is strength in numbers, and we must make our numbers evident to those who are making the decisions about the future of our industry.

A few years ago, I believed I did not need to be part of AHDI (then AAMT). After learning all of the benefits of a professional association, I have gradually become more involved. In fact, a few day ago I submitted my application to appear on this year's ballot for the AHDI Board of Directors. I believe that each one of us has something to offer, and each one of us MUST become involved to protect the future of our profession. I feel an obligation to be involved and support the current efforts of AHDI and develop new ideas to accomplish things that we have not accomplished to date.

If AHDI is doing nothing for the working MT, who is? What are YOU doing for your profession? What are the critics of AHDI doing for their profession besides simply offering criticism? It is important for MTs to be aware of the ways that AHDI is working for them. The working MTs who believe that AHDI does nothing for them, and who don't think they should be active members (or even members for that matter) are the ones who are keeping all of us down. These are the same people who complain that they can't make a living on their current wages. The only solution to this dilemma is to unite with one voice and demonstrate to the industry that we are essential to the future of healthcare documentation.

I honestly hope that the reader, as an MT, can be open to this message and learn what you must do to protect your future. If you have any questions or comments about this post, PLEASE contact me. AHDI leaders are open to any CONSTRUCTIVE criticism offered, and any ideas to improve our chances of survival. We simply cannot hide behind the statement, "AHDI does nothing for the working MT." After all, who is AHDI? WE ARE!