Megan Mawhirter has been involved in health-information management locally for more than a decade and now her reach extends to the state level.

Mawhirter is Director of Health Information Management & Admissions at Pawnee Valley Community Hospital (PVCH). She was recently elected to a director position at the Kansas Health Information Management Association (KHIMA).

“Every healthcare encounter involves health information,” Mawhirter said. “There are so many pieces involved.

“Health information entails everything from the moment you check-in to the final invoice being sent,” she explained. “It encompasses the record of why a patient is here. There are so many moving parts to a patient visit.

“This is why a hospital or other healthcare facility needs to have someone trained to oversee the process. We must ensure we comply with all state and federal regulations.”

Mawhirter also works with PVCH Admissions to ensure all records are up-to-date. Other responsibilities include auditing records, and collaborating with attorneys, insurance companies and patients.

“The billing office and our health-information-management staff work together to assure accurate assignment of billing codes,” she noted.

KHIMA members are nurses, medical coders, billers, privacy officers and data specialists - anyone involved in the medical field.

“Members include so many different people, with so many skills and specialties,” said Mawhirter, who joined KHIMA in 2008 as a student. “The knowledge I have gained as part of this organization is incredible and my new contacts around the state are instrumental in expanding my knowledge base.”

Mawhirter advises the board of directors, while serving as chair of the KHIMA Audit Subcommittee and liaison to the Information Integrity Committee.

“I plan to share the knowledge I gain with the staff at Pawnee Valley Community Hospital and other facilities,” Mawhirter commented. “The more information I have the better we can serve our patients and staff.

“Also, I encourage students and professionals to join this great statewide organization.”

Pawnee Valley Community Hospital, 923 Carroll in Larned, is a 25-bed facility, offering many services not typically available in a smaller facility. Included are 24/7 emergency care; acute, skilled and specialized nursing; surgery; high-tech imaging and laboratory tests; wound care; rehabilitation; and sleep and diagnostic center. PVCH Family Medicine provides the full range of family-medicine services; physician-assisted weight loss; and women’s health services. The hospital’s number is 620-285-3161; the clinic’s number is 620-804-6007.