I had the pleasure of attending the annual California Health Information Conference in Long Beach, California, as an attendee and as a speaker, last week. For health information management (HIM) professionals, this event covers all aspects of the field, from release of information to data governance, revenue cycle, data analytics, privacy/security, compliance, coding, documentation, and oh yes, artificial intelligence (AI) – all in a powerful educational format. The “CHIACON 25,” as it was labeled, was two and half days last week (Monday to Wednesday) filled with learning, refreshing, enhancing, and building community. With the “LEAD” tagline, the “L” stands for Leadership, “E” for Education, “A” for Advocacy, and “D” for Discovery.
The conference atmosphere was full of attendee energy and knowledge-sharing, which could be seen and heard everywhere. The opening keynote was Chris Atley, who spoke on “Infinite Well-Being to Connect and LEAD.” Another highlight was the live session of Talk Ten Tuesdays held at the convention on Tuesday morning, with Dr. James Kennedy and Rose Dunn.
With that, my first takeaway was the finer points of AI in healthcare – understandable, considering all the attention given to this technology of late. Many presenters included aspects of AI within their subject or topic. In addition, many shared current solutions and opportunities that AI presents, and also what AI can offer within our changing healthcare world. There was standing room only for the presentation by Susan H. Fenton, PhD, who spoke on “Preparing for the AI-Driven Future.” Another presentation covered how to leverage ChatGPT in healthcare. There was plenty of news and ideas regarding AI, but there was also a strong feeling that there need to be guardrails on AI, whether this regulatory-based or individual hospitals and practices setting up AI governance through policies and procedures. Ultimately, AI was talked about as being a “tool” for healthcare and for HIM, but not as a job substitution.
The second key takeaway, in my mind, was behavioral health and population health. Subjects within these two domains included pediatric suicide, real-life evacuations, homelessness, lessons learned from patient health outcomes, and healthcare data on maternal health, to mention just a few. Professionals working in the areas of behavioral health and population health shared their insights into the challenges and solutions that they have found.
The third key takeaway was that of clinical documentation, coding, and querying, which is still a very important part of revenue cycle and compliance. Maintaining compliance with the AHIMA/ACDIS Physician Query Practice Brief titled “Guidelines for Achieving a Compliant Physician Query Practice” was clearly front and center, and many shared that this is their go-to resource and must-follow guidance. It is well-known that this Practice Brief is fully established as the gold standard to follow across all healthcare settings. New coding-related technology such as computer-assisted coding was discussed, along with ethics and compliance. The pressure that coding staff feel in meeting certain metrics and goals also brought lots of interest and sharing. Much of this pressure comes with the dependence and connection of coding to reimbursement or payment. Even now, with years of having the electronic health record (EHR), which certainly makes documentation legible, we are still challenged with provider clinical documentation gaps, inconsistencies, missing encounter details, and clinical validation holes. Obtaining the true patient encounter story through compliant documentation and ethical coding was on everyone’s mind, with interest in hearing about solutions to ongoing issues. My presentation was titled “Old and New Querying and Medical Coding Conundrums … What to do?” I also discussed the importance of ethics and compliance. And for those of you deep into medical coding, there was a Preconference CCS Prep tutorial offered, and also a Clinical Coding Symposium that was held.
Fourth on my list of key takeaways pertained to the “Exhibit” area of the conference, which was very informative, engaging, and really reflective of a spirit of community. Many vendors (companies), colleges, and universities presented their products, services, and programs in a positive and open forum. There was lots of chatter on the exhibit floor and sharing of thoughts and ideas. There also were some reunions and hugging around the room between colleagues and peers who had not seen each other in many years. We also had the opportunity to view and discuss new innovations with companies, which was refreshing and exciting.
The fifth takeaway was the professional community itself that a conference like CHIACON showcases. Leadership encircled the community, with many “Nice vs. Kind” discussions within workforce development. With the impact of COVID still on the edges and so much of our healthcare world now being remote, we’ve lost some of that inner, deep connection with colleagues and peers within the professional arena, our workforce, and even society. Holding on to the feeling of fellowship with others who often share common attitudes, goals, aspirations, and interests is a wonderful connection.
In summary, CHIACON is a terrific educational opportunity for those in the fields of revenue cycle and HIM. Continuing education opportunities and connecting with peers was in the ocean air in Long Beach.
I’m now thinking about 2026, and yes, the next CHIACON will be in south San Francisco, officially titled “CHIACON26: Ignite Innovation by the Bay – LEAD the Way Through Golden Gateways.” I love that tagline.
I would recommend thinking about submitting a proposal to speak in 2026; the call for presenters will go out in a few weeks. Otherwise, plan a June visit to the Bay Area for an unforgettable learning experience that strengthens professional community connections – with even some fun thrown in.
About the author:
Gloryanne Bryant is retired but continues to speak, write, and consult on a part-time basis. She has participated in Talk Ten Tuesday many times since its inception.
EDITOR’S NOTE:
The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of MedLearn Media. We provide a platform for diverse perspectives, but the content and opinions expressed herein are the author’s own. MedLearn Media does not endorse or guarantee the accuracy of the information presented. Readers are encouraged to critically evaluate the content and conduct their own research. Any actions taken based on this article are at the reader’s own discretion.
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