Greetings From Loretta
Dear Members:
I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself. My name is Loretta Foulkrod. I have been involved with AAMT / AHDI since its inception in 1978. I was a transcription manager in California at the time when Ronald Reagan signed our Charter for the Association as Governor, and lived through his signage of the AAMT Medical Transcription Week Proclamation when he was President of the United States. I am currently completing the CRAHDI Delegate’s position for Judy Mauldin, which will end November 2011. First of all, Judy, thank you for serving.
It is with great honor and humility that I represent North and South Carolina as a delegate. I owe my re-activation to our Regional President, DeLayce Hudak. She telephoned me at work one afternoon stating the CRAHDI-BOD had voted on Greenville, SC as the site for their next Fall Symposium and wondered if we could get together. Her dedication to our profession reminded me of my own about ten years ago. While she was visiting, she mentioned to me that the National AHDI-BOD was going to be holding one of its meetings in Charlotte, NC and having an open-panel discussion with all regional members invited to attend. I had to call her another time just to check that it was a national BOD meeting, as this was something new and different from what I remembered in the past. I recalled the AAMT-BOD meetings were usually “closed”. This new transparency in governance ignited my interest. On a Friday evening after work, I headed from Greenville, SC to Charlotte, NC. I knew there was going to be a snow storm, but I was determined to be there. Little did I know it was going to be the worst snow storm of the Winter. The roads were eventually closed [85], but I wasn’t going to let a little snow stop me from checking out this new way my professional association was conducting business. As it turned out, I was the only person from the region who made it to the meeting, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Early on Saturday morning, I had the opportunity to sit down with Peter only to find out we were both former New Yorkers. [In the 1980s, I had served as the AAMT-NY-NJ Delegate for two terms.] The more I listened, the more that small morsel of inner light within me began to grow [like The Grinch Who Stole Christmas]. When I left Charlotte, I sent a “thank-you email” to Peter Preziosi, Susan Lucci & Sherry Doggett and told them if there was anything or anywhere my skill set could be utilized, to please let me know. Remember the phrase, “Be Careful What You Wish For?” – well, not in the least. I have been extremely blessed since that meeting. I was invited to be involved with the AHDI Legislative Issues Group and went to Washington, DC in March to the Advocacy Summit, was invited to participate in the AHDI Compliance Advisory Council and proofed and provided comments on The Best Practices Manual published and released at MTIA in April of this year, attended the GREATEST Regional BOD meetings for CRAHDI [they are all a FANTASTIC group of people – again, thank you for serving DeLayce, Suzanne, Barb, Wanda, Andria and Brenda], asked to join the AHDI Managers/Supervisors group, once the manual was completed to join The AHDI Ethics Committee, and graciously voted to YOUR position of delegate.
As we all begin thinking about ACE [to be held the first week of August in Austin, TX], the HOD is focusing on restructuring our organization to engage the membership more, to bring financial stability, to consolidate services, and to transform us in to a “purpose-driven organization”, as Peter would say. I cannot say enough great things about the current leadership of AHDI! We are all seeking YOUR input at the Town Hall Component meetings.
Thank you all for everything you do, every day!! You have a very difficult job and if anyone appreciates what you do, it is me. This is my 40th year in medical transcription. It is because of my profession I have been blessed with many wonderful opportunities – from teaching college for 3-1/2 years, owning my own company – we did “editing” in 1993 for overseas transcriptionists, worked as a HIM director at three different facilities, worked as a healthcare consultant providing HIM, HIPAA & JCAHO accreditation consulting services, and as a transcription manager. I invite you to invest in yourself as much as you possibly can, because you never know what adventure lies ahead in your journey.
If there is anything I can do for you as your delegate, please feel free to contact me.
Best Regards,
Loretta Foulkrod, 2010 Delegate for CRAHDI
Lfoulkrod0028@gmail.com
864-991-7198 [mobile]