August 2024 Member Spotlight
Sarah Blalock, RHIA
Professional Shares
Where do you work and what is your job title?
I work at UAMS as a Senior Clinical Application Analyst.
How long have you been a member of ArHIMA?
I’ve been a member of ArHIMA since 2016. I joined while I was still in the HIM program at Arkansas Tech. Dr. Melinda Wilkins strongly encouraged us to become active early.
What certification types have you received or are seeking to receive?
I currently have my RHIA and several Epic Systems application certifications, including: Epic Cadence, Prelude, Referrals and Authorizations, and Decision Trees.
I’ve considered trying to get my CHDA (Certified Health Data Analyst) from AHIMA or my PMP (Project Management Professional) from the Project Management Institute.
Which college/university did you attend?
Arkansas Tech University
What made you decide to pursue a career in HIM?
I had worked in I.T. for several years when I found out my employer was moving all of their IT Operations out of state. IT is a very broad field, and I knew I would be more hirable if I worked in a specialized industry. I already had a friend who worked in HIM (Shout out to Mr. Elijah Blackburn, RHIA, CHPS, CHTS-IM, CHTS-TR!) who had been encouraging me to consider HIM as a future career path.
I also saw that the Bureau of Labor Statistics had predicted a 250K job surplus in the HIM field by the year 2018, which ended up being the year I would graduate from the program. All these factors led to me reaching out to Dr. Melinda Wilkins at ATU. After I spoke with her about the program and possible career pathways, I knew HIM IT was what I wanted to do.
What other jobs and/or titles have you held prior to the present one?
HIM Deficiency Analyst
Implementation Specialist
Front Office Manager
IT Support Specialist
I’ve also sold cars, answered phones at a call center, and worked the drive thru at Taco Bell!
What are some of your responsibilities at your current position?
My primary responsibility is to provide IT support for the Epic Cadence application. I build system components, facilitate testing, and provide implementation support. I also perform analysis, troubleshooting, and data collection related to reported system issues.
What is a typical day like for you?
I’ve worked from home since 2020, so professional attire and a commute? No, thank you.
I try to sit down at my desk between 6:30 and 7:30 in the morning. The first thing I do is check my Outlook calendar, my emails, and my to-do list from the day before.
My work is usually divided into 1 of 3 categories: Break/Fix, Project Work, or Enhancement Request. I often have project meetings scheduled throughout the day where analysts from various IT teams, project stakeholders, and a project manager meet to discuss project scope, build specs, workflow design, implementation planning, etc.
In between those meetings, my first priority is always Break/Fix items, then I work on project build and testing – coordinating with other analysts and stakeholders as needed. I like to describe Enhancements as “It would be nice if…” These are requests we receive that are more “wants” than “needs.” Those are prioritized and worked as time allows.
At the end of each day, I clean up my documentation, notes, and emails, go through my in basket, and create a to-do list for the next day. I try to think of organization as a “gift to future me.”
What do you enjoy most about your job?
I love working in IT because no day is the same, so I never get bored. Every project is at least a little different. If you’re burnt out on something (or someone. ha), the project will end soon, and you’ll move on to something else.
I also love the flexibility in my work day. I tend to work on difficult problems in the morning when my brain is sharpest and leave boring administrative tasks for the afternoon when I’m tired and ready for a nap. Another member of my team does the exact opposite because she’s not a morning person. As long as we don’t miss our meetings and our due dates are met, we can organize our day in whatever way best suits our working style.
I’m also lucky because I get to work with the best team of people. It doesn’t matter how much you love the work – if you don’t like the people you work with, you’ll hate the job.
Any other professional tidbit(s) you want to include?
My husband also works in HIM! I work on the IT side as an application analyst, and he works on the management side as an HIM Director. I love that people who choose to pursue this field have so many options for their career trajectories.
Personal Shares
What is your favorite food?
Fried Green Tomatoes – I firmly believe that I was born in July because the Lord knew my birthday needed to fall during tomato season.
What’s something about you (a fun fact) not many people know?
I have a stepfather-in-law who is no relation to my husband! After my dad passed when I was a teenager, my stepmom got remarried. So now I have a stepfather-in-law! We’re all very close, and my mom and stepmom are best friends.
What’s your favorite family tradition?
I don’t know if it counts as a “tradition,” but my family is the family that shows up. You never have to worry about going through anything alone, and you know you’ll always have their support.
Who had the most influence on you growing up?
Authors. I was a huge reader who grew up in a small town where (it seemed) like everyone was the same. Books gave me the opportunity to see different places and perspectives. They’re still doing that.
What’s something you want to do that you’ve never done before?
Learn a new language. It’s one of my biggest regrets!
What’s the best advice you’ve ever heard?
If you can’t be positive, be “open to the possibility” instead.
If you’re having a bad morning and dreading the day, and you can’t make yourself say “Today’s going to be the best day ever!” because it feels false – replace that with “I’m open to the possibility that this day could go well despite the fact….”
I can be a bit of a cynic and I think this idea completely changed my brain chemistry! And it was all thanks to some random girl on TikTok.
Do you like to cook? If so, what is your favorite thing to cook?
I love to cook, and I especially love to try new Asian and Latin American recipes.
Where is one place in Arkansas you would suggest people to visit?
War Memorial Stadium during a Little Rock Rangers Soccer Club home game. My husband and I are huge soccer fans and members of the team’s supporters’ group The Red Watch. They have food trucks, drums, smoke, chants, and the best soccer in the state!