February 2025 Member Spotlight

Lauren Spikes, RHIA, CPC

Professional Shares

Where do you work and what is your job title?
UAMS – Clinical Application Analyst

How long have you been a member of ArHIMA?
12 Years

What certification types have you received or are seeking to receive?
RHIA, CPC and Epic System Application certifications including Coding, Deficiency Tracking, Release of Information, and Identity 

Which college/university did you attend?
Arkansas Tech University

What made you decide to pursue a career in HIM?
My mentor/friend who has worked in HIM for years in various roles encouraged me to consider HIM as a career.   

What other jobs and/or titles have you held prior to the present one?
Coding Manager
Coding Specialist
Manager of HIM
ROI Specialist

What are some of your responsibilities at your current position?
Support the system applications primarily HIM within Epic which can include projects, requests for change/enhancements or breaks/fixes.

What do you enjoy most about your job?
I get the opportunity to learn new things as this field is forever evolving, it is never a dull moment and having the flexibility in my workday working from home is great.

Personal Shares

What’s your favorite family tradition?
Our family takes multiple camping trips throughout each year.

Who had the most influence on you growing up?
My mother! She really knows me best and has given me a lot of guidance (though I didn’t always listen ) throughout the years. I am so thankful for her!

What was the first concert you ever attended?
Kenny Chesney in 2004

What’s something you want to do that you’ve never done before?
Hike in Glacier National Park

If you could get on a plane tonight and travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?
Though I really dislike flying, if I had to go anywhere I would go to Switzerland

Where is one place in Arkansas you would suggest people to visit?
If you like to hike, kayak, camp: Ponca or upper Buffalo National River is my favorite.