November 2024 Member Spotlight
Heather Mayfield, RHIT
Professional Shares
Where do you work and what is your job title?
Northwest Medical Center- Bentonville HIM Director
How long have you been a member of ArHIMA?
I joined ArHIMA in 2016.
What certification types have you received or are seeking to receive?
RHIT
Which college/university did you attend?
I obtained my Associates in 2018 from NWACC. I just graduated in February of 2024 with my MBA from Keller Graduate School of Management.
What made you decide to pursue a career in HIM?
I thought I wanted to be an RN went to college straight out of high school and jumped majors several times. Finally decided to take a break. I found myself working in medical records as a tech. I fell in love with it. I enjoyed working with the paper records. I even found the conversion from paper to an EMR fun. I wanted to be able to tell my daughters they needed to have a college education but I couldn’t tell them that if I myself didn’t have one. I never knew there was a non-clinical side of healthcare and that is what I loved so I enrolled into classes for the next semester.
What other jobs and/or titles have you held prior to the present one?
HIM Tech, HIM Lead, HIM Operations Manager
What are some of your responsibilities at your current position?
Record Custodian, Managing Facility Unbill, Ensuring timely/ quality scanning of all patient charts, monthly reports to corporate, removing barriers for the team, working closely with other departments to ensure records completeness, working with providers to ensure all records are completed timely, completing birth certificates, notary
What is a typical day like for you?
A typical day is started with greeting the team and seeing what current barriers if any they are facing, or what struggles they feel they might encounter. Once these have been addressed my focus is shifted to my daily unbill report. This includes looking up various accounts that the coding team has placed on hold to see what documentation or clarification is needed. Getting these either reassigned to the coding team or to the appropriate unit to work. While this does not sound like a huge task this is what the majority of my day is spent working on. This could be because more pressing issues come up and cause me to shift focus. Duplicate MRN, ROI issue, Death Certificate, provider needing assistance, a clinic not receiving auto faxes appropriately. There always seems to be a small fire that needs put out before I can complete a task.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
I really enjoy that every day is something new. I learn a different process or a new challenge has come to push me out of my comfort zone. In my early days as an HIM Tech it was so hard to have change; some could say I was resistant to change even. However, now I feel like without the constant change I would get bored and complacent. I am always looking for a challenge that can help me to continue to grow and be the best leader I can be.
Personal Shares
What is your favorite food?
Deer steak and fried turnips
What’s something about you (a fun fact) not many people know?
I can make balloon animals.
What’s your favorite family tradition?
Christmas morning: making bubble bread and just taking time opening presents and watching my girls play with them. It usually takes us all day to open presents it is not a rushed event. We stay in our PJS and watch Christmas movies and sing our favorite song.
Who had the most influence on you growing up?
My dad and my grandma. They both were very hard working and caring individuals. Even if they could not afford to help they would find a way to make it happen. They were two individuals I knew that I could always count on for anything.
What was the first concert you ever attended?
Kidd Rock and Fuel with my mom
What’s something you want to do that you’ve never done before?
Travel out of the country. There are so many places on my bucket list that I want to go to.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever heard?
Anything in life that is worth having is going to require hard work and dedication. If you don’t do it right the first time try again, never give up. Even when no one else believes in you believe in yourself.
Do you like to cook? If so, what is your favorite thing to cook?
I enjoy trying new recipes. I am always trying something new. Sometimes it works and sometimes we order take out.
If you could get on a plane tonight and travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?
Lucky Bay Western Australia
Where is one place in Arkansas you would suggest people to visit?
Northwest Arkansas especially in the fall when the leaves are changing it is so beautiful.
Any other personal tidbit(s) you want to include?
I could not be the person I am today without my three daughters supporting me. Also, without my mentor Amy Snow.