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#102017 - 06/28/08 07:23 AM
Those darned CECs...
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Jabberwocky
Member
Registered: 08/10/03
Posts: 392
Loc: Mumbai, India
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As I approach the 1-year anniversary of passing the CMT exam, that plaque on my table looks at me more reproachfully with every passing day.
I'm sure that all of you who've cleared the CMT definitely don't want to go into that study mode again. For example, I finished today the last of some masters level exams for a course I'm doing and just looking at books is making me feel nauseated - the thought of hitting the Review Guide/LOM 2 years later ever more so...
The problem is compounded by the fact that gathering information about CECs on the AHDI website is like pulling teeth anyway. They tell you everything except how to get those points - and it looks like spending those extra dollars from the credentialing catalog is the easiest way out. The online site looks promising, but I didn't explore it carefully enough.
My question to all of you who've been getting yourself recertified every three years is - how have you been doing it? Will an AHDI (or even the online) membership help and do they send you Plexus? If so, is there an online version of Plexus coz I doubt they'll ship it overseas. Any other ways/methods of doing this? Could you please share your knowledge/experiences with this?
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#102768 - 07/04/08 04:08 PM
Re: Those darned CECs...
[Re: Jabberwocky]
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Redpen
Member
Registered: 12/31/69
Posts: 969
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This only looks daunting because it is your first recertification. Let's see if I can help.
Here is the URL of the page with the information you need. It's on the AHDI website under "Certification." Be sure to print out the required categories and the submission form that are linked from there, too.
http://www.ahdionline.org/scriptcontent/crecertification.cfm#2
It's very easy to get free CEUs. You have lots of choices! Here are some ideas that might work for you. Read the instructions above carefully to be sure that you do choose something that is creditworthy.
Any activity that provides a "CME" for physicians is valid. There are loads of them available online now! Some are educational articles with quizzes, while some require that you attend a web broadcast of a presentation. Check the websites of companies that make medical-related products, like stents, catheters, pacemakers, replacement joints, and such.
If you work at a hospital, simply attend tumor board meetings or grand rounds. Bring a credit approval form with you, fill it out, and have a representative of the program sign it to validate that you attended.
Reviews of medical journal articles will do, too. You'll need to write a brief summary -- which should be easy enough since you write for a living, right? -- and submit it for approval. There is a handy form which you can fill out and attach to an email. They'll email it right back with the approval on it.
You can find lots of journal articles online through the PubMed index at the National Library of Medicine. I usually just type http://www.pubmed.com to get there. Search for something you find interesting, locate an online article, and have a go at it.
College and university classes, if they're creditworthy, will do. See the instructions on the above link.
Articles on privacy, security, HIPAA, and technology are good, too. The AHIMA website has a huge collection. You can browse or search at http://library.ahima.org/bok/. Some require AHIMA membership for access, but many do not.
The CMS (Medicare) website has free online training materials in a variety of subjects.
Articles in books can be summarized for credit if they are designed for medical professionals (not the lay public). You can often find sample chapters at publishers websites. There will be a link on the book listing. You might try books on electronic medical records, healthcare law, health information management, etc.
You can get all your MT Tools CEUs from the Cryptophiles archives on the http://www.advanceforhim.com website. Here's the one for June 2008:
http://health-information.advanceweb.com/editorial/content/editorial.aspx?cc=117648
Now that you have some sources, getting them done is easy if you make a schedule. Spend some time finding activities to complete, print them out (along with the URL, which you'll need to submit with the approval) and then plan on doing some every day or every week until you have enough.
Be sure to read what the categories are and what "fits" into each. If you need 8 in a category, hunt around for 8 activities that fit, print them, and keep them in a folder.
You'll need 30, so if you have a month, you'll only need to do one a day. You'll find it a lot easier if you've already spent time finding them and printing them out.
For future cycles, you'll need only 10 per year. That's less than one a month! Just add it to your schedule and treat it as a "required work activity."
_________________________
Redpen
(The Andrews School)
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#102863 - 07/07/08 03:30 AM
Re: Those darned CECs...
[Re: Redpen]
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EnsleysGirl
Member
Registered: 12/31/69
Posts: 1202
Loc: Hancock, Maine
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Redpen, how kind of you to write all that out! I'm going to print off a copy of your answer.
I was pleasantly surprised to find out all the free ways to get CECs when I buckled down in March to get organized about it.
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#102864 - 07/07/08 06:42 AM
Re: Those darned CECs...
[Re: EnsleysGirl]
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Jabberwocky
Member
Registered: 08/10/03
Posts: 392
Loc: Mumbai, India
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Thank you so much, Redpen! Really appreciate your taking the time out for such a detailed reply - that's a lot of practical advice any CMT could use.
I have more than a month - 26 months to be precise. However, some exams I recently appeared for were a wake up call to not postpone things until the last moment. Has anybody else found it weird that at office, you can work 14 hours for days at an end if required but when it comes to studying for exams (CMT or any kind of a college/continuing education course), those same people (read me and others who can identify with this disorder) can procrastinate to the point of ridiculousness. So yes, it is definitely "required work activity" and I'll treat it as such (well - that's the plan at least  )
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#102936 - 07/07/08 11:47 PM
Re: Those darned CECs...
[Re: Jabberwocky]
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Redpen
Member
Registered: 12/31/69
Posts: 969
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You're both very welcome. Do, please, be sure to verify what I said. Sometimes I'm not sure what those instructions say, either!
The office that handles them is very helpful. If you email them, they'll help you along.
Yes, it is lots easier to get things done at the office. That's where I typically do stuff like this. I think it's a situational thing. It's often easier for me to stay at work a bit to study than it is to go home, get motivated, fix dinner, get motivated again, then climb into bed with whatever it is and go to sleep.
_________________________
Redpen
(The Andrews School)
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