Presenter: April Martin, DBA, RHIA, CHPS, CHDA, CCS, CDIP, CRC, CPHIMS, CMT
Bio: April Martin is the HIM Director for Southeast Health in Cape Girardeau, MO. She holds a doctorate in business administration from Baker College, a master’s in strategic leadership from Stephen’s College, and earned her bachelor’s in health information from the University of Cincinnati. Prior to coming to Missouri four years ago, she was born and raised in Michigan, where she was a program director for Baker College for both the HIT and Medical Insurance Specialist programs. She owned a national transcription company for eight years and was a supervisor in the HIM Department at the University of Michigan for almost 10 years. She currently also is an adjunct professor for both Stephen’s College and the University of Maryland University College in their online programs.
Session Description:
Loss of tacit knowledge when seasoned employees leave their positions is a growing problem for businesses because of the underuse of formal methods for capturing and transferring tacit knowledge from senior leaders to new leaders. Failing to capture tacit knowledge results in vulnerabilities that can result in the competitive edge outside organizations gain when employees change companies. This problem is compounded in acute care hospital settings, given the impending health care workforce shortage and increasing demand for health care services by an aging population and financial pressures. The findings of a phenomenological study focusing on the tacit knowledge deficits of HIM directors in acute care hospital settings are presented in this article. Deficits in the areas of people management skills and the ability to apply core knowledge quickly in situations when needed were identified as the greatest deficits. Preferred processes identified for transferring tacit knowledge were face-to-face exchanges, including mentoring and networking. The most significant impact to hospitals was decreased response time and productivity.
Learning Objectives
1. Understand the difference between explicit, implicit and tacit knowledge.
2. Recognize the different ways individuals learn and how knowledge is acquired.
3. Identify the impact a lack of tacit knowledge has on operations.
4. Take away methods for transferring tacit knowledge to prevent mitigate consequences.
