HIHIM alum and current faculty member Amy Jenkins reflects on the importance of trauma-informed, emotionally intelligent leadership in the workplace.
Every day, there are countless interactions between patients, doctors, and insurers. But an oft-overlooked entity in this web is the coder. Clinical coders translate the services and supplies a patient receives into an alphanumeric, universal code.
“While this is commonly related to reimbursement, it has so many other uses, such as data collection for research or improving the quality of care. Accuracy in coding is critical as the data set that is produced can be used for reimbursement, research, and improving the quality of care,” explained Amy Jenkins, a clinical assistant professor in HSPop and Senior Manager of HIM, Coding, and CDI Programs at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center.
Identifying a need and a solution
Jenkins, who has more than 25 years of experience in healthcare leadership and education, became passionate about coding while working as a medical assistant.
“I saw the disconnect between third party payers and providers, and how often patients were paying the price. I saw health informatics as a way to bridge the divide – be an interpreter of sorts and make sure the health record supported the patient’s story.”
She described documentation as the “spine of healthcare.” Unfortunately, most providers do not receive training in how to best document procedures. In the worst cases, this can lead to billing errors, or patients being denied coverage. Jenkins cited a real-world example from Fred Hutch: if a doctor erroneously writes that a patient was treated for metastatic cancer, without specifying the cancer’s secondary location, the insurer may deny coverage or deem the procedure “experimental.”
After stints as a coding consultant and coordinator at Swedish and Overlake, Jenkins decided to pursue the HIHIM program at UW, both to sharpen her skills and gain a valuable credential, the RHIA. There were personal reasons, too.
“I am a first-generation college graduate within my immediate family, although some of my extended family had attended the UW. It was exciting to both be a first and continue a legacy of being a Husky,” she said.
The program was life-changing.
“I was able to learn more about teamwork and expectations, about what’s out there in the industry, and I met some lifelong mentors. I am so privileged and honored to be an alumni of this program, and then now to be able to come back and teach.”
Now, a decade later, Jenkins serves on the HIHIM Advisory Committee, bringing her experience as both an alum and a faculty member to bear. She works with students, faculty, and community partners to ensure the HIHIM program remains relevant and up-to-date.
Trauma-informed, emotionally intelligent leadership
Jenkins already had a flourishing career in healthcare informatics at Swedish Health Services, Overlake Medical Center and Clinics, and Virginia Mason Franciscan Health. Despite her success, a deep and abiding interest in behavioral health drove her to attain her master’s degree in forensic behavioral health. In the classroom, she studied the links between trauma, life outcomes, and involvement in the criminal justice system. She cites the landmark ACE Study, which found a direct link between childhood trauma and negative physical, emotional, and socioeconomic life outcomes. The study produced a key framework for understanding levels of trauma, from amorphous generational trauma to direct exposure to death.
“Part of my behavioral health training was diving deep into trauma-informed principles. The idea is that all of us have experienced some form or some level or trauma, and understanding that is a key piece to help people heal, grow, and become more resilient,” she said.
When she told people she was pursuing this degree, they reacted with surprise, Jenkins recalls: she already had a flourishing career in health informatics, and this degree was in a completely different field. Amy didn’t expect to use her degree on the job, but in fact, it informs her work in subtle ways, day in and day out.
“Creating an environment where people feel psychologically safe is paramount in order for us to thrive in our work,” Jenkins notes. “People need to feel that it is safe to speak up, to take risks, to try and possibly fail without the fear of negative consequences. That is where my behavioral health training comes in. My goal is to create a work environment where my team feels safe to be the best they can be.”
This perspective dovetails nicely with the principle of lean management, which emphasises that the best ideas can come from anywhere in an organization. Managers must support their frontline staff, and empower them to speak up, Jenkins says.
She finds that trauma-informed practices lead to happier, healthier, more productive teams. A nurturing work environment can prevent burnout and turnover, which are costly for organizations. Ultimately, these practices improve patient outcomes down the line.
“It was important for me to become part of the solution in helping people heal and prevent further traumatization, so I decided to start working on myself first, understanding and managing my own emotions so I could help others. Having self-awareness, empathy and compassion, and being able to regulate my own emotions was a key part of being able to help others and build more resilient teams,” said Jenkins.