The Community of Practice (CoP) is a wonderful resource available to all AHIMA members. It is an "online member interaction tool designed with member's needs in mind: up-to-date industry news, links to helpful resources, and, most importantly, solutions and ideas from peers. It's much more than discussion boards, because there are many tools integrated into this site to help members connect with members."*

The CoP is not a replacement for the AHIMA site. It is more focused on the member's needs. The main site is still intended to be a resource for those who are not members of AHIMA.

An important thing to keep in mind is that the CoP is no additional cost for the AHIMA members. It is included in your membership dues. So, therefore, the cost is the same whether you decide to join one community or 20!

As of February 2003, only 33 members have joined the Indiana CoP. Of these members, not all are even from Virginia. We have over 900 members in the state and would like to see more joining the community. This means that approximately 4% of you have joined.

The CoP, in general, is a great resource. The main AHIMA community tells the members what is going on in the national level. The Virginia CoP provides its members with the latest news dealing with the HIM professionals in Virginia.

You are probably asking yourself now, why haven't I joined the Communities of Practice? Well, let us tell you just how easy it is to join!

First you need to access the www.ahima.org website. Then click on the Communities of Practice tab. You will then need to sign in with your Member ID (your member number) and password (your last name). And, after that you are able to join and or visit various communities.

After clicking on the "Join/Visit Communities" tab, you will then be taken to a search page. You can perform either a keyword search or browse the alphabetical listings. As you read through the descriptions of the community you can then click on the join button box to join.

Every time you log into the CoP you will have your main personal page. This is where you will be able to view the communities that you have joined. You can also see when the community was last updated. There are several areas included in each community. They are FAQs, News, Links, Body of Knowledge, Resources, and Discussions.

As a member you are able to submit information to the communities that will then have to be approved by the facilitator of the community. This is what allows you, as members, to access the most up-to-date information.

Some of the information included on the Virginia CoP is Board information and links to the VHIMA website. Also, you can post a discussion thread and obtain feedback from your fellow CoP members.

We hope that you will all check out the AHIMA & VHIMA CoPs soon and begin to use your AHIMA benefits to their fullest!