Winneshiek Medical Center boss Dan Werner becomes a health information management coding specialist—for one day

Mary Lou Hackman and Dan Werner

It wasn't exactly "Undercover Boss," since the employees all knew about it, but it was similar.  Winneshiek Medical Center Chief Administrative Officer Dan Werner became a health information management department coding specialist at the hospital one day late last week as a way to encourage staff participation in the WMC Foundation Annual Fund for 2010.  The Annual Fund for 2010 has raised over $27,000 since it began in September.  
   
Mary Lou Hackman, a coding specialist in the HIM department, was an early participant in the staff challenge by making a gift to the Annual Fund.  She was selected as the winner of the grand prize--a paid day off while Werner did her job for a day.  

Hackman, a staff member with over 30 years of service to WMC, said, "Winneshiek Medical Center is vital to our community by providing quality health care services, both inpatient and outpatient.  I believe in supporting our medical center and want it to continue being a leader in local health care."  

Said Hackman, "I was very happy to win Dan for the day."  Werner came to Hackman's department to shadow her for part of the day to get an understanding of what he needed to do during his day of work in the department and to get a better understanding of what Hackman's job is like.

Werner said his day of work in the department, "It was eye-opening to experience the daily duties in health information management.   I am proud of the staff at WMC and am continually motivated by their commitment to their work, quality patient care and our medical center."