Past Presidents of the 1980’s

1988 – 1989      Beatrice Green, ART
1987 – 1988      Eileen Perry, RRA
1986 – 1987      Ellen Doherty-Draper, RRA
1985 – 1986      Jane Weiss, RRA
1984 – 1985      Carolyn Rooks, RRA
1983 – 1984      Meredith Cameron, RRA
1982 – 1983      Rose Lerner, RRA
1981 – 1982      Stephen Molloy, RRA
1980 – 1981      Annalee Collins, RRA
1979 – 1980      Sheila Callahan, RRA

“Our Association is as strong as its Members, from Newburyport to North Adams, and from Nantucket to Northampton.  You members are the links that when together, make up the chain that is MMRA.”  Stephen P. Malloy, RRA, President MMRA 1981 -1982, President’s Message, January 1982

There are so many buzz words that can define this decade – Legislation, Regulations, DRGs, PROs, Computers, Data Quality….

Medical Records was no longer just the windowless department in the basement.  Federal legislation, regulations and standards regarding the information in medical records became a focus for the members of MMRA. The decade started off with federal regulations and legislation pertaining to Cancer Registries, and the Uniform Billing System.  Within the next few years laws pertaining to AIDs information, and Drug and Alcohol records would have impact on confidentiality guidelines and release of information procedures.

DRGs were the changing face of the medical record profession in the 80’s.  In 1983 we were watching our counterparts in New Jersey as we in Massachusetts found ourselves with a waiver from participating in the prospective payment system.  Yet as an association we were getting ready through educational sessions, such as ‘Surviving PPS’, and by starting the DRG/PPS Ad Hoc Committee in 1984.

Early in this decade departments began to replace typewriters with computers.  MMRA educated members on the possibilities of what this media could do.  On-line abstracting and record deficiency systems were only some of the topics presented to the membership.

In the mid 80’s Massachusetts General Hospital requested that MMRA no longer store their archives in the facility.  MGH had been storing the archives since the 1930s.  It was at this time that the records of the association’s early years were microfilmed.

At both the national and state level members were talking about achieving excellence in our jobs, marketing the profession beyond the department, and motivating members to association volunteers.

During this decade:
• Northeastern University opened the Day Certificate Program in January 1982.
• MMRA produces and markets the slide tape presentation “Just For the Record – A Private Affair”.
• Massachusetts hosted the AMRA Annual Meeting in Boston in 1983.
• MMRA members co-authored an association cookbook.
• In 1984 MMRA created a central office staffed by a part time administrative coordinator.