Values in Action Spirit Award Recipient for March - Kathy Griffith

An employee since 1986, Kathy was selected as the Western Maryland Health System's Values in Action Spirit Award recipient for the month of March. Kathy is a certified coding analyst in the Medical Records Department on the Braddock Campus. She started out as a medical records tech in Medical Records at Memorial 22 years ago. In 1998, Kathy was promoted to her current position as a coding analyst at Braddock.

In her position, she is responsible for properly handling the diagnosis and procedure coding for same day surgery and OR cases. Kathy's work makes it possible for the Business Office to process insurance claims and generate billing on behalf of the health system. Kathy is an outstanding employee who is very dedicated to her job and sets a great example for her co-workers. She is always willing to help out her fellow workers, regardless of the demands of her own workload. Kathy is a role model for newer employees who are striving to learn to be good coders. She is very helpful to those who are still learning the job and they say her presence is very comforting. One of her colleagues says that "Kathy is not afraid to ask the questions that most of us are afraid to ask to ensure that the work is done correctly and efficiently." She works closely with each person needed to complete a task and won't give up until the work is complete.

"I think my job is very interesting," says Kathy, "I like the people and the work environment a great deal." She says the staff in Medical Records is wonderful and they support each other like a family. Kathy and her co-workers help out with the annual Christmas Families and Back to School Supplies projects, as well as other outreach initiatives. Co-workers describe Kathy as pleasant, thorough, devoted, conscientious and very organized.

Kathy and her husband, Randy, reside in Barton and have been married for 35 years. They are the parents of one grown son - Chad, 30, a lawyer for a firm that does work in the Deep Creek Lake area and nearby West Virginia.

Away from work, Kathy likes to read and she tries to spend as much time as possible with her family. The Griffiths also enjoy traveling throughout the United States. Her husband prefers visiting the Western part of the country while Kathy is more of a beach lover. They have traveled to several destinations near the Rocky Mountains and usually go to Florida at least once a year. Kathy also attends the Bible Baptist Church in Barton.

Congratulations, Kathy!