The College of Applied Science and Technology welcomed a fantastic group of new faculty at the start of this academic school year! Some of CAST’s newest faculty members took the time to answer a series of questions that share insight into their background, research interests, hobbies, and more.
Our final week of profiles starts off with Marcie Wright, a faculty member in the Department of Health Sciences.
Tell us about yourself! Where did you study? What does your professional and teaching background look like?
I serve as a faculty member for the Health information management (HIM) program within the Department of Health Sciences here at ISU. I graduated from ISU’s health information management program and have a master’s degree in health informatics from the University of Illinois at Chicago. I have been a college instructor for 15 years while working in the health information management field.
Many are not familiar with health information as a career. It has fantastic job possibilities in various healthcare settings. My work experiences in the field have been inpatient coding, outpatient coding, auditing, clinical education and health data analysis. In the clinical education position I trained providers how to use the electronic health record (EHR) which included how to make a note, order tests, complete system data by coding patient visits and many other EHR items. I also audited data entered into the EHR and national databases for accuracy.
The coding positions were my favorite jobs because I learned something new every day. Reading medical records and turning the information into coded data was fascinating. In order to accomplish this HIM professionals are trained in medical terminology, anatomy & physiology, pathophysiology & pharmacology, several coding languages and medical documentation requirements.
What are your research interest areas?
My research area has been focused within The International Classification of Diseases, Eleventh Revision (ICD-11). The research highlights the differences between previous ICD versions and ICD-11’s ability to capture, exchange and use morbidity and mortality data. ICD-11 is designed to be compatible with other healthcare classifications and terminologies through a new common ontology as well as metadata connections to other classifications. This research focuses on ICD-11’s new digital abilities and the effect it could have on current health information systems and health information tools (i.e. support for Natural Language Processing).
Are there any courses you’re particularly excited to teach?
I enjoy teaching coding and data analysis. It is a fascinating to learn how data is used in healthcare.
What do you do in your free time? Any hobbies, community involvement, etc.?
My free time is spent with extended family. We have a lot of family dinners, camping, kayaking, biking and generally being outdoors.
How does it feel to be a part of the Redbird community again?
I am excited to be serving as faculty in the program I graduated from and becoming a Redbird again!
Want to learn more about majors and related programs within the Department of Health Sciences at Illinois State? Check out their website for more information.
