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LUCY HAY SCHOLARSHIP
SHIMA is pleased
to announce the awarding of the Lucy Hay Memorial Scholarship for the 2009-2010 school
year. The scholarship is for eligible
HIM students at the University of Washington or Shoreline Community College
in the final year of study for their respective programs. A total of two $600.00 dollar scholarships
will be awarded.
Get an application here: LUCY HAY SCHOLARSHIP
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The Gift of Giving
The Lucy Hay Scholarship
By Jane Rattray, RHIA
With the onset of
the holidays comes a sense of goodwill to mankind and giving. Besides
the gifts of professional networking and educational workshops, SHIMA
offers a scholarship to its prospective members. As early as the
1980’s, SHIMA gifted scholarships routinely to HIM students. In 1991,
this scholarship was named in memory of a remarkable health information
leader. Just as the holiday season exemplifies giving and SHIMA gives
back to the health care community; one particular lady personified
these attributes throughout her career, and so the name, “The Lucy Hay
Scholarship”.
Lucy has been described as gracious with a delightful sense of humor,
smiling with a sunny disposition, dynamic and energetic with very sharp
coding skills. Her collegiate years were spent at Seattle University
from 1979 to 1980. Shortly afterwards she obtained her Registered
Records Administrator certificate (RRA), now known as Registered Health
Information Administrator (RHIA)
Lucy’s earlier years of employment begin at Snoqualmie Valley Hospital.
In the 1980’s, Lucy’s work history continued at Harborview Medical
Center in the Medical Records Department as a coder. In the early
1990’s, she concluded her professional career at Fircrest, heading up
the Patient Data Services Department.
Lucy volunteered countless hours to nearly every SHIMA committee. She
devoted several years to the secretarial position, was voted in as
treasurer, and contributed to the education committee. She was known to
go beyond the call of duty by putting others first. As one SHIMA member
recalls, if Lucy discovered a member couldn’t go to the SHIMA holiday
party because of transportation, she would find a person who lived
nearby or take the member herself.
Lucy was a “green” advocate and a conservationist before it was
popular. She was known to have been an organic gardener. She once baked
soil in her oven to remove unwanted micro-organisms from the compost.
To her surprise, the unpleasant aroma radiated the entire house! She
also would store leftover brewed coffee in a jar and drink it the next
day, never wasting a drop.
Being in the health care profession, Lucy was very health conscience.
It was to everyone’s surprise when she was diagnosed with lung cancer,
never having smoked in her life. On March 26, 1991, at the age of 48,
she passed away.
Over the years many HIM professionals deserve awards. Lucy is just one
example of an advocate for the HIM profession. She was like many women
who juggle family life with career, but she also took the extra step by
volunteering.
SHIMA is looking for
additional information concerning Lucy Hay’s professional career. If
you know of facts or know others who may know dates, places, titles, or
other information, please write us at info@seattlehima.org. We would
love to continue gathering historical facts about this generous woman.
Special thanks for the many contributors to this article: Bill
Thieleman, Marie Hanada, Sarah Beer, Mary Jo Callahan, Gloria Anderson,
Susan Helbig, Sue Stubbs, Eugenia Terry, and Donna Wilde.