UW-Parkside HIMT Director Betty Rockendorf honored with Educator Award
SOMERS –Betty Rockendorf, program director for the University of Wisconsin-Parkside Health Information Management and Technology Program (HIMT) has won the Wisconsin Health Management Association (WHIMA) Education Award.
“I was surprised and honored,” Rockendorf said. She had transitioned from working in a health care facility to working full time as an educator with the UW-HIMT program just four years ago. Rockendorf had received the WHIMA Distinguished Member Award back in 2016 and now in 2020 has been honored with the Educator Award.
During her tenure as a full-time educator, Rockendorf has been instrumental in gaining accreditation status for the HIMT program through a rigorous process with the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM). She has also successfully placed 142 students for professional practice experience (capstone experience) in 21 states, including prestigious placements with the Mayo Clinic, Kaiser-Permanente, Advocate-Aurora Health Care, Baylor, Scott & White Health Care, Cancer Treatment Centers of America, Shriner’s Hospitals, AbbVie (Abbott Labs), the American Red Cross, the U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs, and many more. For students from Wisconsin, placement occurred at numerous facilities within the state.
Betty Rockendorf
“I am humbled to be recognized for my efforts as an educator, and honored to be part of the team that leads the UW-HIMT program to help students develop health information management and information technology skills and to succeed as health information professionals in today’s increasingly technology-based, data-driven health care environments,” Rockendorf said.
The purpose of the WHIMA Education Award is to identify and honor those who demonstrate excellence in preparing the next generation of professionals for their HIM careers. The award also recognizes those who teach in a health information administration, technology, and other related programs, and who are involved in WHIMA activities at the state and local levels.
The 61-credit University of Wisconsin bachelor of science in health information management and technology is a collaborative online degree completion program made possible through a partnership with other UW system partners. HIMT is one of the only programs that provides students with essential skills in both health information management and technology.
WHIMA is a non-profit organization whose membership consists of health information management professionals employed in hospitals and other healthcare settings throughout the state. WHIMA promotes innovation, education, and advancement of health information management professionals. WHIMA is a component state association affiliated with the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA). Read more about WHIMA here:
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Media contact:
John Mielke
mielkej@uwp.edu
262-595-3226; 262-902-9355 cell