AHIMA Funds Data Recovery

The American Health Information Management Association has set up a disaster-relief fund to help industry professionals recover from this spring's rash of tornados, floods, fires and other disasters.

These professionals "face a unique challenge as they struggle to piece back together their own lives while working to recover as much of their community's patient information as possible," the association says in a news release. The plan is to "assist communities of health information professionals whose personal or professional lives have been severely disrupted by a natural or man-made disaster."

The aid comes by way of the AHIMA Foundation's Health Information Relief Operation (HIRO) Fund. Created with $10,000 in seed money, the fund is accepting additional one-time donations.

To donate, send a check (designated to the HIRO Fund) to: AHIMA Foundation, 25351 Network Place, Chicago, Ill., 60673-1253. The fund is also accepting donations online.

The foundation is still determining criteria for awarding disaster assistance. Applications for relief will be available on AHIMA's website.