Meet Charity Avery, as we celebrate Health Information Professionals at Bethany Children’s
At Bethany Children’s Health Center, our employees truly are the heartbeat that drives the organization. Every day, through the care and service they provide, they live our mission of maximizing the potential of every child and exemplify our core values of compassion, integrity, excellence, service and stewardship.
We hope you enjoy getting to know our amazing employees through our Heartbeat profiles.
Health Information Professionals Week
Provider and family access to accurate medical records is essential in a complex medical environment, and at Bethany Children’s, we rely on our Health Information Management (HIM) team to deliver this vital service.
Learn more about the Health Information professionals at Bethany Children’s in the Heartbeat feature below, and please join us in thanking this dedicated team for their outstanding commitment to streamlining patient care!
Charity Avery is a vital member of the Medical Records team, where she handles a multitude of responsibilities with precision and care. Her daily tasks include sending patient update letters to guardians and social workers, updating the Flex electronic health record system with new patient information, managing patient charts and files, and communicating with providers for monthly data reports, among other duties.
Since joining Bethany Children’s in October 2022, Charity has witnessed HIM’s continued progress and evolution. She emphasizes, “HIM is an essential part of patient care because we handle so many of the healthcare records that the providers often need immediately, and with how advanced our technology has become, we are able to provide that information much faster.”
In addition to technological advancements, teamwork is essential within the HIM team. Charity explains, “We are getting cross-trained in all areas, so that if someone is out of the office, we can cover for them, Charity says. “When one of us might not be able to solve a problem for a patient, another team member usually can.”
For Charity, the greatest reward in contributing to patient care is interacting with the children themselves.
“Often when I am out in the hallways, a patient will grab my attention so I will come say ‘hi’ to them. It makes me smile for the rest of the day,” she shares.
Charity is also grateful for the impact Bethany Children’s programs have had on her daughter, Alyssa, who was diagnosed with the genetic disorder Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Complex Deficiency (PDC) at age three. “She is truly a miracle. They thought she would never walk or talk,” recalls Charity.
The Adaptive Sports program has offered Alyssa, now 19, a chance to enjoy recreational activities. She also participated in the Pathways summer program, running the concession stand in the Adapted Recreation and Fine Arts Center and working on orders in the Bethany Children’s store.
“When Alyssa went back to school after doing the Pathways program, the school saw a much more confident Alyssa,” Charity says. “She was very excited to start back up. I am so thankful to work at a place that offers programs like this. It has been a true blessing and I have seen a whole new Alyssa!” Charity adds that Alyssa is back in the Pathways program and is loving it.
Charity’s faith is a source of strength for her as a mother of three and grandmother of one, relying on the words, “I can do all thing through Christ, who strengthens me.” It has given her the resolve to become a school board member in Putnam City and advocate for funding for the special needs program, in addition to providing critical support to her team, patients, and their families at Bethany Children’s.
FUN FACTS
Three words your best friend would use to describe you: Caring, Christian, Faithful
Favorite hobbies/ways to spend free time: I love spending time with my family and pets
Favorite sports/teams: Dallas Cowboys and Sooners
Favorite TV show or movie: “Anything Hallmark”
Favorite food: Filipino Dishes
From the bucket list: Go to the Philippines.