Executive Summary
Today, technology is transforming the delivery of medical services. An increasing number of medical institutions are integrating modern technology into their operations. Health information management is one of the elements of healthcare that have benefited mostly from technology. To ensure that they derive the greatest benefit from technology, healthcare providers need to hire competent health information professionals. In addition to overseeing the routine aspects of information management, these professionals are also expected to align information technology with the general objectives and strategies of medical service providers.
One of the important functions that health information professionals serve is that they allow medical practitioners to gain insights that they need to fully execute their mandate (Kiyumi et al., n.d). As it hires competent professionals, medical service providers ensure that their practitioners make decisions that are based on reliable insights. Another critical importance of health information professionals is that they facilitate the delivery of quality care (Zeng, 2009). Including health information professionals as part of their workforce allows medical service providers to leverage the tremendous power of technology and information to improve healthcare quality. Cost reduction is another value that information professionals deliver to healthcare institutions (Zeng, 2009). The cost savings that the institutions enjoy facilitate efficiency and effective delivery of services.
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Cyber-attacks are among the main threats that medical institutions face today. For example, recently, a number of institutions in England were the targets of a ransomware attack (Gayle et al., 2017). This attack paralyzed operations in these institutions. Cyber-attacks underscore the need for health information professionals. These professionals adopt safeguards and policies which secure the operations of providers against attacks (“Why Health Information Management”, 2017). Driving the change process is another critical role that these professionals play. The effort of health information professionals enhances the implementation of change (Eramo, 2014). This is because these professionals are able to align information technology with the change implementation process. Health information professionals are particularly critical for organizations which are experimenting with information technology. The insights and expertise that these professionals possess allow health service providers to adopt information technology smoothly and successfully.
The discussion before has focused on general benefits that medical organizations enjoy when they hire health information professionals. In addition to the benefits above, the organization in question will also witness other improvements that are particular to its situation. Enhanced relationships with vendors are among the benefits that this organization will witness. The health information professional will be charged with the responsibility of ensuring that stakeholders and vendors support the health information system. This professional will need to challenge all stakeholders to adopt behaviors which facilitate the success of the information system. Ensuring compliance with all relevant laws and guidelines is another role that the health information professional will be required to play. Today, the US is enforcing laws which require medical service providers to embrace information technology. For example, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) mandates medical institutions to take all necessary steps to guarantee the safety of medical information. The health information professional will work with all stakeholders to ensure that the organization fully complies with such laws as the HIPAA.
In conclusion, the organization has every reason to hire a health information professional. This employee will perform a wide range of roles. All these roles will be geared towards enhancing the performance of the organization. Moreover, the organization will be able to deliver quality services while minimizing the cost of operation. While it is true that the hiring of the health information professional may be a costly undertaking, the benefits that the organization will enjoy justify the costs that will be incurred. Therefore, the organization should proceed and hire the health information professional.
References
Eramo, L. A. (2014). 5 ways HIM professionals can contribute to the population health Management revolution. University of Wisconsin. Retrieved June 2, 2018 fromhttps://himt.wisconsin.edu/experience-uw-himt/five-ways-professionals-can-contribute-population-health-management-revolution/
Gayle, D., Topping, A., Sample, I., Marsh, S., & Dodd, V. (2017). NHS seeks to recover from Global cyber-attack as security concerns resurface. The Guardian.
Retrieved May 2, 2018 from https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/may/12/hospitals-across-england-hit-by-large-scale-cyber-attack
Kiyumi, R., Walker, S., Tariq, M., & Fitzgerald, G. (n.d). Health information management Professionals (present circumstances and future expectations). Queensland University Of Technology. Retrieved June 2, 2018 from https://eprints.qut.edu.au/106392/1/ifhima-pap0148_Raniya%20Al%20Kiyumi.pdf
Why Health Information Management Roles are Crucial to Healthcare Cybersecurity. (2017). The College of St. Scholastica.
Retrieved June 2, 2018 from http://www.css.edu/the-sentinel-blog/why-health-information-management-roles-are-crucial-to-healthcare-cybersecurity.html
Zeng, X. (2009). Redefining the roles of health information management professionals in Health information technology. Perspectives in Health Information Management. Retrieved June 2, 2018 from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2781729/
