What You Should Know:
– A new survey conducted by AHIMA reveals that 66% of health information (HI) professionals have experienced ongoing staffing shortages in their workplaces over the past two years. These shortages were notably prevalent in areas such as data quality, consumer health information, revenue cycle management, privacy, risk, and compliance, and data analytics.
– The report, “Health Information Workforce: Survey Results on Workforce Challenges and the Role of Emerging Technologies” also finds that despite workforce shortages, HI professionals see promise in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) technologies for alleviating some of the workforce burdens. However, this increased reliance on AI and ML also calls for upskilling within the profession.
Impact of Health Information Professionals Shortage
83% of respondents have witnessed an increase or persistence in unfilled HI positions within their organizations over the past year, indicating a pressing need for targeted interventions. The shortages in the HI profession have had far-reaching consequences, including reduced reimbursement, increased claims denials, lower patient data quality, and slower information releases. These issues have had a direct impact on healthcare quality and align with broader workforce trends in the healthcare sector.
The Promise of AI/ML Adoption
The survey indicated that 45% of respondents have adopted AI and ML in their departments, but this adoption comes with challenges, such as increased technical demands and the need for enhanced oversight. As a result, 75% of respondents consider upskilling the HI workforce as essential given the growing adoption of AI and ML tools.
Why It Matters
These findings from the survey are crucial in shaping the future management of patient health data and determining the necessary workforce to navigate emerging technologies. The Biden-Harris Administration and the US Congress are actively exploring the implications of AI and emerging technologies on the US workforce, and AHIMA intends to use these survey findings and recommendations to prepare the HI workforce through policy discussions, research, education, and training to ensure the secure management of patient health data.
Report Background/Methodology
AHIMA commissioned NORC at the University of Chicago to conduct the survey to examine the workforce challenges impacting HI professionals and assess the role of emerging and evolving technologies, such as AI and ML, in reshaping the HI workforce. AHIMA will use this information to improve data quality, increase productivity, and reduce administrative burden. With insights from 2,500 respondents, including AHIMA members and non-members, drawn from a vast pool of 35,000 in August 2023, the study spotlights the urgent need for action.
