The HIM professionals at AHIMA23 are ready to face the challenges ahead. Despite the tough economic environment, the increased cybersecurity threats, and the changing policy landscape, AHIMA members remain excited and upbeat about the future.
Frustrated Yet Encouraged
Dr. Zeev Neuwirth, author of Beyond the Walls: MegaTrends, Movements and Market Disruptors Transforming American Healthcare and Reframing Healthcare, kicked off the 2023 American Health Information Management Association annual conference (AHIMA23) with a heartfelt keynote. He spoke about the dichotomy of healthcare – how he is both frustrated and encouraged at the current state of the industry.
@ZeevNeuwirth talking about the strange dichotomy of healthcare. He is both frustrated at all the challenges in healthcare and in awe of all the amazing people and technologies in healthcare. #AHIMA23 #HITsm pic.twitter.com/PGkeo6K4D7
— Colin Hung (@Colin_Hung) October 8, 2023
Neuwirth highlighted several examples of medical innovation that is helping to save lives at a scale undreamed of a decade ago – mRNA vaccines, robotic surgery, and telehealth. He also highlighted the lack of progress on reducing physician workload, mental health support, and health inequity.
The through-line to Neuwirth’s keynote was the resilience of those that remain in the healthcare profession. The AHIMA23 audience vigorously nodded their heads in agreement when he spoke about the resilience of HIM professionals and the shared mission all healthcare workers have – to make patients lives better.
Connecting the Dots for SDOH
In a well-attended session on social determinants of health (SDOH), the panelists pointed to the challenge of collecting SDOH data and then using it to improve care delivery.
Connecting the #SDOH Dots
“Collecting data and doing nothing with it is worse than not collecting it at all.”How are we improving our eHealth records to capture and use/be actionable with SDOH data? How do we align regs to this?#AHIMA23 @AHIMAResources #DataforBetterHealth pic.twitter.com/oaTXJUOBtd
— Daniel Utech MBA, RHIA, CHPS, FAHIMA (He/Him) (@DanielKRUtech) October 9, 2023
Later in the afternoon, during the keynote panel, Kevin Sowers – President, JHHS and Exec VP JHM at Johns Hopkins Medicine – pointed out the difficulty in collecting SDOH data – how awkward it is to ask whether someone is an undocumented resident or if their income level puts them below the poverty line.
“There is no doubt that having data helps to address #SDOH & inequity…but collecting that data can be challenging. It’s not easy to ask whether someone is undocumented or if they have full time work” – Kevin Sowers #AHIMA23 #HITsm pic.twitter.com/5JSLjgY1Jz
— Colin Hung (@Colin_Hung) October 9, 2023
Despite these challenges, every attendee I spoke to after these sessions remained upbeat and excited about using data to reduce inequity and improve access for their communities. It was as if they thrived on the challenge of gathering and leveraging SDOH data.
Facing up to CyberSecurity
Not even the increased threat from cybersecurity bad actors could dampen the enthusiasm of the AHIMA23 audience. In a session delivered by Errol Weiss, Chief Security Officer at Health-ISAC spoke about the different threat vectors that bad actors are using to attack healthcare organizations – including the use of ChatGPT to improve the quality of phishing emails.
Judging by the quality of the questions asked of Errol at the end of his session, it was clear that many of the audience were not letting cybersecurity risk paralyze them. There were thoughtful questions about the best policies around bring-your-own-device to work, how to best encourage physicians to move away from SMS as a medium for information sharing and how to work more collaboratively with CSO’s.
AHIMA Members are Determined to Succeed
There is no doubt in my mind that AHIMA members are determined to succeed. At the breaks and the lunches, all the conversations I overheard were about how people were going to go back to their organizations and start implementing what they learned at AHIMA23. There was zero despair and not an ounce of lament over the tough economic environment, lack of resources, or the ever-changing compliance requirements.
There is only one conclusion to draw: AHIMA23 attendees are ready to face the challenges ahead.
