Interview with Jane, RHIA
Christine Onyali
HITT-1166
Carolyn Stariha
Interview with Jane, RHIA
Job Post: Senior Health Information Administrator
Place of work: City Health Hospital
Contact Information: Jane
1. Please share more about your academic background.
Jane: I have a Bachelor's degree in Health Information Management from the University of Health Sciences and hold a certificate for Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA).
2. What made you consider following this career path?
Jane: My interest in this career path was born from my passion for health care and data management. The field marries together the aspects of patient care, technology, and administration—three fields I am passionate about.
3. Can you point out a change in the profession ever since you came into the field of profession and industry?
4. What pieces of advice could you give to any student who would like to join this profession?
Jane: There has been a huge technological leap. When I started, we were beginning the transitioning process from keeping paper records to storing them as electronic health records (EHRs), which is a pretty massive change. From then on, digital technologies were integrated to manage health information, and they greatly improved the efficiency of record storage and access.
Jane: Stay curious. There is so much to learn every day. This field changes constantly, and there's plenty of new technology and regulations; hence, it is very important to stay adaptable and continuously update your skills.
5. How do you see the Electronic Health Records affecting the HIT profession?
Jane: EHRs have influenced the profession due to their better accuracy and accessibility of patient information. They may make better clinical decisions but have also streamlined many administrative processes. However, they require HIM professionals to be more proficient in IT and data management.
Additional Questions
Take me through a typical day in your HIM professional life.
Jane: On any given day, work may involve managing patient records to maintain compliance with laws and regulations, ensuring intact data integrity in collaboration with medical and administrative staff, and supporting projects in the areas of data analytics and process improvement.
7. What is the hardest part of your job, and how do you manage to deal with it?
Jane: One of the biggest challenges is keeping up with changing laws and technologies. To cope with this, I usually attend workshops and seminars from time to time and participate in professional groups and forums to share knowledge with peers.
8. As a professional in this field, how significant is lifelong education to your work, and what avenues do you have for better professional development?
Jane: Continuing education is very important for HIM professionals because healthcare regulations and technology change so rapidly. Career development opportunities could come in the form of further certifications, managerial positions, or various opportunities for specialization within data analysis and medical coding.
9. Do you have any experience with really difficult, complex ethical issues from your working life?
Jane: Once, I had a situation in which patient confidentiality was breached due to a mistake in data handling. It was very challenging to rectify the breach and regain the trust of the affected patients.
We reviewed our data security protocol and held training for employees to prevent such a thing from happening again. 10. What technology trends do you think will shape the future of Health Information Management?
Jane: This is in addition to the fact that artificial intelligence and machine learning are beginning to play a critical role in automating processes and data analytics for improved patient care outcomes. "That means HIM professionals will need to be technology-savvy to manage and analyze health data effectively."