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How AI Is Changing Educational Needs for HIM Professionals

By Keith Loria

Due to the changing health care ecosystem and technological advances, there’s a greater need for HIM professionals to become more educated, trained, and skilled at a higher professional level. This includes fostering interoperability, understanding data analytics, focusing on data integrity, and learning how automation and artificial intelligence (AI) tools affect HIM workforce.

“AI will aid HIM professionals in becoming more empowered to oversee software and systems, replacing many manual tasks,” says Lakeisha Tolbert, MA, RHIA, CHPS, AHIMA’s director of practice advancement. “Professionals cannot wait for their leader to suggest or recognize them; it’s up to each individual to prepare themselves by gaining the education needed for our evolving future in the AI world.”

Brian Prince, founder and CEO of TopAITools.com, a platform dedicated to demystifying AI, has witnessed firsthand the amazing potential of AI in health care.

“The integration of AI into HIM marks a shift in how we process, analyze, and utilize health care data,” he says. “AI is an integral component in efforts to enhance decision-making, improve patient outcomes, and pioneer personalized medicine. However, the complexity and newness of AI technologies require that HIM professionals possess a level of proficiency and understanding to harness these tools effectively.”

Educating HIM professionals about AI is about cultivating a mindset that is agile, innovative, and forward-thinking, Prince says.

“They need to understand the principles of AI, how AI can be applied to manage health information more effectively, and the ethical considerations that come with it,” he adds. “This includes the all-important data privacy, security, and the implications of AI-driven decisions in patient care.”

Becoming Educated
There are many ways for health information (HI) professionals to stand out among their peers and make themselves marketable to meet today’s demands when competing for jobs.

“Concerning the workforce, the goal of each professional should be to identify the needed job skills, competencies, and education required to meet current and future workforce needs in our evolving profession,” Tolbert says. The term used to describe this action is “upskilling.”

Dasantila Sherifi, PhD, MBA, RHIA, an assistant professor and HIM program director at Rutgers, has seen a big shift toward HIM professionals concentrating more on math and computer science, and that’s important to understand the new normal of AI.

“Historically, we have not drawn a lot of students who needed a lot of math, so we may need to start drawing from a pool who are not traditional HIM students,” she says. “Analytical thinking needs to be developed further.”

That education, she notes, needs to be started earlier in school and at a higher level, and should include more classes on machine learning and AI tools.

“There is a perception that anyone can learn about technology and AI,” Sherifi says. “But it’s hard to teach someone in one course when they have no prior background, so they need a heavy foundation in math.”

Understandably, many professionals, both in health care and other fields, are worried that technology will take over their jobs. Still, the reality is that professionals should become more focused on what they can control, and that is increasing current skills to keep up with the advances in AI technology.

First, HI professionals should become more involved in interoperability and health information exchange platforms. Tolbert notes that throughout the industry, you tend to hear “security” and “privacy” used synonymously, but they are two distinct knowledge areas.

“Many HI professionals are knowledgeable in both areas, but IT is often the security guru, and HIM is the privacy expert,” Tolbert says. “HI professionals understand the laws, regulations, and implications of noncompliance when dealing with confidentiality. They must establish interdepartmental relationships required to position themselves to have a voice in discussions that affect privacy and the electronic exchange of information. They must have a permanent seat when decisions are made related to these processes, software purchases, etc.”

HI professionals who are experts in the application of an EHR system must stay abreast of upgrades to ensure that their current skills match the system’s advanced features.

“Understanding the AI tools used for data collection, storage, and analysis ensures that they are prepared for changing organizational needs, which is essential for their role,” Tolbert says.

Additionally, medical coders who embrace automation through computer-assisted coding may have an opportunity to evolve into roles that focus more on data validation, which is required for quality data.

“All of these will help HI professionals become more of an asset in current and future HI roles,” Tolbert says. “The key is to remember that technical education and training specific to AI are critical to advancing HI professional development and success.”

Resources Abound
Through AHIMA, many resources are available to increase HI professional skills, especially regarding upskilling in AI technology. The organization offer a variety of courses, books, webinars, and resources depending on a specific career path, which can be found on the AHIMA.org website.

Plus, many academic institutions are beginning to offer specialized courses and degrees that blend HIM with AI and data science.

“More and more online platforms are providing resources ranging from AI prompt generation suggestions, cutting-edge tools, and informative articles to real-time AI news updates,” Prince says.

— Keith Loria is a freelance writer based in Oakton, Virginia.