Because this week is Healthcare Information Professionals Week, we wanted to shed some light on what those superheroes in the healthcare information management field do! Health information professionals are those that take, organize, analyze, and keep secure all of our digital and written medical records and information. They ensure that high quality medical care is provided and that doctors, nurses, and others in the healthcare field have the information they need to do their job well as well as managing insurance and financial tracking.
Each year in early April is Health Information Professionals Week and during that week, each Ross Medical Education Center campus takes time to recognize and celebrate their students that are currently enrolled in the Medical Insurance Billing and Office Administration program. They also work hard to honor those that work every day in this field that is so necessary to keep healthcare facilities organized and running smoothly. Everyone at Ross knows that without the health information management workers of the world the healthcare field would be unable to operate.
As the tools, technology, and expectations on health and healthcare facilities continue to evolve, those that are daily managing health information are also constantly growing, changing, and learning something new. As health records are becoming more frequently electronic over paper and technology is allowing things to become more efficient, more training is required for those in the role of managing that information.
If the term healthcare information professional sounds vague, that’s because it is! Someone with that general title may be found working as a medical biller or coder, medical secretary, office manager, or in a variety of other related roles. They must have knowledge of a huge scope of information and data and processes. They are likely well versed in insurance billing codes (you can read an entertaining article about ICD-10 codes here), extremely organized and aware of the office’s administrative processes and goals, personable and efficient in executing decisions and dealing with many issues at once, and possess many more impressive skills and characteristics.
Here are a few things to remember about each healthcare information professional you meet, and we hope they may encourage you to thank them for all they do!
- They have a profound understanding of both the organization they work with as well as the insurance companies, physicians, and patients that they are in contact with on a daily basis.
- They are people people. They started in this profession because they care about providing patients with great service and healthcare options! They want to do their job well and take good care of you in the process!
- They have access to a LOT of secrets and commit to keep them all. As a member of the healthcare team, they follow HIPAA, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, and therefore are bound to keep all of your information and data safe and secure, and they do a great job of it!
- They work with a variety of people that are all needing different things from them throughout a day, sometimes during an emergency, and they deliver efficiently and with a smile every time!
Do you know a health information professional? Make sure to thank them and maybe even give them a small token of your appreciation for all their hard work and dedication to excellence! Are you interested in joining the ranks of these amazing healthcare professionals? Learn more about our Medical Insurance Billing and Office Administration program and all the opportunities you may have in the healthcare field as a result!