Jody Stankiewicz

HCMT1005C001
Module 4 Assignment 3- Emerging Technology
Health Information Management 2025

I originally read this article thinking that it had information about emerging
technology related to data sets that were discussed in the chapter. While it did
mention that there will be new data sets and new ways to use the information
available to the HIM professional that havent even been thought of, what caught
my eye was that that vision of HIM professional in 2025 will be so different that it is
nearly impossible to keep up.
I have a degree in Psychology and I am currently getting my HIM Associates degree.
My career goal was to get into medical coding upon graduation and go from there.
Imagine my surprise when I read that new EHR technologies will make automated
medical coding more common and that will make the Coder Positions either
obsolete OR transition them into more of an auditing type position. In addition, the
article states that the Associates Degree in HIM is also on the way to being obsolete.
The two-year degree programs will be basic entry level and currently students are
often coming out of certificate and degree programs without the skills to get entry
level jobs. Those already in the field will have to advance their education and/or
adapt to new HIM technologies very rapidly. Think about it- 9 years from now, the
positions that cant be filled fast enough today could be obsolete. Very scary.
One part of the article that I did NOT agree with, or thought was not up to date, was
mention that the HIM department itself is on the way out. The trend is that the HIM
professionals will be housed in non-traditional ways and closer to where the
information is relating to the HIM professionals specialty. Management will be not
of a department of people. Instead it will be management of people throughout
various locations. I believe this has already happened. I know several people who
are Coders and ALL of them are required to work remotely. Within two hospital
systems that I am slightly familiar with I know that the management teams manage
people throughout many facilities (and remotely).

Assessing and Improving EHR Data Quality (Updated)

Jody Stankiewicz
HCMT1005C001
Module 4 Assignment 3- Emerging Technology
This article was not specifically about data sets and emerging technology. However,
it was very much about what has been discussed in my classes over the last few
weeks. Simply put, data that is collected, or captured, does no good if the
information is incorrect, inaccurate, cannot be translated, or cannot be

accessed. Therefore, more effort needs to be put into making sure that EHR
systems have a common language that is used and understood by all users,
facilities and organizations. The EHR has to be interoperable- more so than it is
now. There are many different vendors customizing EHR systems and many
different users. AHIMA points out that this opens the door to new career
opportunities for the HIM professional. The HIM professional is now responsible for
being the liaison between users and vendors; Data Dictionary management; data
capture education; template creation; data auditing, etc.. All of this in an effort to
make sure that the information captured is correct, accurate and accessible- in the
most interoperable way possible. This ensures quality patient care, reduces
mistakes and provides a wealth of data that is required to be reported AND unlocks
other potential uses for data that is collected.

References:
Dimick, Chris. "Health Information Management 2025: Current Health IT
Revolution Drastically Changes HIM in The Near Future." Journal of AHIMA 83, no.8
(August 2012): 24-31.
http://library.ahima.org/xpedio/groups/public/documents/ahima/bok1_049692.hcsp?
dDocName=bok1_049692. Retrieved February 9, 2016.

AHIMA. "Assessing and Improving EHR Data Quality (Updated)." Journal of AHIMA 84, no.2
(March 2013): 48-53 [expanded online version].

http://library.ahima.org/xpedio/groups/public/documents/ahima/bok1_050085.hcsp?
dDocName=bok1_050085. Retrieved February 9, 2016.