After three years of virtual meetings, the health information community came together in person at AHIMA22 Global Conference in Columbus, Ohio, October 9 – 12. The event kicked off with an opening address by Marcus Whitney, founding partner of Jumpstart Health Investors. “You can believe in innovation, but not without hustle, heart, and some amount of risk,” he said.
The next day, Dr. Tina Shah, MD MPH, a national expert on digital transformation and health policy, delved into issues at the heart of the healthcare industry: burnout, equity, and consumerism. We cannot truly achieve health equity if people do not understand the system or the information that is provided to them, she noted. But health information professionals can make a difference. Taking care of data, digitizing healthcare, and reducing the cognitive load on clinicians are all vital steps toward a better healthcare future
AHIMA CEO Wylecia Wiggs Harris, PhD CAE, shared powerful stories of health data being used to save patient lives
“We see a world where health is transformed by data and information advances… A world where health information professionals are recognized alongside their clinical and managerial colleagues as vital leaders in healthcare’s quest to improve outcomes, lower costs, and enhance access,” she declared. How do we get there?
AHIMA will continue to:
– Drive a robust health public policy agenda
– Identify new learning and certification opportunities
– Engage in thoughtful strategic partnerships that help deliver on the world that we envision
The last day, AHIMA President/Chair-Elect Jennifer Mueller, MBA, RHIA, SHIMSS, FACHE, FAHIMA, encouraged everyone to use a “power pose” whenever they need an extra boost of confidence.
“Often, the work we do can feel separate from real people and real experiences. But put yourself in the shoes of a daughter or son who feels helpless because the information they need is not easily accessed,” she said, “then consider the work we do.” Mueller noted there are challenges and hard work ahead for the profession. Mueller stated “When you feel like you can’t do this remember your power pose and know that you can!”
Mateo Salvatto, a 22-year-old tech entrepreneur, delivered the final keynote address. Focused on how he could use technology to help people, he created an app that has helped over 350,000 people with hearing and verbal communication disabilities. Salvatto encouraged the audience to imagine all the things they could do. “Anyone can change the world,” he said.
Authors: Darryl Robinson, Amy Ferguson, and Sarah Sheber for AHIMA