Salary and benefits

The salary earned depends to a large extent on the responsibility held by the individuals. In general, the more the responsibility, the higher the salary. In a survey conducted in 2008 by AHIMA, the average salary was $57,370. The salary for a IS/IT Director is $96,640, other director is $90,740, security officer is $83,000, consultant is $76,267, HIM Director is $73,376, compliance officer is $72,218, other officer is $66,491, privacy officer is $64,449, manager is $64,225, Data/systems analyst is $58,232, supervisor is $50,362, coding professional is $43,359, other technician roles is $43,042 and administrative support is $32,671 respectively. These salary levels are likely to increase as demand for HIS professionals increase in the next few years.

Employment

HIS professionals are employed by hospitals and clinics to maintain patient's records. They are also hired by research facilities and Government departments that are looking to gather information about patients to use them for further research, planning and analysis.

Importance and future outlook of HIS

"Changing healthcare and the advent of sophisticated information technology are impacting the way health information is generated, published, organized, accessed, communicated, shared and used. The effect can be felt in clinical, research and consumerism environment" (Cleveland, 2011, p.64). The importance of HIS professionals are increasing because of the crucial role they play in organizing information so that patients are given better treatment, in protecting the privacy of the patients by limiting the access to vital data and by making it easy to share as and when needed.

Though there are some concerns about security issues and breaches because of the digitization and electronic transfer, it is likely that that these concerns will be addressed with stringer security and compliance. These improved compliance techniques will help to provide better treatment for patients and reduce the chance of any leaks. This will also greatly reduce fines and penalties that go with data loss and increased patient confidence in the organization (Express Healthcare, 2011). At the core of these compliance and security process is the HIS and so, the importance of this role is sure to get a boost.

The future of HIS profession is only going to improve because of the increased...

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2010-11), it is one of the top ten fastest growing industries during the next decade. It is likely to generate nearly $3.2 million jobs between 2008 and 2018. This is the largest number among all industries and this is partly due to an aging population. All this makes HIS one of the best industries to be in during the next decade.
Conclusion

In short, HIS is a growing field that acts as a bridge between healthcare and information technology. As technology advances, there is a higher requirement for professionals who can organize, access and share patients' data electronically. Recognizing this vital role, more and more universities are offering undergraduate and graduate courses that will help students to optimize on this opportunity. All this means that the next decade is going to see an explosive need for HIS professionals.