AHIMA in 2023: Paving the Way for Future Health Information Programs

As we near the end of 2023, it's time to reflect on progress made by AHIMA and set new paths for the future. 

A central focus this year was our research and advocacy, particularly in leveraging data for better health outcomes. 

Over the summer, in partnership with NORC at the University of Chicago, we conducted two significant studies around effective social determinants of health (SDOH) utilization. The first study surveyed AHIMA members to develop educational tools, support professionals, and inform policies. The second, more extensive study assessed the challenges and prospects in managing SDOH data. The resulting white paper reveals an increasing integration of health equity into insurance payment models and a growing federal interest in the role of SDOH in advancing health equity. 

In conjunction with these studies, our “SDOH Data Break” webinars covered strategies to enhance SDOH data usage for better health outcomes, addressing training gaps and privacy concerns. 

Through these platforms, AHIMA is actively rallying leaders and professionals under the Data for Better Health™ initiative, which supplies resources and training for better use of SDOH data.  

We also continued our work with the Gravity Project to help establish universal SDOH data standards.  

In March, our Advocacy Summit brought together more than 150 members to discuss critical health information issues including data privacy and patient matching, marking the first in-person summit in four years. We pushed for efficient patient matching systems and advances in data privacy, health equity, and interoperability. 

Our annual conference in Baltimore underscored the importance of our work, concentrating on health equity, ethical artificial intelligence, and enhancing patient care via health information. We celebrated successes like AmeriHealth Caritas's Grace Award for using health data to improve maternal health, nutrition, and mental well-being. 

In October, we expanded our reach and deepened our expertise in compliance and revenue cycle management with the acquisition of HCPro. Combining HCPro's strength in education and training with our resources helps us bring new solutions and services to the market. 

In November, we were honored by The Sequoia Project's Member of The Year Award. We are a proud partner with the Sequoia community and are committed to the organization’s mission of advancing data usability. 

We also acknowledge that we haven't gotten everything right. As younger professionals enter various roles, innovatively handling health data, AHIMA must expand its scope. This includes not only welcoming these new methods for our growth, but also learning from those early in their careers. 

As we close 2023, our association’s dedication to improving health outcomes through data utilization and SDOH initiatives stands firm. Our work this year, from research to setting data standards, paves the way for future growth. As my time as interim CEO concludes, I am confident in the direction of AHIMA and excited for the advancements we'll make in 2024.  

Amy Mosser, MBA, is interim chief executive officer of AHIMA.