Explain how you think this will impact HIT$/$HIM professionals in the future, and the healthcare environment. In no less than $150$ words. This is not a summarization of content. It should be your reflective thoughts.

Opportunities for Health Information Management Professionals in Healthcare Data Analytics.

HIM professionals are uniquely positioned to take on a variety of roles related to healthcare data analytics. Combining the following skills transforms the traditional HIM role into one of a business analyst:

$$ Understand data structures and coding systems

$$ Understand available data and methods for integration

$$ Can communicate with both finance and IT staff

$$ Act as a business analyst$-$far more valuable than a pure data analyst

For instance, in revenue cycle management, the identification of missed charges is challenging. The traditional approach to identifying missed charges is to perform a charge description master $($CDM$)$ review and interview unit staff to ensure charge codes are utilized as designed. The staff may also review departmental order sheets to ensure they include complete and accurate listings of the services available in the department. An HIM professional with strong analytic skills may take a data$-$driven approach to identify cases with potential missed charges.

The charge codes that occur together may often be identified through profiling of the historical claims data. Claims with only one of those codes may be selected for focused review. A record review on that subset of records identified as likely to include missed charges may then be completed to understand the root cause of the missing charges. The use of analytics on historical claims may save a significant amount of time in the identification of particular codes that are problematic. Corrective action may be designed and implemented in a much more efficient manner.

Opportunities to apply analytics to common operational issues are present throughout the healthcare business setting. AHIMA's Health Data Analysis Toolkit lists a number of responsibilities that may be required of HIM professionals to perform analysis$-$based jobs in healthcare $($Adebayo et al$.2017).$

An entry$-$level health data analyst position may include the following analytic responsibilities:

Daily Operations

$$ Identify data problem areas and conduct research to determine the best course of action.

$$ Analyze and solve issues with legacy, current and planned systems as they relate to the integration and management of parent data $($e$.$g$.,$ review for accuracy in record merge and unmerge processes$)$

$$ Analyze reports of data duplicates or other errors to provide on going appropriate interdepartmental communication and monthly or daily data reports $($e$.$g$.,$ related to the enterprise master patient index $[$EMPI$]$

$$ Monitor metadata for process improvement opportunities $($e$.$g$.,$ monitoring orders for successful computerized physician order entry $|$CPOE$|$ implementation

$$ Identify, analyze, and interpret trends or patterns in complex data sets.

$$ Monitor data dictionary statistics.

Data Capture

$$ In collaboration with others, develop and maintain databases and data systems necessary for projects and department functions.

$$ Acquire and abstract primary or secondary data from existing internal or external data sources.

$$ In collaboration with others, develop and maintain data collection systems and other strategies that optimize statistical efficiency and data quality.

$$ Perform data entry, either manually or using scanning technology, when needed or required.

Data Reporting

$$ In collaboration with others, interpret data and develop recommendations on the basis of findings.

$$ Develop graphs, reports, and presentations of project results, trends, data mining.

$$ Perform basic statistical analyses for projects and reports.

$$ Create and present quality dashboards.

$$ Generate routine and ad hoc reports.

A mid$-$level health data analyst position may include the following additional analysis.

responsibilities:

$$ Work collaboratively with data and reporting and the database administrator to help produce effective production management and utilization management reports in support of performance management related to utilization, cost, and risk with the various health plan data, monitor data integrity and quality of reports on a monthly basis.

$$ Work collaboratively with data and reporting in monitoring financial performance in each health plan.

$$ Develop and maintain claims audit reporting and processes.

$$ Develop and maintain contract models in support of contract negotiations with health plans.

$$ Develop, implement, and enhance evaluation and measurement models for the quality, data and reporting, and data warehouse department programs, projects, and initiatives for maximum effectiveness.

$$ Recommend improvements to processes, programs, and initiatives by using analytical skills and a variety of reporting tools.

$$ Determine the most appropriate approach fo