Stronger Together: The Power of Advocacy to Drive Healthcare Change

“Empowering people to impact health?” is more than a slogan at AHIMA. It is a belief that together, we can achieve great change and move healthcare forward utilizing its greatest resource: health information (HI).?

To that end, our advocacy team works with members, the US Congress, the Biden-Harris administration, national healthcare organizations, and other stakeholders on a number of initiatives. They do so by leveraging the knowledge and expertise of HI professionals across the country.??

“As chair of the AHIMA Advocacy and Policy Council, I see the importance advocacy has on the lives of HI professionals every day,” says Deborah Adair, MA. “The work we do as advocates with AHIMA is helping shape HI and healthcare for the better for all of us. Our voices as HI professionals and patients are crucial to ensuring the policy made in Washington makes healthcare more affordable, more attainable, and safer for everyone.”?

HI professionals can contribute to advocacy and public policy in a number of ways. Each year, AHIMA holds its Advocacy Summit in Washington, DC, where members learn about a variety of issues impacting the industry as well as making in-person visits to Capitol Hill to share their insight and perspectives with members of Congress.??

Roberta Baranda, CA, says she has seen firsthand the importance of how HI professionals can improve policymaking for the better. As co-chair of the AHIMA Advocacy and Policy Council as well as several IT working groups, she notes the power of professionals participating in policy discussions.??

“We are patient advocates as well as leaders nationwide in HI and its flow through the system,” says Baranda. “The more we can leverage that expertise in policymaking, the better healthcare and the policy around it will become.”?

Jennifer Kadlec, RHIA, an AHIMA Advocacy leader, adds that communicating and creating relationships with federal legislators shows that HI professionals are passionate about the industry and are the ones they should reach out to for information. Kadlec advises others to become active with their AHIMA Component Association and volunteer to work in advocacy with fellow members.?

“Respond to the calls to take action and consider attending the AHIMA Advocacy Summit, if possible,” she says. “This is a wonderful way to meet other AHIMA members who are passionate about advocacy as well as an opportunity to interact with your federal legislators.”?

During this HIP WEEK, AHIMA acknowledges the contributions HI professionals make to advocate for change and improve healthcare on a daily basis. Your collective experience helps bring issues to the forefront and begin important conversations about needed changes.??

And while you share your knowledge with others to improve healthcare, AHIMA makes it an organizational goal to provide you with resources for your daily work.?

? Read the 2024 Advocacy Agenda to learn more about how your experience can influence potential legislation.?

? See how AHIMA and its members impacted federal policy in 2023 through our Advocacy Impact Report.?

? Learn about the MATCH IT Act of 2024, a bill endorsed by AHIMA and the Patient ID Now coalition, aimed at improving patient matching.?

? Write your legislators and share your thoughts on important HI issues in our Advocacy Center.??

? Examine workforce challenges for HI professionals and how emerging and evolving technologies will play a role in this white paper by NORC at the University of Chicago and AHIMA.?

? Delve into artificial intelligence through articles, videos, and courses in our AI Hub.??