2018 – Predictions, Trends, Forecasts and a little Mysticism

The airwaves are a-glow with expectations for the New Year. While one’s source may be science or the crystal ball, all agree that disruption will continue to revolutionize our lives and that of healthcare. Whether it’s the smartphone or (AI) Artificial Intelligence, the individual will continue to experience exponential change. As a matter of fact, Levy writing for Gartner says, “By 2020, the average person will have more conversations with bots than with their spouse.”

2018 and beyond—

• The digital experience continues and explodes to “virtual reality as continuous reality”

• IoT (Internet of Things) becomes ubiquitous – enabling every device

• The mobile web gradually replacing apps

• And a newbie – blockchain … not new for some but ready to revolutionize the interoperability problem for healthcare

• Most critical is the need to understand and prepare for Security Vulnerabilities

How and where do you – the HIM (Health Information Management) Professional fit in?

AHIMA continually emphasizes the need for certifications and education. Data analytics and informatics dominate every aspect of all industries and, now includes healthcare. David Marc, writing for AHIMA Journal, says HIM professionals must be “upskilling – adding and upgrading skills in data analytics and informatics to be ready for the job market”.

Carol Gorman, 10 Tips To Supercharge Your Success, writes “current knowledge quickly becomes outdated”. The value of an individual in the career market is measured by how quickly one can adapt to the changing environment. For the HIM professional the landscape has been changing and will continue to do so as healthcare becomes more digital and mobile.

A quick read of 2018 predictions can be sobering for an individual performing (or thinking) the same job will last until retirement. Be it another degree, certifications, or MOOCs, one must invest in continuous learning.