Wanted: Nursing grads willing to work in healthcare outsourcing

MANILA – The local healthcare information management outsourcing sector expects its workforce to almost double this year as it continues to attract unemployed nurses.

According to the Healthcare Information Management Outsourcing Association of the Philippines, the number of nurses hired by its member-firms would surge to 43,000 by yearend from 24,700 last year.

HIMOAP aims to ramp up employment further to 100,000 by 2016, as healthcare information management jobs are positioned as an alternative profession in a country with an oversupply of nurses.

Government data showed that the country had 400,000 jobless nurses at end-February, HIMOAP said.

“Graduates of medical-related courses can put their medical knowledge to good use in healthcare information management outsourcing while satisfying their investment on education,” Katheryne Gutierrez, vice president for clinical quality and compliance of HIMOAP member-company MediCall Philippines Inc., said in a statement.

HIMOAP said it is working with the umbrella organization Business Processing Association of the Philippines to integrate healthcare information management services in the nursing curricula.

This move is in light of the growing number of healthcare providers abroad that are turning to information management outsourcing to save on costs and improve efficiency, HIMOAP said.

“Increasing healthcare spending is driving countries to create health reforms that will not only ensure additional coverage to members but also introduce technology solutions such as electronic health records. These trends are now offering a wide range of opportunities as well as challenges for healthcare information management outsourcing firms,” Myla Reyes, managing director of HIMOAP member TTSI, said.

To promote job opportunities in the healthcare information management outsourcing sector, HIMOAP will spearhead the 3rd Healthcare Information Management Outsourcing Services Congress in November. –Ben Arnold O. de Vera, InterAksyon.com