Health Information Systems Auditor Career Guide
How to Become a Health Information Systems Auditor
A health information systems auditor is responsible for the upkeep of all health information systems and workflows. They evaluate potential risks and benefits that can result from current, or improved, operations. Whether they’re employed at an outpatient clinic, hospital, rehabilitation facility, or other healthcare organization, a health information systems auditor performs a critical role for successful medical operations.
Health information systems auditors are primarily responsible for comprehensive reviews of existing information systems processes. They work to ensure that policy compliance results in correct project management, without resulting in lost time, revenue, resources, or quality of patient care.
Often, a health information systems auditor is also responsible for creating and implementing audit processes across their organization.
Anyone with a passion for the healthcare industry and a drive to improve patients’ quality of life through efficient medical processes will thrive in a career as a health information systems auditor.
What Is a Health Information Systems Auditor?
A health information systems auditor is responsible for all aspects of systems auditing in a medical organization. Often working in tandem with other health information team members, auditors will create and deploy auditing processes that allow organizations to assess the efficiency of their operations.
What Does a Health Information Systems Auditor Do?
On a day-to-day basis, the role of a health information systems auditor might vary widely. The exact daily responsibilities of a health information systems auditor can include:
- Creating audit processes that identify areas where healthcare operations could be more efficient.
- Implementing audit processes across the organization.
- Teaching other healthcare staff members—and especially other health information team members—how to correctly implement audit processes to generate correct results.
- Assessing audit findings to identify opportunities for organizational improvement.
- Reporting audit findings to executive-level management or other appropriate medical staff.
- Researching new audit methods for even more efficient audit integration.
- Managing multiple audits at once, each at various stages of completion across the organization.
Health information systems auditors actively assess individual workflows to determine risks, identify potential benefits, and improve processes that improve lives.
How Do I Become a Health Information Systems Auditor?
Before beginning a career as a health information systems auditor, interested students must first earn an undergraduate degree in health information management. In a health information management program, students will focus on medical terminology, healthcare systems, and the software that makes healthcare systems work. They will get technical skills as well as understand the important ethical and regulatory elements of health information. All of these courses work together to ensure a health information systems auditor is well equipped to succeed in their career.
Best Degree for a Health Information Systems Auditor
Health Information Management – B.S.
A program designed for future leaders in HIM:...
A program designed for future leaders in HIM:...
A program designed for future leaders in HIM:
- Time: 60% of grads earned this degree in 36 months or less.
- Tuition: $4,085 per 6-month term.
Some careers and jobs this degree will prepare you for:
- Director of informatics
- HIMS chief
- Information systems auditor
- Outpatient coder
- Health records manager
This CAHIIM-accredited program makes you eligible for the RHIA exam.
College of Health Professions
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What Skills Does a Health Information Systems Auditor Need?
Health information systems auditor is one of the preferred career options for individuals who have obtained a health information management degree. Health information systems auditors use a defined skill set daily. These skills include:
- Audit-creation aptitude: The ability to create audit processes that will identify flaws, imperfections, or areas for improvement in current workflows and processes.
- Internal auditing proficiency: The ability to deploy custom-created audits for the explicit purpose of improving healthcare operations.
- Analytical thinking: The ability to interpret and draw conclusions from audits to benefit a healthcare organization.
- Audit-reporting aptitude: The ability to leverage a user-friendly reporting process that succinctly delivers high-level findings from each audit to necessary staff members and executives.
- Technological proficiency: The ability to understand and use any technology necessary for the audit process or optimal healthcare processes.
- Risk assessment proficiency: The ability to actively assess all parts of a situation for potential issues in light of potential benefits.
- Problem-solving: The ability to come up with creative solutions that find new angles to solve familiar problems in a healthcare environment.
- Interpersonal communication: The ability to communicate effectively with all health-information team members, managers, technicians, and executives.
These skills make for productive health information systems auditors, who can accurately assess a healthcare environment and identify opportunities for workflow improvement.
How Much Does a Health Information Systems Auditor Make?
$63,861
The exact salary of a health information systems auditor varies based on several factors, including years of experience, the nature of their hire, employer, employer location, and education.
The salary of a health information systems auditor averages $83,861. The top 10% of earners can make as much as $97,000, while the lowest 10% of earners take home roughly $41,000 per year.
What Is the Job Outlook for a Health Information Systems Auditor?
7%
Employment for health information specialists is expected to grow 8% by 2031 a growth rate higher than the average across all occupations.
This heightened growth rate is largely influenced by aging populations, made up of individuals who will require more concentrated, long-term medical care after developing chronic issues. With an increase in the need for healthcare services comes a parallel increase in the need for effective healthcare workflows and systems. This trend will likely make the role of a health information systems auditor a critical component in the healthcare industry for years to come.
Where Does a Health Information Systems Auditor Work?
Varies
Health information system auditors can work in a wide variety of environments. These include at the office of an auditing agency, on-site at a client’s place of business, or remote workspaces, equipped with the devices and tools necessary to perform virtual audits.