Looking for work? Know about IG? You're all set

While the term information governance, or IG, which refers to the maintenance, compliance and control of healthcare data within an organization, is fairly new, the job market is already recognizing the need for experts in the field, said Kayce Dover, president and CEO of HIM Connection, a Birmingham, Ala.-based recruiting firm for health information management professionals.

More than 100 American Health Information Management Association conventioneers attended a career-track educational session Tuesday to hear Dover talk about opportunities in field.

Most organizations don't yet have an IG strategy, Dover said, but, “We know that there are going to be some key leadership opportunities.” Some titles emerging, Dover said, are vice president of information management, manager and director of information governance and chief information integrity officer.

Dover posted several job descriptions for leaders with IG duties and asked if anyone in the audience worked for an organization that had similar positions opened. Dover then invited them to a microphone to discuss the positions.

Several did, including Maria Kaneshiro, manager of HIM and information governance for West Virginia University Healthcare in Morgantown.

Kaneshiro's been on the job for one year and hers was the first position at the academic medical center with IG in the title. They are looking for a data content and integrity manager now, she said. That person, who will report to the HIM director, will have duties that “bridge the gap between data collection and analytics,” Kaneshiro said.

Follow Joseph Conn on Twitter: @MHJConn