DTI-6 gears up for Regional Healthcare Information Management Service Conference

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Region 6, led by OIC-Regional Director Ermelinda Pollentes recently met with Mr. Joeven Tansi, the Executive Director of the Iloilo Federation for Information Technology, to discuss preparations for the upcoming Regional Healthcare Information Management Service (HIMS) Conference.

The meeting took place on April 25, 2023 at the DTI Regional Office 6 and focused on the delivery of various initiatives to ensure that the region’s goal to be recognized as the HIMS capital of the world is aligned with the plans and strategies being developed.

The first day of the 2023 Online Slingshot Region 6 (OSR6) is expected to include the Regional HIMS Conference, tentatively scheduled in the third quarter of this year.

OSR6 is an initiative of DTI Region 6 which highlights the Startup Ecosystem, Innovation Initiatives and Technological Solutions of Region 6.

The Regional HIMS Conference will feature discussions on various current trends and issues in healthcare information management that were brought up during the HIMS 2023 Global Conference held in the States of Texas and New York, USA from April 10-17, 2023.

The global conference was attended by several notable figures, including DTI Undersecretary Rafaelita Aldaba, Board of Investments (BOI) Governor, and representatives from various organizations such as the Philippine Economic Zone Authority, the Department of Information and Communication Technology, and the Healthcare Information Management Association of the Philippines, among others.

The HIMS 2023 Global Conference included facility visits to various healthcare-related companies, business fora, learning sessions on best practices and trends, one-to-one business meetings, and networking opportunities.

DTI Region 6 is evaluating Western Visayas’ compliance with HIMS policies, as set by the Philippine legislature’s Data Privacy Act (RA 10173). The outsourcing of healthcare industry work has been problematic due to Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)  regulations, causing difficulty in having overseas companies identify and report data breaches with reduced oversight.

Representatives from various organizations such as the Healthcare Information Management Association of the Philippines (HIMAP), IT & Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP), MedStar Philippines Healthcare Information Management, Inc., academe, Local Chief Executives of Iloilo City and Iloilo Province, ICT councils, partner national government agencies (CHED, TESDA, DOST, DICT, and DOLE), SMED council members, and other stakeholders are expected to attend the upcoming HIMS Regional Conference.

Further, the upcoming Regional HIMS Conference’s theme will focus on the training and development of the local workforce and talent pool in the healthcare industry and aims to address the region’s growing demand for skilled professionals in healthcare information management systems (HIMS).

Pollentes hopes the HIMS Regional Conference will provide a platform for stakeholders to exchange ideas and come up with actionable strategies that will help improve healthcare information management in the region and to sustain its vision for Region 6 to become the HIMS capital of the world.