Western Visayas Eyes Rise as HIMS Talent Hub

Key government and industry leaders in Western Visayas are joining forces to transform the region into the country’s next Healthcare Information Management Services (HIMS) hub ahead of a landmark regional conference in June.

Representatives from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Region 6, Department of Education (DepEd) Region 6, and Iloilo Federation for Information Technology (IFIT) met on April 7 for a strategic planning session at the DTI Regional Office in Iloilo City.

The meeting aimed to finalize partner roles and align education and industry goals for the first-ever Western Visayas HIMS Conference scheduled for June 25–26, 2025.

DTI Regional Director Rachel N. Nufable emphasized the importance of this initiative, noting the region’s potential to specialize in healthcare information services.

“We need to leverage this specialization to create a competitive advantage,” Nufable said.

She added that many students are already working in business process outsourcing (BPO) firms, and educational programs must be aligned with global industry standards.

DepEd Region 6 was brought on board for the first time in this initiative, signaling stronger integration between education and HIMS workforce development.

DepEd representative April C. Velez acknowledged the outdated state of the current curriculum, which has not been substantially revised since 2016.

“There are real opportunities to integrate soft skills and basic healthcare information knowledge into the curriculum,” Velez said.

IFIT Executive Director Joeven Tansi urged partners to focus on targeted curriculum updates rather than full overhauls to address current skills gaps.

He identified several reasons job candidates struggle to enter HIMS roles, including weak communication, poor customer service orientation, and a lack of critical thinking and composure under pressure.

“These soft skills and attitude deficiencies significantly impact industry performance,” Tansi said.

He stressed the value of DepEd’s involvement, calling it “crucial in developing these foundational capabilities.”

The planning meeting also identified key subjects for integration in high school and recommended specific senior high school tracks aligned with healthcare information careers.

The upcoming conference, themed “Advancing the Future of Healthcare Ecosystem in Region 6,” is expected to bring together academic institutions, HIMS firms, and government stakeholders.

“This is a leveling-off activity that helps us identify our weaknesses and build on our strengths,” said Nufable.

She added that the collaboration is vital in ensuring Western Visayas develops a globally competitive, future-ready HIMS workforce.

Healthcare Information Management Services is a fast-growing sub-sector of the Philippine IT-BPM industry, with services ranging from medical transcription to revenue cycle management and clinical data analysis.

According to the IT and Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP), the HIMS sector is expected to generate over PHP 200 billion in annual revenue nationwide by 2028, with Western Visayas poised to become a major contributor.

With less than three months until the regional conference, stakeholders reaffirmed their commitment to bridge education and employment gaps and elevate the region’s role in the healthcare information economy.