HIMSS launches the Veterans HIT workforce program
In celebration of both Veterans Day and Global Health Equity Week, the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society, parent company of Healthcare IT news, on Monday announced the launch of a Veterans Community aimed at supporting veterans’ development in healthcare information technology.
WHY IT’S IMPORTANT
The new workforce development program is intended to help veterans launch careers in healthcare and IT, a HIMSS spokesperson said.
The organization said in a statement that it believes veterans can advance conversations about health care and wellness and take actionable steps to support healthy communities. Any veteran who is not currently a HIMSS member and joins the HIMSS Veteran Community receive a free one-year individual membership and enrollment in their local HIMSS Chapter.
The announcement was made during Global Health Equity Week, which runs from November 11 to 15, when individual members and the global organization’s chapters highlight the role of digital health as critical to improving patient outcomes and well-being.
“Our decision to launch a dedicated HIMSS community for veterans reflects a broader conversation in the health ecosystem about improving access to care and workforce development,” said Tom Leary, HIMSS senior vice president and head of government relations, in the statement.
THE BIG TREND
Over the years, returning service reps have been highly regarded for what they bring to IT departments and what the healthcare industry can learn from them.
The most important benefits for healthcare organizations are veterans’ intangible skills, such as leadership and experience with advanced technology. Veterans are also trained to handle complex environments and focus on mission-critical tasks – both highly relevant to healthcare cybersecurity.
Recognizing this, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency initially funded a 28-week boot camp program to train veterans and others for careers in cybersecurity.
“We are best positioned to solve the cyber challenges facing our country when we have a broad range of thoughts that bring every perspective to the problem,” CISA’s Easterly said in a statement.
That training program for cybersecurity personnel provided “the opportunity to advance their careers and deepen their specialties,” said Bertina Ceccarelli, CEO of national technology training organization NPower, which partnered with CyberWarrior to develop the program.
Transitioning to a role in HIT can also make sense for veterans.
“Many people think of the military in terms of combat operations. But really, it’s more about the mission,” explained Jonathan Manis, senior vice president and chief information officer of CHRISTUS Health, for a Healthcare IT news magazine story about what returning service reps can contribute to IT departments and what healthcare can learn from them.
“We have done a lot more in terms of humanitarian aid and commitment to caring for people,” Manis noted of his time as a Marine in the 1980s.
ON THE RECORD
“It is critical that veterans have better access to resources and opportunities that help them embrace the digital healthcare transformation so they can better manage their care and start a career in healthcare,” Leary said in a statement.
Andrea Fox is editor-in-chief of Healthcare IT News.
Email: afox@himss.org
Healthcare IT News is a HIMSS Media publication.