>> Women in Healthcare IT
Although women have made significant contributions to the healthcare system, their expertise is lacking in the information technology department -, especially talking about health tech apps development. There is a vast difference in the number of men in healthcare information technology compared to women.
Women make around 66% of the entry-level healthcare workforce. But there is a significantly low number of women in C-suite level positions. That’s where the foundation of Women in Healthcare Information Technology (WHIT) aims to make a difference.
What is Women in Healthcare Information Technology?
Women in healthcare is an initiative started in 2015. It was started by women in leadership roles in the information technology sector who wished to see more female involvement in health IT. They are affiliated with Northern and Southern California Chapters Healthcare Information & Management Systems Society and are actively featured on their website.
Women in HIT consists of many leaders and executives from various healthcare disciplines, actively networking to increase female participation in the Health IT sector. They are on a mission of making things easier for women to rise in this sector and make significant contributions to the healthcare system.
The efforts of ‘WHIT’ have been appreciated internationally.
The Importance of Women in Healthcare IT
A gender-equal world is more cohesive than a world with unequal opportunities. Women in Health IT are essential for the development of healthcare systems as it enables the contribution of women to help make a change. Through various events, the HIMSS and WHIT reach women in the healthcare system worldwide.
They provide them with the skills and tools to aim higher and highlight their efforts in hopes of making a social change.
There is a political aspect to women in healthcare IT, as more participation, representation, and involvement of women will lead to better laws that are not biased and initiatives that take all of the population’s concerns into consideration.
Bringing The Change in The Healthcare System
The involvement of women in healthcare in leadership and decision-making roles is helping change the system itself. These changes are documented in news, articles, publishing, podcasts, and many more.
The aim is to empower women in various parts of the world and become just as much of a stakeholder as men.
When considered, women in healthcare IT could lead to better policies, practices, and innovation as they would address the loopholes in existing practices and technologies that women often cannot voice due to lack of representation. These loopholes also affect children and families; hence, more women in the health IT sector would mean better healthcare provisions.
Achievements of Women in Healthcare IT
Since 2015, efforts to improve female participation and decision-making in the healthcare information technology system have been underway. Much progress has been made in this regard, not only in developed countries but developing ones as well.
Women in healthcare IT have made discoveries in patient opinion involvement leading to better healthcare technology.
They have addressed issues towards medical gaslighting and discriminatory behavior in information reporting for women of color. Significant improvements have been made in understanding the importance of networking for healthcare IT workers in the face of a pandemic. Issues towards data and information collection, such as the illiteracy of female patients in developing countries, were addressed.
The impacts of the pandemic on Latinx mental health, improvements in women in healthcare standards, and training of females to take better initiatives in the healthcare IT sector are some of the achievements Women in Healthcare IT have made along with other supporting actors.
The Takeaway
Conclusively, the importance and contribution of women in the healthcare IT system are undeniable. It will only continue to grow and improve the healthcare system until all healthcare practices and technologies are inclusive of the needs of the entire population, not just the majority.
Lastly, the efforts of women in healthcare IT will help pave the way for representation and empowerment of other unrepresented groups in society.
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