Professor Timothy Coffin Attends AHIMA Advocacy Summit

On March 18 at this year’s American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) Advocacy Summit in Washington, D.C., health information professionals united to advocate for policies that will shape the future of healthcare information management and patient care. Representing Hood College and the academic health informatics community, Timothy Coffin, Ph.D., director of Hood College’s health informatics program, brought forward key priorities aimed at transforming healthcare data use and workforce readiness.

In his meetings on Capitol Hill, Coffin stressed the urgent need for a national standard for patient identification to reduce errors, eliminate redundant records and improve care coordination. He voiced strong support for the MatchIT Act of 2025 legislation that would direct the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish an industry standard dataset for patient matching. The act also calls for pilot programs that test and refine these standards to ensure accuracy, privacy and interoperability across health systems.

“Patient matching errors lead to preventable mistakes and administrative waste,” Coffin explained. “The MatchIT Act of 2025 is a step toward creating a reliable, privacy-centered system that supports safer, more efficient healthcare delivery.”

Beyond patient identification, Coffin urged lawmakers to recognize the growing influence of artificial intelligence in health informatics—not just in clinical decision-making, but across critical non-clinical domains such as data quality management, public health monitoring, revenue cycle optimization and administrative workflows. He called for congressional champions to support legislation that would:

• Commission a national report on the uses of non-clinical AI in healthcare, highlighting where AI can deliver measurable improvements in efficiency, equity and safety.
• Identify skill gaps in the workforce related to AI literacy and application in non-clinical healthcare environments.
• Provide federal funding for educational material development and nationwide dissemination, enabling health informatics programs and industry partners to close those gaps and prepare professionals for the AI-enabled future.

“AI is already changing how we manage healthcare data behind the scenes,” Coffin said. “But without workforce investment and policy guidance, we risk misusing these powerful tools or leaving professionals unprepared. This is an opportunity for Congress to lead in shaping ethical, effective use of AI in healthcare.”

Coffin’s advocacy underscored the critical intersection of policy, technology and education, ensuring that innovation is guided by national standards, thoughtful legislation and a well-trained workforce. His leadership at the summit reflects his ongoing commitment to fostering collaboration between academia, federal agencies and industry stakeholders.

About Timothy Coffin, Ph.D.

Timothy Coffin is the program director of health informatics at Hood College and CEO of Conquiro, Inc. His work bridges education, federal consulting and advanced AI research in healthcare. A recognized voice in health informatics, he advocates for practical solutions that enhance patient safety, data quality and workforce readiness.

Stay connected with Hood College health informatics for updates on policy engagement, innovative research and the next generation of healthcare leaders shaping the future of health data management.