The Importance of Workforce Planning
Workforce planning ensures an HIM department has the right number of staff with the right skills at the right time. Understaffing leads to backlogs in coding and release of information, while overstaffing wastes budget resources. RHIA candidates should understand both quantitative and qualitative approaches to staffing.
Determining Staffing Needs
Staffing calculations typically start with productivity standards, such as charts coded per hour or requests processed per day. Leaders multiply expected volume by the standard time per unit of work to estimate full-time equivalent needs.
FTE Calculation Example
If a coder can process 4 charts per hour and the department expects 800 charts per day across an 8-hour shift, the department needs 800 divided by 32 charts per FTE per day, which equals 25 FTEs. Leaders must also account for paid time off, training, and meetings when finalizing these numbers.
Staffing Models
- Centralized staffing, where all functions report to one manager
- Decentralized staffing, where functions are distributed across units
- Hybrid models combining centralized oversight with local flexibility
- Remote and outsourced staffing for coding or transcription work
Workload Forecasting
Forecasting relies on historical volume data, seasonal trends, and organizational growth plans. A hospital opening a new outpatient clinic, for example, will need to project additional coding and record processing volume before the clinic opens.
Succession and Cross-Training
Effective workforce plans also address succession risk. Cross-training staff in multiple functions such as coding, chart analysis, and release of information builds flexibility and reduces the impact of turnover or unexpected absences.
Retention Strategies
High turnover in coding and HIM roles is costly. Leaders reduce turnover through competitive compensation, remote work options, career ladders, and recognition programs. Retention should be tracked as a key performance indicator alongside productivity metrics.
Exam Tip
Be ready to perform a basic FTE calculation on the exam. Practice converting productivity standards and volume data into staffing numbers, since this is a commonly tested quantitative skill in the leadership domain.