Career Development and Turnover Intention of Health Information Management Professionals in Ibadan Oyo State

Abstract

Health information management (HIM) professionals are integral parts of the health 
service delivery structure. However, despite their strategic importance to the smooth 
flow of health information in hospitals, issues concerning HIM professionals are often 
relegated to the background. This often led to turnover intention which can disrupt the 
smooth operation of hospitals. As a result, this study examined the influence of career 
development on turnover intention of health information management professionals in 
Ibadan Oyo State. Descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. A 
structured questionnaire was adopted as the instrument for data collection. The study 
population consist of one hundred and twenty-seven (127) health information 
management professionals in six government hospitals in Oyo State. Total enumeration 
was adopted due to the population size. The quantitative data collected was analysed 
using both descriptive and inferential statistics. The study found low levels of turnover 
intention (Mean =3.12), and high level of career development (Mean =3.30) among the 
respondents. The test of hypothesis also showed that career development has significant 
influence on turnover intention (R
2= 0.345, p= 0.000) among the HIM professionals. The 
study concluded that the although the turnover intention is low, there are still underlying 
factors that must be addressed to ensure that HIM professional remain committed to their 
employers. It was therefore recommended that the low turnover reported in this study is 
maintain by focusing more on employee welfare and protecting the interest of the health 
information management.