Last month, the Health Information Management Association of Australia (HIMAA) celebrated national HIM Week, a week dedicated to understanding and appreciating the work of Health Information Managers and Clinical Coders across the healthcare system and how it relies on their important and valuable work.
Health systems across the country and the world need health information management professionals to govern their organisation’s most important assets: their data and information. Health Information Managers ensure information is well managed, secure and supports health organisations to meet the needs of the healthcare system.
Tertiary qualified with specialist skills, Health Information Managers work in a variety of contexts to collect, classify and manage health data to meet the medical, legal, ethical and administrative requirements of healthcare organisations and to assist meet the goals of the healthcare system.
For over 75 years, our healthcare system has benefited from the professional service of men and women who care about, ensure the integrity of, protect, classify, make available and share patient and health information for its array of authorised purposes in an ever-changing environment.
One of the reasons behind holding HIM Week is to promote how the skills of a health information management professional transcend the medium and context for collecting, managing and sharing information.
From paper medical records to patient and clinical registers, patient administration systems, clinical information systems and electronic medical records; from local medical records, to regional, state, and national health records; from handwritten to discrete data and sophisticated data analytics and interoperability, it has been the health information management professionals who have consistently been carrying out their role as the custodians of patient information, on behalf of patients, healthcare providers, healthcare organisations and government.
Professional competencies
In the first of our new column in Pulse+IT, we’d like to celebrate and emphasise the skills of Health Information Managers, who have a wide range of competencies that make them suitable to a diverse range of roles in the health sector.
For over 30 years, health information management practices have been underpinned by professional competencies, including:
- Health information science, including the management of health data, information and records, and governance of health information data, information and systems
- Language of medicine and healthcare, including knowledge of medical science and medical vocabularies
- Healthcare classifications and terminologies, including clinical coding and health funding systems and models
- Research methods including research design and methods for quantitative and qualitative studies, statistical principles and techniques for application in healthcare, and epidemiological concepts
- Health data analytics including techniques and tools for applications in health data analytics
- Health services organisation and delivery including healthcare functions, structures, models of care, resource utilisation, quality and patient safety
- Health information law and ethics including common law, legislation and policy related to health data and information, bioethics, and legal and ethical practices for healthcare information privacy, confidentiality and disclosure
- Health informatics and digital health including health information system and technologies, use and impacts of technology, and data quality
- Health information service organisation and management including leadership and management, human resource management, health business operations, health project management, and healthcare financial and resource management.
National HIM Week
National HIM Week in August generated a burst of activity on social media and we were amazed at the positive nature of the feedback. As we read on LinkedIn:
“In the bustling world of healthcare, there is a group of unsung heroes who work diligently behind the scenes to ensure the smooth flow of critical information. It is essential to recognise and appreciate the efforts of the HIM team, not only during Health Information Professionals Week but throughout the year. Their dedication, expertise, and commitment to maintaining the integrity of patient health information deserve our utmost respect.” Solventum
“As HiM Week comes to a close, we want to take a moment to reflect on the incredible work and dedication of our Health Information Management (HIM) professionals across Australia. This week has been filled with recognition for the vital role they play in safeguarding patient data, ensuring the accuracy of health records, and contributing to better patient outcomes. From coding specialists to data managers, your efforts keep healthcare systems running efficiently and help drive innovation in health information technology…You are the unsung heroes behind the scenes!” AHP Medical
“This week, we’re celebrating the incredible Health Information Professionals who make a valuable contribution to our healthcare system.” Western NSW LHD
“Health Information Managers and Clinical Coders play a crucial role in healthcare. They manage health data, ensure privacy, and translate clinical information into codes for funding, research, and quality improvement, making them essential for effective patient care and compliance.” Barwon Health
“Health Information Week is all about recognising the incredible dedication of Health Information Managers who play crucial roles in our hospitals and health services. These skilled professionals possess a unique blend of expertise in health information technology, health records management, clinical coding, privacy regulations, and data analytics to ensure that healthcare providers have access to accurate and confidential patient information whenever it’s needed.” Northern Adelaide LHN
So, why do you need a Health Information Managers? HIMs have the expertise to ensure your patient data is appropriately managed and governed to meet compliance, reporting, funding and patient care outcomes in an increasingly complex and digital environment. We’re here to help!
Sallyanne Wissmann is CEO of the Health Information Management Association of Australia.
