Health information management is a healthcare profession that many people don't know about. Most people think it's an IT field or that it's another name for health informatics, but this isn't true. In this presentation, I'm going to talk about what health information management is, what professionals in this field do, a brief history of health information management, and how to become a health information management professional.
Let's first take a look at what health information management is. Health information management, or HIM for short, focuses on the management of health care data or information. information, regardless of the format, whether it's in paper, electronic or hybrid form, the creator, whether it's a physician, nurse or social worker, or the purpose, whether it's for the care of patients, for research or for funding. HIM overlaps with both health information technology and health informatics, but they have a different focus. HIMs need an understanding of health information technology.
especially with the electronic health record. But it focuses more on managing the data or information stored in the electronic form, rather than the technology itself. HIM also stresses the records management, medical terminology, data classifications, and business and healthcare related to health records management.
while health informatics stresses database management and programming, information systems and design, and standards and analysis. Now let's look at a few examples of what health information management professionals do. Some HIMs become release of information analysts. They review and receive requests from lawyers, insurance companies, and patients to access or disclose personal health information. The release of information analyst has the important job of ensuring that requests comply with privacy laws and standards before processing these requests.
HIM professionals advocate the individuals right to privacy, confidentiality and security. Other HIMs may work as coding specialists. The job of the coding specialist is to read through hospital records and record the correct codes for the important diagnoses, conditions and procedures.
These codes are entered into a computer system, submitted to the Canadian Institute for Health Information to be analyzed, and sometimes even published in the news. Coding specialists are essential to the collection and use of quality healthcare data. The role of the clinical terminology specialist is another opportunity available to many HIMs.
They help in mapping and linking clinical terminologies. This allows healthcare providers to easily record healthcare data in the electronic health record systems so that it can be easily processed and analyzed. Clinical terminology specialists support the implementation and maintenance of the electronic health record that transforms healthcare data into information and knowledge. Project managers in healthcare are often HIM professionals.
An example of a project is introducing personal health records for each patient to access their important health information online, such as their lab results, diagnostic imaging tests, and appointments. HIMs believe in patient education and empowerment through the easy access of health information. These are just a few of the many diverse HIM professional roles. HIMs are experts in healthcare data, quality, privacy, electronic health information management, and HIM standards.
You can find HIMs working in acute care, primary care, and long-term care facilities to research and government agencies. They are an essential part of any healthcare organization. The roles of the HIM have expanded and the The profession has evolved greatly over the past 75 years. Next, let's take a look at the brief history of HIM. The HIM profession's history is rooted in managing health records in hospitals.
The first HIMs that worked in hospital health record departments were called medical record librarians. Medical record librarians were responsible for storing, preserving and using healthcare data that was found in paper medical records. Back in 1942, many medical record librarians came together to form the Canadian Association of Medical Record Librarians.
Their goal was to set standards for record management and establish a college for standardizing the skills for practice. Today, this organization is called the Canadian Health Information Service. Although the name of the profession has changed from medical record librarians, health record technicians, health record administrators, and finally to health information management professionals, the profession has always led to the collection, use, access, and use of of medical records. and disclosure of health information.
The difference is that the work of HIMs is no longer limited to just the paper medical record. HIMs are now experts of health information in any format by any creator for any purpose. Now that you know about HIM, let's take a look at how you become an HIM professional. In Canada, certified HIM professionals must be graduates of an educational program recognized by CHIMA, the National Association, and they must also pass the National Certification Exam. Recognized HIM programs have courses in Biomedical Sciences, the Health Care System in Canada, Health Information Services, and the National Association of Health Care Services.
sciences, information systems and technology, management and ethics. After completing an HIM program, individuals can write the national certification exam and become a certified HIM professional. To summarize, HIM is not the same as health informatics or health information technology. HIMs have the knowledge and skills to protect the privacy of health information, ensure the quality of health data, lead to the best results, and ensure the best outcomes.
development of health information management standards and help in the implementation of electronic health record systems. Certified HIMs become trained professionals by completing one of CHEMA's accredited programs which are found across Canada. HIMs have a history dating back to the first medical record librarians but today they are involved in all aspects of health information and data management.