The HIMAA Education Committee has begun 2022 with a very busy agenda.
Career Promotion Working Group (CPWG)
At its February 2022 meeting, the Education Committee has decided to seek to establish the above new Working Group (WG). Its purpose is to research, investigate and recommend strategies and actions for an ongoing program to promote entry to the health information management profession and workforce, specifically via the health information management qualifying degrees and the HIMAA and other formal coding courses.
The inaugural membership of the CPWG comprises the following three members of the Education Committee: Cassandra Jordan – Convenor (NSW), Louise Edmonds (ACT) and Barbara Postle (WA). This WG will work in close collaboration with the CEO, Jae Redden, and colleagues in the state and territory Branch Executives. The immediate objective is to research, consult widely, and prepare an advisory report for the Education Committee and Board of Directors, containing a series of practical recommendations.
Professional Development Sub-Committee (PDSC)
The PDSC met for the first time in February after being re-established by the Education Committee in late 2021 following a hiatus of approximately five years. The PDSC is currently developing its objectives for 2022: its broad foci are on targeting the PD-educational needs of all categories of the HIMAA membership. The PDSC will advise and guide on PD topics, content and development and, most importantly, begin to compile a range of useful resources for HIMAA members. This will all be done within the context of professional educational relevance (including to the HIM Professional Competency Standards, and standards and requirements related to the work of Clinical Coders and others within the HIMAA membership).
The PDSC’s work is separate from, and will not be involved with, the existing (a) HIMAA podcast and webinar program, and (b) PD activities of the State and Territory Branches. The committee will liaise with and support state and territory branches as needed, but its work will not overlap with the branches professional development activities. The PDSC comprises: Elizabeth Connelly (Vic), Andrea Groom (Vic), James Muller (Qld), Kara Pollard (NSW), Alexandra Toth (NSW) and Alexandra (Lexie) van Gemert (NSW). Dr Kerin Robinson (Education Committee) also sit on the PDSC.
Health Data Analytics Competency Standards Working Group (HDAWG)
The HDAWG plans to undertake Stage 2 of its program to research and develop new and updated health data analytics competency standards for Australia’s HIMs. These will be Intermediate level and Advanced level Competency Standards designed for practising HIMs who are no longer new graduates and are progressing further in their careers. The work will build on the Profession-entry Health Data Analytics Competency Standards which the HDAWG developed in 2021 and subsequently showcased to HIMAA members in two excellent papers at the 2021 National Conference.
The HDAWG comprises: Cameron Barnes – Convenor (Member, Education Committee), Willy Chan (NSW), Olu Dedeigbo (NSW), Louise Edmonds (ACT, Member, Education Committee), Sharon Guo (Vic), Alisha Lucas (Qld), Dr Sheree Lloyd (Qld) and Merilyn Riley (Vic).
The Clinical Coder (Performance Standards) Working Group (CCWG)
The CCWG was also re-established in mid-2021, following a hiatus of some years. Its membership is representative of all states and territories. In December 2021, Jennie Shepheard kindly took on the role of Convenor, taking over from interim Convenor, Kerin Robinson. Jennie and the CCWG will provide updates to HIMAA members via HIMAA Matters and HIM-Interchange.
We refer you also to the first 2022 issue of HIM-Interchange for an informative article on the work of this important committee.
The Professional Credentialing Scheme Working Group (PCSWG)
The work of the PCSWG involves revising, updating and streamlining the HIMAA Professional Credentialing Scheme (PCS) to make it more user-friendly for members and to create efficiencies for the HIMAA National Office staff members who administer the scheme. The PCS is a critically important, core HIMAA benefit that provides independent, authoritative recognition of individual members’ credentialed status. This is effected via HIMAA issued post-nominals that can be used after the member’s name, for professional and career related purposes, for the duration of the individual’s credentialed period.
The PCSWG provided two iterations of the following draft documents to the HIMAA Board of Directors in June and August 2021; the latter version is with the state and territory branches for further input.
- Evidence-based recommendations to the HIMAA Board
- Guide to HIMAA PCS for external CPD Providers
- PCS – Guide for HIMAA Members
- HIMAA Professional Credentialing Scheme – Member’s Record
The PCSWG comprises Dr Kerin Robinson-Convenor (Education Committee), Lynne Paine (NSW, Education Committee), Stephanie Gjorgioski (Vic) and Laura McVey (Qld).
Other educational development work
In 2022 the Education Committee will undertake what will now become an annual review and update of HIMAA’s Educational Standards for HIMs. These include educational standards for core course accreditation and curriculum delivery requirements and HIM Professional Competency Standards at profession entry, Intermediate and Advanced levels.
The Education Committee also plans to develop two additional Working Groups in 2022 with the purpose to research, consult, revise and (re)develop profession entry level Competency Standards in (a) Clinical Documentation Integrity and (b) Health Informatics and e/Digital Health. Expression of Interest documents inviting submissions for membership of these specialist groups will be distributed to the full membership in the first and final quarters respectively of 2022.
Dr Kerin Robinson
Chair-Education Committee, on behalf of all members of the Education Committee and its Sub-Committees and Working Groups