HIMAA ONLINE

The monthly digital newsletter of the Health Information Management Association of Australia Limited
Volume 7 | Issue 09 | Digital
Cheens Lee
Cheens Lee

President - HIMAA

Cheens Lee
Cheens Lee

President - HIMAA

President's Report

Hello Members

 

The HIMAA Board had the opportunity to be consulted with by the Australian Digital Health Agency (ADHA) on their next National Digital Health Strategy as part of their stakeholder engagement. During the meeting with ADHA I reflected on how more and more HIMs are involved in Digital Health. I doubt there are very few large-scale Digital Health projects in Australia that do not have a HIM or HIM-trained professional involved. 

 

During the last decade many of our major public hospitals have replaced their Patient Administration Systems (PAS) and/or started on their Electronic Medical Record (EMR) journey. These systems contain essential patient health information and their passage through the hospital system which supports quality care, hospital funding and performance. The focus until now has been getting these systems in place and the data recorded. As HIMs we know the difference between data, information and knowledge. As hospitals bed down their EMRs, they are starting to look at what they do with that data. As a profession we are well placed to help hospitals and health services translate their data to health information that can provide insights into safer care and improved operational efficiency through data analytics. We have a distinct skillset in our understanding of Information Governance from our core competencies.  

 

I encourage you if you have the opportunity in your organisations to be proactive in seeking roles that utilise your HIM skills which can provide insights based on the valuable data and health information being collected by these new systems.  

 

In due course ADHA will be inviting HIMAA to provide a submission on their National Digital Health Strategy in the coming months. There will be an opportunity for members to provide input for this submission so keep your eye out! In the meantime you can strengthen our professional position by adding your individual voice into the ADHA strategy by participating in their survey. 

 

 

National Conference

 

As Jae details in her CEO report on the National Conference moving to a virtual format, I want to highlight a few of the speakers. 

 

I am delighted that Amanda Cattermole CEO of ADHA will be opening our Conference. 

 

Dinesh Palipana is an emergency doctor at Gold Coast University Hospital, whom I met through work about 18 months ago. His story is unique and inspiring. His determination to practise medicine saw him as the first quadriplegic medical graduate in the State of Queensland. Earlier this year he was awarded the Queensland Australian of the Year for 2021. He will be sharing his inspirational story with us during the Conference.  

 

Considering my comments about HIMs being more involved in data analytics, I will be having a fireside chat with Duane Attree, CEO of Health Roundtable and Potential(x), a company at the forefront of health data analytics. Duane is also a trained HIM.

 

I would encourage you to register for the National Conference as staying connected and up to date with industry trends is a mark of a professional.  

 

Onwards and upwards! 

  

Cheens Lee 

President 

Email: cheensl@himaa.org.au  

Table of Contents
From the CEO's desk
From the CEO's desk

Jae Redden | CEO, HIMAA

From the CEO's desk

From the CEO's desk

Jae Redden | CEO, HIMAA

My thoughts are with our members who are in the lockdown States of Victoria and NSW. As Greater Sydney is in its 14th week of lockdown (who’s counting?), I am gaining an insight into what our Victorian colleagues have endured. Our friends in Victoria are in their 6th lockdown since the pandemic started in 2020. All I can say is be kind to yourself and focus one day at a time.

 

More than ever it’s time for us to stay connected and support each other by coming together as peers. While I remain disappointed we are not meeting face-to-face, I am pleased the 2021 HIMAA National Conference will go ahead on 25-28 October, albeit in a virtual format. Most importantly, this will still allow us to exchange and share our passion for the Health Information Management profession.   

 

The HIMAA National Conference is the largest HIM event in the industry and the only one that showcases the industry’s key issues in one setting. The program has been converted from  3 day face-to-face to  4 day virtual and features several high profile keynotes, abstract presentations, workshops, a Coding and Classification stream, Special Interest Group meetings and online social events.

 

Keynote Speakers include:

  • Amanda Cattermole PSM, CEO, Australian Digital Health Agency
  • Dr Stephen Parnis, Consultant Emergency Physician, St Vincent’s Hospital, Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital and Werribee Mercy Hospital in Melbourne
  • Leanne Wells, CEO, Consumer Health Forum
  • Sophy Athan, Chair, Health Issues Centre
  • Karen Cusack, Health Complaints Commission, Victoria
  • Bronwyn Taylor, Principal eHealth Advisor at the Department of Health
  • Neville Board, Chief Digital Health Officer, Victoria
  • Duane Attree, CEO, Health Roundtable
  • Dr Rahul Khanna, Director, Innovation & Medical Governance, Phoenix Australia, University of Melbourne
  • Dr Felicity Sinclair-Ford, Clinical Documentation Improvement Australia
  • Stella Rowlands, Sunshine Coast Hospital and Health Service
  • Mike Kertes, National Director, Clinical Documentation Improvement Australia

 

Clinical Updates include:

  • Anaesthesia, Pain Management and Perioperative Medicine – Hospital Acquired Complications Dr Richard G Horton, Director of the Department of Anaesthesia, Perioperative and Pain Medicine at Western Health
  • Delirium Dr Ronald Leong, Geriatrician at Alfred Health
  • Types of Blood Products, Reasons for Transfusions and Transfusion Reactions Slavica Curcic, Blood Management Clinical Nurse Consultant
  • PPM/Defibrillators Dr Shane Nanayakkara, Interventional and Structural Cardiologist

 

We are bringing the virtual program at a significant discount, $500 less for members and $860 for non-members, for the same content of the face-to-face Conference. Online social events are included to replace the Welcome Drinks and Conference Dinner to bring some fun and networking opportunities. There is no price increase from 2019, yet we have more program available to you than the virtual Conference last year offering additional CPD points. There are several virtual registration options available, including 1-day and 2-day bundles and group discounts. We are also packaging 2021 HIMAA National Virtual Conference registration with organisational and individual membership to provide further discounts. Please contact membership@himaa.org.au to enquire or if you are experiencing a financial hardship, please contact our Conference Organisers. 

 

Thank you for your support for the Podcast Series which are free to members and delivered directly into your email inbox. It was great to hear from the VIC Branch Convenor, Dwayne Richards. In the next episode we will hear from Kara Pollard, the NSW Branch Convenor.

 

Our Webinar Series continues as well. We had a fabulous turnout and positive feedback for Future of Electronic Health Records (EHRs) and Health Data Design with Heather Grain. One attendee wrote to me immediately after the webinar expressing, Just wanted to say how fascinating today’s webinar was. Heather is an absolute trailblazer and so great at representing our profession. I hope we all have the opportunity to learn from her and help participate in OpenEHR.  I’m appreciative to receive a note such as this as the webinars are designed as a forum for our members to update and exchange their work and ideas. We thank Heather for sharing her expertise and I extend the invitation to our members to put themselves forward in showcasing their knowledge by leading or participating in the webinars. Our next webinar will be on 13 October 2021, presented by Dreda Heard, on CDI Programs & Projects: Supporting Engagement and Quality Documentation through Standards Alignment. You can register now.

 

With the National Conference in October, this HIMAA Matters issue serves as a combined September/October issue. As always I remain keen to work with you in leading HIMAA to serve the health information profession. Please feel free to reach out to me to chat.

 

Jae Redden

Chief Executive Officer

ceo@himaa.org.au

 

Education News

Our student of the month for September is Kathy Den Ouden from Enfield in Victoria. Kathy scored 95.5% in medical terminology and 93% in clinical coding. Kathy has completed the 22274VIC Certificate IV in Clinical Classification and is keen to start her career in clinical coding.


We asked Kathy the following questions.


What led you to enrol in our entry level course?

 

After working for many years as a medical audio typist I felt it was time to move on. I wanted to stay in the Health Sector and knew what clinical coding was through my position working at a hospital. I felt it was time to challenge myself so decided to enrol in Certificate IV in Clinical Classification.


What did you enjoy most about the course?

 

Having not studied since my early 20’s I was a bit hesitant but found the course content was very interesting. Cluster 3, being activity based, is a great way to experience what coding involves while keeping the content interesting. The assessors were very approachable and always responded to my queries quickly. I liked that there was structure to the timetable.


Why did you choose clinical coding as a career pathway?

 

I have always enjoyed the medical content in my previous positions, getting a snapshot of people’s lives and health. Clinical Coding is a position that allows constant challenges and education, leading I hope to a very satisfying career. I look forward to obtaining a clinical coding position and starting a very interesting and rewarding career.


If you would like to contact Kathy, please email education@himaa.org.au or phone 02 9887 5898.

 
 

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