The month of May was National Health Information Management (HIM) Awareness Month, where we acknowledge what is at the heart of our healthcare system.

Health Information Managers are responsible for the collection, storage, analysis and distribution of healthcare information. They contribute to both the healthcare system and to people’s health by providing the information systems and data central for medical decision making and patient care planning. They also coordinate many kinds of healthcare information, from a variety of sources.

Northern Health HIMs work across the following departments – Client Data Management, Decision Support Unit, Legal Counsel, Information Technology and Mental Health.

Director of Health Information Services, Terri Fiorenza says, “Health Information Managers have a broad skillset that enables them to work in a range of areas within the health industry. For me personally, the HIM profession has provided me with the opportunity to manage and lead a team of dedicated professionals and make a difference to the way in which health information is managed and used to make informed decisions on financial planning, casemix and quality of care.”

In 2011, Northern Health received acknowledgement for the excellence in our semi-electronic scanned medical record system at the Sir Rupert Hamer Records Management Awards. Named after the former Premier of Victoria and public records advocate, the award acknowledges the importance of records management.

In celebrating HIM Awareness Month, a morning tea was held to celebrate the HIM profession as a whole, and acknowledge the different and wide variety of roles held by Health Information Managers across Northern Health.

David Mangano said, “I decided to become a Health Information Manager as I liked the idea of contributing to the healthcare system through the combination of data and technology. It also allows me to partake in multiple projects across the organisation, collaborating with a broad range of disciplines.”

Vali Youkhana said, “I decided to become a Health Information Manager as I wanted to work in the health industry but did not want any patient contact. The HIM profession has been a very rewarding career choice for me. Our skills and expertise in the field of health information are highly sought after, and this enables us to work in a variety of different roles within the health industry.”

To find out more about Health Information Services at Northern Health, please click here.