The greatest misunderstanding in Health Informatics is the difference between Health Informatics (HI) and Health Information Management (HIM). To clear up this issue, Elizabeth Brandes BHSc. (HIM) CHIM., of the Canadian Health Information Management Association (CHIMA), has written for us the first guest post in the Health Informatics Concentration of the eCollegeFinder Career Series, describing the differences of HI and HIM in Canada.

According to the Canadian Health Information Management Association (CHIMA), Health Information Management (HIM) is the discipline that focuses on health care data and the management of health care information, regardless of the medium and format. Research and practice in HIM addresses the nature, structure, and translation of data into usable forms of information for the advancement of health and health care of individuals and populations.

The HIM curriculum is based on a number of core competencies which include: Biomedical Sciences, Health Care Systems in Canada, Health Information (which includes Health Information Management, Health Information Analysis and Business Intelligence, Health Information: Privacy, Confidentiality, and Access), Information Systems and Technology, Management, and Ethics and Practice.  In Canada, graduates of accredited HIM programs who successfully challenge the National Certification Exam (NCE) receive a certificate of registration in the Canadian College of Health Information Management (CHIMA) and are eligible to use the credential CHIM.

There is some confusion with respect to the differences between HIM and Health Informatics (HI). According to COACH, the association for HI in Canada, HI involves the application of information technology to facilitate the creation and use of health related data, information, and knowledge. HIM professionals work primarily in records and information lifecycle management, coding and classification, data quality management, privacy, decision support, and standards.  HI professionals work mainly with technology itself – IT management, architecture, application implementation and support, and security. While there are many similarities, the differences are in the details.

The learning outcomes for the emerging HIM professional are a starting point. Graduates from HIM programs must meet the requirements of continuing education for an entry level HIM professional. It is expected that they will continue to learn both formally and informally throughout their career. Advanced HIM professionals work in project management, change management, analysis and evaluation, and research; there is a growing need for further education in these four areas. As the HIM profession embraces new roles, one of the main transition tools and strategies is continuing education.

For more information on CHIMA or HIM credentialing/education, please visit the CHIMA website.

Elizabeth Brandes BHSc. (HIM) CHIM.

Director of Examination and Professional Practice

Canadian Health Information Management Association (CHIMA)

Elizabeth is a certified CHIM and holds a Bachelor of Health Sciences with an Honours Specialization in Health Information Management from the University of Western Ontario. Prior to joining CHIMA, Elizabeth worked with the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) and eHealth Ontario.