President's Report

PRESIDENTS

REPORT

Hello Members,

As mentioned in last month’s report, I was going to call a member a day. Although things got off to a slow start (a week’s delay) as work and home schooling got the better of me. It was great to connect with members, check-in on how they are dealing with the pandemic and get their thoughts on the association and profession. I learnt to avoid calling during school pick-up hours when calls would go to voicemail. This goes to show the flexibility in which a HIM career offer to parents. I was heartened to hear from members across all states and territories and of varying tenures of membership from a couple years to decades, that they feel a duty to support their profession which was why they retained their HIMAA membership.

Personally, I’ve very much enjoyed the phone calls to date, as it has filled a social void that the pandemic has brought upon us residents in Melbourne. I’m enlightened by the feedback and ideas from members which I will share with the Board to better inform our strategic direction.

It’s time to go back to school

As a professional association we rely on our members to support our branches, committees special interest groups (SIGs) and the Board by volunteering their precious time whilst juggling work and family responsibilities because they see value in the HIM profession and the role we play in the health system. We are the quite achievers. With this no fuss approach being a strength at times, it doesn’t serve us well when it comes to visibility of our profession. How many times during our career have we had to explain what a HIM or clinical coder does? It is this lack of visibility which leads to many of us, such as in my case serendipitously finding the HIM course. We are now left with two universities; La Trobe and Queensland University of Technology that teach accredited HIM programs in Australia.

For our profession to flourish we need new members and a steady stream of HIM graduates to support the health industry and the profession. Only having two universities producing graduates will not cut it. In the coming months the Board will begin to consult educators within both accredited and yet to be accredited HIM programs, as well as industry on collaboration efforts to bolster the number of HIM programs. The Board is acutely aware that there is a role for HIMAA to play in this. We will tap members on the shoulder to help with how we support the tertiary education sector and hope as members and supporters of the profession that you are able to assist.

As the cold winter days start to dissipate and new COVID-19 cases stabilise, I’m looking forward to emerging with renewed energy and optimism.

Onwards and upwards! Cheens Lee President