November 5–11 is National Health Information and Technology Week

Release Date:  October 25, 2006
Contact:  Kathy Popielski, popielskik@trocaire.edu
716-821-1210, Ext. 1006

BUFFALO, NY --- The move from paper to electronic health records (EHRs) will help doctors, nurses, and other medical staff make important healthcare decisions on a real-time basis.  But who ensures the information is complete, accurate, and kept confidential? This is the role of the health information management (HIM) professional. November 5 through 11 is Health Information and Technology (HI&T) Week—an annual event recognizing the work of the professionals who manage patient health information.

“Health information management is dedicated to the effective management of patient information and healthcare data needed to deliver quality treatment and care to the public,” stated Laurie J. Rivet, MBA, Health Information Program Director at Trocaire College.  “As the healthcare industry moves further into the information age, the role of the health information management professional is becoming even more critical.”

Fast-paced changes in technology have accelerated the demand for HIM professionals. The US Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, projects a 49 percent growth in the number of HIM workers by 2010, making HIM one of the nation’s fastest-growing health occupations. The field currently offers nearly 40 different work settings and more than 125 job titles.  Opportunities in the field include management of a hospital’s HIM department, working in information systems with implementation of the EHR, or designing health information systems for a software vendor.

“HI&T Week is a great opportunity to learn more about the roles these professionals play in our healthcare system, and to recognize and celebrate their contributions to patient care,” adds Ms. Rivet.  To learn more about the health information profession and the impact that quality health information has on our personal lives, plan to visit Program Director Rivet on Saturday, November 11th.   She will be available to answer questions from 10:00 am until 1:00 pm at the McKinley Mall in Hamburg and from 2:00 pm until 5:00 pm at the Walden Galleria Mall in Cheektowaga.

HI&T Week is sponsored by the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) and the Canadian Health Information Management Association (CHIMA).  This year’s theme is “Managing Information, Improving Care.”  For additional information about the HIM profession, visit AHIMA’s Web site at www.ahima.org or CHIMA’s Web site at www.echima.ca.

Become a part of this exciting, cutting edge profession by obtaining an associates degree in Health Information Technology from Trocaire College.  For more information contact Laurie J. Rivet, MBA, at 716-827-2561 or via email at rivetl@trocaire.edu