ARTICLE ON 19TH IFHIMA CONGRESS HELD IN FESTIVAL CITY, DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES IN NOVEMBER 2019.
Theme: “Empowering HIM Professionals through a Global Voice”
I’m glad to express the great experience gained from the 19th IFHIMA Congress held in Festival City, Dubai, United Arab Emirates from 17th to 21st November 2019 where I met many experienced and committed international colleagues, self-motivated veterans of Health information, medical documentation experts, specialists in various information system and management disciplines, and practitioners from different information culture. Personally I think this congress was very well organized and very successful. I fully enjoyed the one-week event with so many interesting seminars and discussions on various health information topics.
Several of the sessions, delivered by several HIM experts had been very informative and insightful on their particular subjects. I would like to take this chance to reflect upon my enriching experiences in Tanzania and summarize in what ways this IFHIMA Congress helps me to make a comparative study of Health Information practices and adopt an international perspective on how to benefit from exchange of ideas, sharing of ideas and interacting with counterparts from around the global.
From the very first day of the Congress I enjoyed the greatest talk and discussion from educational partners and colleagues on both scientific program and that of general assembly. The most of the sessions I benefited most includes those of Clinical Documentation Improvement (CDI) in line with the related exhibition also an on-going ICD 11 implementation plan and strategies.
On the other hand, the presentation made by Dr Robert Jakob and his colleague from WHO on progress and the implementation of ICD-11, Coincidentally in my country (Tanzania) is developing a national electronic system called GoT-HMIS to be used in all Public health facilities at all levels, therefore I realize that the process of taking ICD- 11 in to consideration during that process will be of great advantage to us. There is no doubt that the challenges confronted by HIM professions from the uses of ICD-10 will be taken in a very high consideration following the flexibility noted in the use of ICD-11 electronically.
In line with other many presentations I benefited on the number of words of wisdom from key IFHIMA leaders and experts, here I may mention few as: – Marci MacDonald, Lorraine Fernandes, all organizers as well as other talk from our experienced elders and past IFHIMA presidents were of encouraging especially to us with growing National associations in Health Information and finally the great historical book for IFHIMA authored and presented to us by Prof. Phyllis J Watson.
I expect that the knowledge gained will give me courage to participate in the organizational work in preparation and modernization of the existing Health Information System. What some of the speakers shared with the audience intrigued me and I want to learn more of their experiences in this regard. I hope my future interactions with my colleagues of THERIA (Tanzania) and other countries will shed some light on many of the seemingly unsolved problems faced by many young HIM Professionals and introduce the effective measures and practices. I will make an effort to disseminate related helpful and effective measures and information to my Tanzania colleagues.
In conclusion, I would like to express my heart-felt thanks to people who have made this IFHIMA conference possible, and those who have shared their experiences and support provided to me during that one exciting week in Festival City, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. I have benefited very much from this fantastic event.
Yours Sincerely
GEOFREY SEMU
NATIONAL DIRECTOR FOR TANZANIA
Email: geofreysemu@yahoo.com