Celebrate our Journey through the HIM Profession – 75 Year’s Strong
The Canadian Health Information Management Association (CHIMA) is proud to announce their 75th anniversary!
CHIMA has been the Health Information Management professional’s national association for 75 years, and we continue to support the certified HIM professionals who play an essential role in the health care system today. HIM professionals are a key resource to the success of the health care system, and support high quality data and information for health care planning and delivery; decision making (clinical, administrative, and financial); and the privacy, confidentiality, and security of the health record in all media and formats.
CHIMA has two (2) distinct components:
- the Canadian College of Health Information Management (CCHIM), which set the curricular standards, administers the certification examination, maintains the registry for all certified candidates, and recognizes and accredits all academic centres that offer the HIM diploma and undergraduate programs; and
- CHIMA, the association, which represents the membership at pan-Canadian and international forums, and, together with its Chapters, provides
HIM expertise for the health care industry.
Over the past 75 years (1942), the HIM profession has gone through many evolutionary changes.
Early in the 20th century there was no established method of collecting data and health information.
In 1928, the American College of Surgeons encouraged leaders from the United States and Canada who were working with patient records to collaborate, and in 1928 the Association of Record Librarians of North America (ARLNA) was formed. By the end of that year, 58 members were admitted from 25 states and Canada. In 1942, the Canadian association was chartered and became a formal, separate entity.
In 1949, the Canadian Association of Medical Record Librarians (CAMRL) received its letters patent as a federally chartered organization, with the mission and goals to provide membership services. In 1972 the College obtained Letters Patent as well.
In the 1970s, the Health Information Management (HIM) professional’s role expanded to include interpretation of the record and translation of clinical documentation into standardized codes for diseases and surgical procedures using the International Classification of Diseases (ICD).
With the arrival of computer technology to support electronic information capture, storage, and retrieval, coded data became easily searchable and accessible.
Today, CHIMA represents all certified HIM professionals across Canada. Through the years, the professional title has evolved from medical record librarian; to health record technician; health record administrator, and health record practitioner; to HIM professional. Many new roles have evolved due to changes in technology and health care reform; many of these new roles are outlined in two (2) Workforce Transformation Reports.
As we celebrate this significant milestone, our ‘diamond jubilee’, it is important to take time to reflect on the strength of the HIM profession and consider our bright future.
Stay tuned for more information regarding upcoming CHIMA 75th anniversary celebrations!
