Left to right: Dr. Kaori Fujita, Ms. Tokiko Inagaki, Mr. Willy Chan, & Mr Norihito Shiraiwa.
I recently had the pleasure of hosting delegates from the Japan Society of Health Information Management (JHIM) during their visit to Sydney. This visit was part of a broader study tour to Australia and provided a valuable opportunity to strengthen professional relationships, exchange perspectives, and explore how health information and digital health initiatives support patient care across international health systems.
Sally McIntosh (c ) leading a tour of the Health Information Services department
The delegation was led by Ms. Tokiko Inagaki, Director of JHIM, and included Dr. Kaori Fujita, JHIM Board Member, and Mr. Norihito Shiraiwa from the JHIM Secretariat. For me personally, the visit was aa welcome opportunity to meet JHIM colleagues in person after years of professional interaction through IFHIMA forums and events.
HIS staff demonstrating the scanning of medical records
The visit was structured to provide the delegation with practical and operational insight. A key highlight was the tour of Health Information Services (HIS) at Royal North Shore Hospital, hosted by Sally McIntosh, Director of Health & Corporate Information Services at Northern Sydney Local Health District. This session provided insight into operational health information workflows and the HIS team’s support for clinical care.
The delegation also heard from fellow Health Information Manager Mendi Tsoi, the Manager of Performance, Analysis, and Reporting at the NSW Ministry of Health, who shared insights into NSW mental health data. Other sessions covered topics including enterprise data platforms, patient journeys within the Electronic Medical Record (EMR), and digital health innovation initiatives.
The JHIM delegation was particularly impressed by the strong collaboration across organisations and disciplines within NSW Health, all working towards a shared commitment to improving patient care. This collaborative culture was greatly admired and a key message the delegation intends to take back to Japan.
Mendi Tsoi (c ) presenting an overview of mental health data in NSW with JHIM delegates
The visit reflects the importance of international collaboration in advancing HIM and digital health practices globally, as both parties look forward to continuing dialogue and exploring future opportunities for collaboration, learning, and exchange.
This article brought to you by our members:
