WHO Collaboration

IFHIMA is a non-profit organization with official relations to the World Health Organization (WHO) as a recognized non-governmental organization (NGO). IFHIMA sends representatives to WHO meetings and works closely with WHO on specific projects of particular concern or interest to WHO in the field of health records and health information.

Currently IFHIMA is working on a project with the WHO Family of International Classifications (the WHO-FIC IFHIMA Joint Collaboration) to develop and promote an international training strategy and explore development of international certification strategy for coders. More information about WHO activities regarding coding and classification can be found here.

IFHIMA is pleased to receive official notification from WHO that during the triennial review IFHIMA was reaffirmed as a NGO in official relations with WHO. IFHIMA’s official status will be reviewed again in 2022. The IFHIMA Board thanks the many IFHIMAf members who contribute to WHO work through various workgroups, task forces, and committees of the Federation of International Classifications (FIC). Please see attached letter from WHO here.

MORBIDITY/MORTALITY EXAM UPDATE AND THE WHO –EDUCATION AND IMPLEMENTATION COMMITTEE

(WHO-FIC) Update, August 2016

IFHIMA is proud to announce that the Korean Medical Record Association (KMRA) has decided to conduct a Mortality Exam for its coders. Both Carol Lewis and Joon Hong are working on updating questions for the data bank for this exam. It was suggested by the WHO that Korea conduct this exam and it is scheduled for September 24, 2016 under Joon Hong’s management. Certificates will be awarded to the successful applicants at the IFHIMA Congress in Tokyo and Joon will report on the exam process.

The Morbidity Exam has not been scheduled recently in any of the IFHIMA member countries. The exam has been in existence since 2008 and was piloted in six countries. If any country is interested in conducting that exam in their country, IFHIMA should be contacted for a copy of the Guidelines for Candidates.

Trials for ICD-11 have been held in Korea and Joon Hong is heavily involved in this also. Thank you’s are extended to Joon Hong and Carol Lewis for ALL their work on behalf of IFHIMA.

http://www.who.int/classifications/committees/eic/en/

The link above is for the WHO-FIC Education and Implementation Committee website. Yukiko Yokobori is a Co-Chair of the Committee and Carol Lewis and Joon Hong are observers. Margaret Skurka is a voting member on this Committee representing IFHIMA. Thank you to our IFHIMA members that are so actively involved in the WHO-FIC work

IFHIMA member Joann Valerius is an IFHIMA observer on another WHO-Family of International Classifications committee, the Functioning and Disability Reference Group. Joann attended the recent Mid-Year meeting in Bangkok, Thailand. IFHIMA appreciates the involvement of volunteers like Joanne Valerius.

Here is a link to at that work:
http://www.who.int/classifications/committees/fdrg/en/

Margaret Skurka
Past President, IFHIMA