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The Health Information Management department is referred to as the gateway and window dress to the hospital, being the first clinical port of call while coming in contact with health care services and also the last place of visit while getting out of the hospital.
The HIM department, as often called, is considered the pivot around which other departments revolve because it has its unit domiciled in almost every other department of the hospital, especially the clinic areas. The department takes charge of all medical and health information and repositions patients’ information.
This is because it keeps in its custody all data and information gathered on patients in the course of rendering health care delivery services, and it further produces this information on follow-up visits by the patients to the hospital in order to enable continuity of care, which forms the basement for research, teaching, decision making and advancement of medical practice.
The HIM department supports the facility’s optimal standards for quality care and services by providing quality information. Its functions support the patient through the entire continuum of the patient’s care. In addition, it supports administrative processes, billing through classification systems, medical education, research through data gathering and analysis, utilization, risk and quality management programs, legal requirements, data security, and the release of information to authorized users.
The department is also saddled with the responsibility of initiating patients into the hospital care system in order to enjoy health care delivery service, which helps to ameliorate the health conditions of the patients. Some other major functions of the Health Information Management department include: booking of patient appointments; coordinating admission processes; collation of daily, weekly, monthly, biannual, and annual statistical returns; coding and indexing of diseases and operative procedures; and transmission of statistics to appropriate health authorities that help in informed management and government decision making.
The practice itself involves the area of general administrative management that is concerned with achieving economy and efficiency in the creation, maintenance, use, evaluation, and disposition of patients’ health records during their entire life cycle.
The ability to maintain accurate and timely records is critical for the delivery of quality patient care, which is the core of health records and information practices.
The department’s staff currently comprises 52 professionals, including 4 officers, 23 technologists, 24 technicians, and 1 contract staff member.
The department is led by Mr. Ojo Kubolaje Famujimi, who holds a Higher National Diploma (HND) in Health Information Management (HIM) from the esteemed Nigerian Army College of Medical Sciences in Ojo, Lagos, and a Bachelor of Science (BSc) degree in HIM from Houdegbe North American University in Cotonou, Benin Republic. He is supported by Mrs. Omolola Afolabi, who serves as the Deputy Head of Department (DHOD). Mrs. Afolabi holds a Higher National Diploma from the College of Health Information Management at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital; she also possesses BSc and Master’s degrees from Adeleke University in Ede, Osun State.
Other personnel serving as heads of various units within the department include:
Miss Esther Olutomi Omiwole, who is the officer in charge of the Obstetrics and Gynecology Unit; she holds HND, BSc, and Master’s degrees from Achievers University in Owo. Mrs. Temitayo Awe oversees the Kidney Care Unit; she holds HND and BSc degrees from Adeleke University in Ede, Osun State. Mr. Emmanuel Akinola is the Head of the Surgical and Emergency Unit, and he also holds HND and BSc degrees in HIM from the University of Medical Sciences in Ondo.
