About health information management and clinical coding
Health information management (HIM) plays a critical role in the planning, development and management of systems that handle patient information. These systems:
- safeguard patient health information
- ensure timely access to necessary information
- support data reporting at state and national levels
- contribute to quality and safety reporting
- assist in health service planning and funding models
- support clinical research.
The data required to support these systems is abstracted from patient care processes by clinical coding professionals. Clinical coders source information from a patient’s:
- clinical record
- admission and discharge summaries
- pathology, radiology and pharmacy records
- specialist information systems.
Clinical coding is mandatory for all hospitals across Australia. Data is submitted to the Independent Hospital and Aged Care Pricing Authority (IHACPA) for Activity Based Funding (ABF) and to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) for health services reporting and planning.
National workforce shortages means the system relies heavily on external services to achieve regulatory deadlines, which is inefficient and expensive. Queensland Health is looking at several ways to manage the shortages that this profession faces.
For more information, contact the State HIM and Clinical Coding Team at himandcodingsupport@health.qld.gov.au.
Statewide Health Information Management Clinical Coding Network
The Statewide HIM-CC Network is a collective of public health information management groups who have an interest in championing the improvement of health information management and clinical coding services in Queensland Health.
Network membership
Membership is open to Queensland Health and Mater Public employees with an interest or professional involvement in health information management and clinical coding. For more information, contact Statewide_HIM-CCN@health.qld.gov.au.
Clinical Coding Authority of Queensland
The authority (CCAQ) is a subcommittee of the Queensland Statewide HIM-CC Network. It is the Queensland state coding advisory committee for consideration and resolution of all clinical coding queries related to current editions of:
- International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision, Australian Modification (ICD-10-AM)
- Australian Classification of Health Interventions (ACHI)
- Australian Coding Standards (ACS)
- Australian Refined Diagnosis Related Groups (AR-DRG).
This may include escalation of unresolved complex clinical coding queries to the Independent Hospital and Aged Care Pricing Authority (IHACPA) via the Australian Classification Exchange (ACE).
The CCAQ also works closely with the Queensland representative of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) Technical Group, and with the Statistical Services Branch (Queensland Health) regarding feedback on national and state coding edits where they relate to clinical coding.
Membership is open to individuals from both the public and private health sectors, with selection of applicants based on knowledge, skill, and expertise. Contact CCAQ@health.qld.gov.au for more information.