Database design: what HIM professionals need to know.
Database technology has been a familiar tool in the operations of most HIM departments and a very basic understanding of this technology has usually been adequate enough to allow HIM professionals to work effectively with vendors or information services staff. As database technology moves from the task of supporting paper systems to actually becoming the central digitized health information system, a "basic understanding" becomes inadequate. To embrace the digitization efforts, AHIMA has adopted an initiative called e-HIM. For e-HIM to be successful, it will be essential for HIM professionals entering the work force to have the necessary database skills to perform their jobs. The important question to ask is: What are those skills? This paper presents the use of a Nominal Group Technique to identify a group of HIM professionals who work with databases to identify a set of essential database skills.
Campbell
Robert J
RJ
Rangos School of Health Science, Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.