Health Information Management

Services We Offer

The Service is composed on eight sub-units (Medical Records, Non-Admitted Services – Emergency and Outpatient Clinics, Central Medical Secretarial Unit, Admissions and Discharges, Clinical Coding, Freedom of Information, Health Information Systems and Private Patient Liaison).

Service Outline & Location

Medical Records

(1st Floor E Block, North)

The Medical Record Department operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The primary goal of this department is to ensure the ready availability of patient medical records for use in clinical care activities. This includes the provision of medical records for outpatient, inpatient and emergency attendances. The Medical Record Department tracks the movements of all records within the hospital via an electronic medical record tracking system. It provides an information service for medico-legal and GP queries. A microfilming service is also operated within this department.

Non-Admitted Services

(Outpatient Department E Block, Emergency Department G Block)

Non-Admitted Services is composed of two distinct services – the Outpatient and Emergency Departments. The Outpatient division of HIMS provides a reception service for patients attending outpatient appointments, and registers and process these attendances on the hospital’s computerised information system. Outpatient Clinics operate 4 days a week, Monday – Thursday. Emergency Clerical staff provide a support role to emergency department staff, via the registration , update, transfer and admission of patients. This area is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Central Medical Secretarial Unit

(1st Floor E Block, East)

The Central Medical Secretarial Unit provides a typing and transcription service for medical staff servicing the outpatient clinics and ward areas. Documents produced within this service include outpatient letters and inpatient discharge summaries. Other duties performed by this unit include the receival and processing of referrals from General Practitioners, and the maintenance of outpatient appointments.

Admission and Discharges

(G Block, Ground Floor)

The Admission and Discharge Service is one of the largest and most disperse sub-departments of HIMS. Staff within this area are responsible for the capture and entering of admission, discharge and transfer information of inpatients. Admission and Discharges provides a patient reception / enquiry service at G Block and C Block entrances. Admission and Discharge Services is also responsible for the provision of Ward clerk coverage.

Clinical Coding

(1st Floor E Block, West)

The Clinical Coding Unit reviews all inpatient attendances to the hospital, and classifies all significant diagnoses, complications and treatments of patients in accordance with ICD-10-AM (International Classification of Diseases – 10th Revision – Clinical Modification). The information generated from this classification process can then be utilised in hospital statistics, resource utilisation, budgetary allocation, clinical auditing and research activities.

Health Information Systems Administration

(1st Floor E Block, East)

The Health Information Systems Administration office is the designated custodian, responsible for the administration of the hospital’s Patient Administration System and Clinical Information System. This department also plays a supportive role in the operation of the mental health clinical information system. Staff within this service ensure strict data quality and information management standards are adhered to, provide training to system users, assist nursing management in the allocation of beds and manage the hospital’s major patient demographic database, the Central Patient Index.

Freedom of Information

(1st Floor E Block, West)

The FOI office processes applications for access to information or documents held within SCGH in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act 1992 (WA). Approximately 70% of all applications for information held by government agencies are directed towards health care agencies. The FOI office is the primary contact point for members of the public seeking access to information held at the hospital.

Private Patient Liaison

(1st Floor, E Block, East)

Patients with private health insurance have the choice to be treated as either public or private.

A private patient with appropriate hospital insurance cover has no out of pocket expenses for their hospital stay and procedures. A Specialist Doctor provides medical care at no out of pocket expense unless they advise the patient that they have a gap fee. Private patient incentives include TV rental, newspapers, car parking, telephone calls, visitor meals and a toiletries pack.

Department Contact Details

Manager HIMS
Phone: 08 9346 3820

Deputy Manager HIMS
Phone: 08 9346 1325

Weekend Supervisor HIMS
Phone: 08 9346 3333

Admission and Discharge Coordinator
Phone: 08 9346 2814

Central Medical Secretarial Unit Coordinator
Phone: 08 9346 2871

Clinical Coding Coordinator
Phone: 08 9346 4549

Freedom of Information Coordinator
Phone: 08 9346 2427

Health Information Systems Administrator
Phone: 08 9346 3331

Health Information Systems Support Office
Phone: 08 9346 2315

Medical Record Department Coordinator
Phone: 08 9346 4701

Non-Admitted Services Coordinator
Phone: 08 9346 3881

Private Patient Liaison Coordinator
Phone: 08 9346 4831

HIM Policies

All staff within Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital undertake their duties in accordance with strict internal confidentiality and privacy principles. As the caretaker of patient information within the hospital, Health Information Management Services ensures such information is restricted to only those involved in the direct care of a patient, or in the management of the health care system affecting that patient. From time to time information may be required to be released under legislative obligations; such instances may include the subpoena of a medical record, under the provisions of Freedom of Information Legislation, for the registration of births and deaths or notifiable diseases.

Did you know ?

HIMS is responsible for the secure management of in excess of 300 000 hard copy paper medical records and 530 000 microfilmed records.

On any given day, up to 3000 medical records are in use throughout the hospital.

The Medical Record Department files the equivalent of 9000kg of loose reports per year.

Over 2 million patients are registered on the Hospitals’ metropolitan computerised data base.

Staff Dress Code

The Health Information Management Service has a Staff Dress Code Policy.

Organisational Chart

HIM Organisational Chart (13kB PDF)

Staff Parking

Please note there is limited staff car parking. Parking permits are issued to new staff at the discretion of the Security Office. Staff who work night shifts may be given precedence over day shift workers.

New staff are encouraged to use public transport, cycle to work or park at alternative designated parking sites (i.e. Matthews Netball Centre, Selby Road) where shuttle buses operate between facilities.

Further bus and train information can be obtained from Transperth on 13 62 13.