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Invited Comment

Invited Comment Phyllis J. Watson* This year is a very special one for Australia with the been identified by Dr H. Mahlar, Director-General of the celebration of our bicentenary. It is also a very special year WHO, as recognising the mutually beneficial effects of for other reasons. The American Medical Record development in harmony with the protection and promo­ Association (AMRA), the World Health Organization tion of good health. We should also be part of this group (WHO) and the International Federation of Health and should be prepared to work with WHO in the promo­ Record Organizations (IFHRO) are celebrating anniver­ tion of health. The theme for World Health Day (7 April) saries too. Sixty years ago, in 1928, the Association of this year is 'Health for All- All for Health'. What are we Record Librarians of North America was organized under going to do to show our commitment to WHO's the sponsorship of the American College of Surgeons. global strategy? The third organization celebrating an anniversary this This new organization took as its objective "to elevate the special year is IFHRO. Twenty years ago, in Stockholm, standards of clinical records in hospitals, dispensaries and other distinctly medical institutions" (Huffman, Sweden, the International Federation of Health Record 1985). In the first year members were admitted from 25 of Organizations was formed. For nineteen years a few the 48 states of America, the District of Columbia and dedicated people from the United Kingdom, The USA, Canada. Canada, Australia, Sweden, Nigeria, New Zealand and The early members ofthe Association were busy bring­ India worked diligently on the formation of an Inter­ ing about needed changes in their own departments, but national Federation. The achievement in Stockholm in soon realised a need for formal education. The first four 1968 can be attributed to these people, particularly a very schools for medical record personnel commenced in 1935. special person, Elsie Royale Mansell, who unfortunately From this time the Association has grown from strength to is not with us today to celebrate the twentieth anniversary strength with over 50 accredited programs for medical of her dream of international participation and co­ record administrators, about 75 programs for medical operation. recorl technicians and thousands of qualified pro­ Like Australia, AMRA, WHO and IFHRO have some­ fessionals dedicated to the improvement of health record thing to celebrate. Achievements, too numerous to list, services and quality patient care in all areas of the make each organization unique in its own right but with world. the same goal of better health care. The World Health Organization is celebrating its for­ tieth anniversary. In 1948 the founders of the World References Health Organization declared in the constitution that Huffman, E.K. (1985).Medical Record Management, 8th Ed. Physicians health is not merely the absence of disease or infirmity, it Record Company, Berwyn, 1985. is a state of complete physical, mental and social well WHO Health for All - All for Health, Press Release WHD/1988/1, Geneva. being. During the past forty years remarkable progress WHO Health for All - All for Health, Press Release WHD/1988/3, has been made in science, technology and medicine, and it Geneva. .A has become a matter of equity and social justice to make MRKW health progress available to all people through new approaches and better management of available resour­ ces (WHO, 1988/1). This has been the major goal of the WHO. Ten years ago, following the Alma-Ata Declaration on primary health care, the global strategy of 'Health for All' was launched. Some global progress has been achieved already with a notable decline in infant mortality, a reduction in the per­ centage of low birthweight babies, an extension of immunisation coverage, an increase in family planning programs, and an improvement in the nutritional status of children (WHO, 1988/3). But there is still a great deal to achieve before we reach the goal of 'Health for All' by the year 2000. Men and women active in education, agricul­ ture, industry, information, and so many other areas have * Phyllis J. Watson, Head, School of Medical Record Administra­ tion, Cumberland College of Health Sciences, Sydney, NSW 6 AMR JOURNAL, MARCH, 1988 http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Australian Medical Record Journal SAGE

Invited Comment

Watson, Phyllis J.
Australian Medical Record Journal , Volume 18 (1): 1 – Mar 1, 1988
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Publisher
SAGE
Copyright
© 1988 Health Information Management Association of Australia Limited
ISSN
0817-3907
eISSN
1833-3575
DOI
10.1177/183335838801800103
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Phyllis J. Watson* This year is a very special one for Australia with the been identified by Dr H. Mahlar, Director-General of the celebration of our bicentenary. It is also a very special year WHO, as recognising the mutually beneficial effects of for other reasons. The American Medical Record development in harmony with the protection and promo­ Association (AMRA), the World Health Organization tion of good health. We should also be part of this group (WHO) and the International Federation of Health and should be prepared to work with WHO in the promo­ Record Organizations (IFHRO) are celebrating anniver­ tion of health. The theme for World Health Day (7 April) saries too. Sixty years ago, in 1928, the Association of this year is 'Health for All- All for Health'. What are we Record Librarians of North America was organized under going to do to show our commitment to WHO's the sponsorship of the American College of Surgeons. global strategy? The third organization celebrating an anniversary this This new organization took as its objective "to elevate the special year is IFHRO. Twenty years ago, in Stockholm, standards of clinical records in hospitals, dispensaries and other distinctly medical institutions" (Huffman, Sweden, the International Federation of Health Record 1985). In the first year members were admitted from 25 of Organizations was formed. For nineteen years a few the 48 states of America, the District of Columbia and dedicated people from the United Kingdom, The USA, Canada. Canada, Australia, Sweden, Nigeria, New Zealand and The early members ofthe Association were busy bring­ India worked diligently on the formation of an Inter­ ing about needed changes in their own departments, but national Federation. The achievement in Stockholm in soon realised a need for formal education. The first four 1968 can be attributed to these people, particularly a very schools for medical record personnel commenced in 1935. special person, Elsie Royale Mansell, who unfortunately From this time the Association has grown from strength to is not with us today to celebrate the twentieth anniversary strength with over 50 accredited programs for medical of her dream of international participation and co­ record administrators, about 75 programs for medical operation. recorl technicians and thousands of qualified pro­ Like Australia, AMRA, WHO and IFHRO have some­ fessionals dedicated to the improvement of health record thing to celebrate. Achievements, too numerous to list, services and quality patient care in all areas of the make each organization unique in its own right but with world. the same goal of better health care. The World Health Organization is celebrating its for­ tieth anniversary. In 1948 the founders of the World References Health Organization declared in the constitution that Huffman, E.K. (1985).Medical Record Management, 8th Ed. Physicians health is not merely the absence of disease or infirmity, it Record Company, Berwyn, 1985. is a state of complete physical, mental and social well WHO Health for All - All for Health, Press Release WHD/1988/1, Geneva. being. During the past forty years remarkable progress WHO Health for All - All for Health, Press Release WHD/1988/3, has been made in science, technology and medicine, and it Geneva. .A has become a matter of equity and social justice to make MRKW health progress available to all people through new approaches and better management of available resour­ ces (WHO, 1988/1). This has been the major goal of the WHO. Ten years ago, following the Alma-Ata Declaration on primary health care, the global strategy of 'Health for All' was launched. Some global progress has been achieved already with a notable decline in infant mortality, a reduction in the per­ centage of low birthweight babies, an extension of immunisation coverage, an increase in family planning programs, and an improvement in the nutritional status of children (WHO, 1988/3). But there is still a great deal to achieve before we reach the goal of 'Health for All' by the year 2000. Men and women active in education, agricul­ ture, industry, information, and so many other areas have * Phyllis J. Watson, Head, School of Medical Record Administra­ tion, Cumberland College of Health Sciences, Sydney, NSW 6 AMR JOURNAL, MARCH, 1988

Journal

Australian Medical Record Journal – SAGE

Published: Mar 1, 1988

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