On October 15, 2021, the CHIMA Terminology Standards Community met to discover available resources for the adoption of health terminology standards in Canada.

The session was facilitated by Kelly Davison and began with a recap of the previous meeting, which involved developing a case study exploring the use of different standards. The case study highlighted the complexity and utility of clinical case scenarios.

Next, Kelly gave updates on materials to be published and invited those on the call to participate in their production. Five participants in total volunteered to be a part of this working group. Participants were also informed about the community’s page on the CHIMA site, where members can discover community updates, resources, and upcoming events.

Kelly touched on the importance of the Certified Terminology Standards Specialist (CTSS) designation and the credibility it adds to the practice area. Participants were encouraged to send example job listings to update the career matrix, which will be a helpful tool for human resources professionals who need to appropriately define HIM roles.

The conversation shifted towards the CIO Strategy Council survey and the role of certified professionals in providing feedback to the council on the health data and information capability framework. Kelly urged those on the call to be involved in this process as it strengthens the profession’s voice.

In the breakout rooms, participants identified and discussed available resources on the adoption of terminology standards in Canada. A participant mentioned frequent internal education in their coding unit, and this underscored the need for a more universal content platform that is the trusted source of information.

Finally, participants were encouraged to reach out to CHIMA regarding partnerships and available resources.