Renowned Global Health Expert Lorraine Fernandes to Mark World Health Day in Podcast

As the globe prepares to commemorate World Health Day, a renowned expert in health information management, Lorraine Fernandes, is set to deliver valuable insights on key global health issues during today’s Talk Ten Tuesdays broadcast.

Fernandes, the Immediate Past President and Communication Chair of the International Federation of Health Information Management Associations (IFHIMA), brings decades of experience and expertise aligning with this year’s World Health Day themes and objectives. World Health Day is a dedicated day of global observance on Sunday, April 7, highlighting significant health challenges while promoting global health equity and awareness to ignite collective action for better health outcomes.

With a vision executed around “A healthy world enabled by quality health information,” Fernandes continues to champion the importance of quality data management through robust information governance principles and tools. Notably, the IFHIMA has been in official relations with the World Health Organization (WHO) for over 40 years, supporting critical initiatives like the WHO Federation of International Classification workgroups.

Amidst the challenges brought by COVID-19, Fernandes’ leadership during her tenure as IFHIMA President from 2019-2022 showcased resilience and growth. Despite global disruptions, IFHIMA expanded its memberships across individual, corporate, and educational sectors, particularly emphasizing support for health information professionals in low-income countries. This commitment to inclusivity and global health resilience underscores Fernandes’ dedication to “raise the tide, raise the boat,” amplifying IFHIMA’s mission through regular updates and global outreach efforts.

Fernandes will delve into critical topics such as information governance in the era of digital health transformation and the implementation of ICD-11, which is set to replace the outdated ICD-10. Her insights will illuminate the evolving global health landscape, emphasizing the importance of accurate data for better health outcomes. With over two decades of international volunteerism and industry recognition for her contributions, Fernandes shines as a beacon of knowledge and advocacy in the field of health information management.

World Health Day has gained even more significance in the past few years. “COVID-19 seems to have been a wakeup call for most of us, focusing our collective awareness on our inter-connectivity with folks in faraway places. It’s almost like the ‘Sneeze heard round the world.’ Even today, there appears to be speculation as to the origins of COVID-19. Was it China?” expressed Chuck Buck, Sr. Vice President of New Media and Publisher of RACmonitor and ICD10monitor, and the program host of the two corroborative Internet broadcasts, Monitor Mondays and Talk Ten Tuesdays. “Today, the world is experiencing climate change. And even more calamities are occurring.”

As audiences tune in to this special World Health Day broadcast,  listeners can expect to gain insight into several important topics including the championing of health as a global priority for all, educating oneself on the adaption of ICD-11 model and its advancements, along with an understanding of the critical role played by information governance in advancing healthcare within the digital age.