Kim Theodos, associate professor of Health Informatics and Information Management at Louisiana Tech University, has been elected to the presidency of the Louisiana Health Information Management Association (LHIMA). The LHIMA is a component of the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA). “Serving as President of LHIMA is an honor as well as an opportunity,” said Theodos.  “There has never been a more exciting time in the field of healthcare as we are experiencing now and I am truly looking forward to being part of the transition and innovation in the way we handle patients’ information.”  After serving the LHIMA in various capacities over the past several years, Theodos will officially take over leadership of the association on July 1. Health Information Management (HIM) professionals focus on improving the quality of health information to benefit patients, the public, healthcare providers and other users of clinical data.  They also support and advance health information technologies and are integral contributors to the transition of paper-based data to fully functional electronic health records. With a membership of over 800 HIM professionals, LHIMA promotes the professional development of its members through formal and continuing education, communication and lifelong learning. “Under Kim’s leadership, this association will continue to be recognized as a leader in health information management practice, education, research and advocacy,” said Angela Kennedy, professor and chair of the Health Informatics and Information Management program at Louisiana Tech. Louisiana Tech’s Health Informatics and Information Administration (HIIM) program has been recognized by the Louisiana State Board of Regents, receiving their Commendation of Excellence.  It’s the highest honor awarded to an academic program by the Board of Regents. “Louisiana Tech’s HIIM program has an outstanding legacy of service on the Board of Directors of LHIMA,” said Theodos. “This program and Louisiana Tech University are well respected in the HIM community and my goal is to utilize this opportunity to further advance both.” Written by Dave Guerin – dguerin@latech.edu