Health Records Management Education in Nigeria

Aremo Gabriel

There are two categories of health records education programs in Nigeria. These are the Certificate and the Diploma Programs.

The Certificate Program

This program is intended for secondary school leavers who do not possess the required qualifications to study the Diploma program in Health Records Management in accredited health institutions.

The Certificate program is a two-year, full-time program that is run mainly at the School of Health Technology.

Modules of study for the program are as follows:

• General studies
• Medical Records Administration
• Coding and Indexing
• Statistics
• Medical Terminology
• Computer Science
• Health Care Administration
• Anatomy and Physiology
• Public Relations
• Personnel Management

Diploma Program

This comprises the National Diploma (ND) and the Higher National Diploma (HND).

The National Diploma

The National Diploma is a four-semester (two-year), full-time program comprising core and elective modules of study.   Prospective candidates into this program are expected to have obtained the basic O'level papers, that is, credit passes in English Language, Mathematics, Biology, and two other subjects.

Core modules for the National Diploma program are as follows:

• Computer Science
• Health Records Management
• Biostatistics and Health Statistics
• Health Care Administration
• Community Medicine
• Medical Terminology
• Anatomy and Physiology
• Coding and Indexing
• Personnel Management
• Health Information Science and Technology

Students also undertake practical attachments to a variety of health institutions as part of their course of study.

Elective modules are as follows:

• Professional Nursing
• Environmental Health
• Mental Health
• Library Management
• Introduction to Law
• Drug and Society

The Higher National Diploma

The Higher National Diploma program is a four-semester (two-year), full-time program comprising core and elective modules of study. Candidates intending to pursue the Higher National Diploma program must have first obtained the National Diploma in Health Records Management from an accredited institution and/or any other certificates approved by the Health Records Officers Registration Board of Nigeria.

Core modules for the Higher National Diploma program are as follows:

• Computer Science
• Health Information Management
• Principle of Organisation and Management
• Fundamentals of Medical Practice
• Medical Terminology
• Behavioural Science
• Health Data Classification
• Anatomy and Physiology
• Business Administration
• Statistics
• Report Writing

Practical training by attachment to a range of health institutions is also undertaken as part of the program.

Elective modules for the Higher National Diploma program are as follows:

• Drug Therapy II
• Library Management
• Epidemiology
• Professional Nursing
• Medicine and Surgery

Holders of the National Diploma are mostly employed as Health Records Supervisors in secondary and tertiary health institutions while holders of the Higher National Diploma qualify for the post of Health Records Administrator and more senior posts, depending on their years of service and additional qualifications.