Christina (left) and Mekelle
Christina and Mekelle are two of the rising stars in the Health Information Management Service at Redland Hospital, jumping at the chance to build new skills in clinical coding as Queensland Health prepares to roll out the Clinical Coder Training Fund.
Christina first became interested in coding after moving from Mental Health into the Medical Records team in the Health Information Management Service. She kept seeing coding roles advertised and became curious about what the work involved. Once she started working alongside coders, the impact became clear.
“Seeing how much coding influences funding, data quality and patient outcomes really sparked my interest,” she said.
The Training Fund will help her progress without added pressure.
“Removing the financial barrier will let me focus fully on my studies and developing strong coding skills.”
Through her traineeship, Christina is already noticing real improvements. She’s gained confidence interpreting medical terminology, which helps her to ensure release of information requests are processed accurately.
Balancing study, work and life hasn’t been easy, but she’s made it achievable by setting aside 15–20 hours a week and leaning on support from her manager and team.
For Mekelle, working in Release of Information within the Medical Records team opened the door to coding. She found herself becoming more confident spotting terminology and understanding what clinicians were documenting.
“Studying clinical coding sharpens how you see information in patient charts,” she said. “I’m finding what I need faster and more accurately.”
Coding has also deepened her understanding of how clinical documentation shapes planning, workload and data quality across the service.
Mekelle’s study routine looks different from Christina’s. She prefers big weekend blocks and sets realistic goals depending on her capacity each week. Both agree the study commitment is manageable, especially with clear routines and support.
Their advice for colleagues is to start by researching the pathways, looking at resources like Health Information Management Association of Australia (HIMAA) and QHEPS, and speaking with your manager about accessing the Training Fund.
As Christina puts it, “It’s absolutely achievable, and the Training Fund will open doors for people who want to move into coding or build on the skills they already have.