A new model for master degree of medical records in Iran

Background: Today, health care industry is experiencing changes in its paradigms which will influence all of the health professionals. So that, health information management professionals have to move along these changes. Health information management profession transformation must begin from universities, and education has an important influence on it. Regarding the existing and emerging improvement and standard level changes in this profession throughout the world, it needs new thoughts in order to update the curriculum. The simplest way for attaining this purpose is comparative studies of curriculum. Objective: The main goal of this research is descriptive and comparative assessment of curriculum in masters degree of Medical Records in several selected countries and presenting a model for Iran. Methods: The research method was descriptive, comparative, and cross-sectional. Research population included universities which present M.Sc degree of Medical Records in U.S.A, Australia, U.K. and Iran. Findings: The title of program was the same in Sydney and Scholastica universities. All of the programs had presented a course in research methodology however Iranian universities had a course about training. They had no course about health information systems, management and organization. The curriculum model was proposed for Iran. The view points of medical records specialists and educators showed that more than 60% of them agreed the proposed model. Conclusion: The curriculum of Medical Records Master degree in Iran was different in comparison with other countries. The model was proposed in order to improve the curriculum and to move along the world changes.