How do general practitioners manage patient health literacy differences in cardiovascular disease prevention consultations? An interview study.

OBJECTIVES: Low health literacy is associated with worse health outcomes, including for cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, general practitioners (GPs) have limited support to identify and address patient health literacy needs in CVD prevention consultations. This study explored GPs' experiences of patient health literacy needs during CVD risk assessment and management consultations. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews with 18 GPs in Tasmania, Australia in 2021. A Framework Analysis approach was used to code transcripts to a thematic framework. RESULTS: GPs perceptions on patient health literacy informed three themes: 1. Methods of estimating health literacy; 2. GPs' perceptions about the impact of health literacy on CVD prevention including risk factor knowledge and behaviours; and 3. Strategies for communicating with patients experiencing health literacy challenges. The findings show that while no formal tools were used to assess health literacy in this sample, perceived health literacy can change GPs' communication and prevention strategies. CONCLUSION: The findings raise concerns about the equity of choices made available to patients, based on subjective perceptions of their health literacy level. PRACTICE IMPLICATION: GPs could be better supported to assess and address patient health literacy needs in CVD prevention consultations.

Barriers to smoking interventions in community healthcare settings: a scoping review.

Smoking is one of the major causes of preventable death and is considered the greatest threat to global public health. While the prevalence of smoking has decreased, population growth has led to an increase in the absolute number of smokers. There are many proven smoking cessation interventions available to support smokers in their quit attempts. Most people who smoke, however, underutilize the treatments available to them. This scoping review aimed to identify the current barriers experienced by all stakeholders (smokers, service providers and policymakers) to existing evidence-based smoking cessation interventions in community healthcare settings. Five electronic databases (CINAHL, Ovid MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Scopus and Web of Science) were searched for relevant literature. A total of 40 eligible articles from different countries published between 2015 and 2022 were included in the review and content analysis carried out to identify the key barriers to smoking cessation interventions. Seven key themes were found to be common to all stakeholders: (i) literacy, (ii) competing demands and priorities, (iii) time, (iv) access to product, (v) access to service, (vi) workforce and (vii) motivation/readiness. These themes were mapped to the Capability, Opportunity, Motivation-Behaviour (COM-B) model. This study presents the effect the barriers within these themes have on current smoking cessation services and highlights priorities for future interventions.

Health literacy profiles of pregnant women and mothers in Tasmania: A cluster analysis.

ISSUE ADDRESSED: Health literacy development can help to reduce the growing noncommunicable disease burden globally. However, less is known about the health literacy needs of pregnant women and mothers necessary to guide health literacy development in this priority population group. To enhance the understanding of the health literacy needs of pregnant women and mothers, this study aimed to develop data-informed health literacy profiles of pregnant women and mothers with children (0-8 years) in Tasmania, as well as data-informed vignettes describing the health literacy needs of women in the different health literacy profiles. METHODS: An online cross-sectional survey was undertaken. The survey included demographic questions and the health literacy questionnaire (HLQ). The data were analysed using a cluster analysis to identify subgroups with varying health literacy needs. The clusters, in conjunction with demographic characteristics, were used to generate data-informed vignettes representing various health literacy profiles. RESULTS: The cluster analysis generated seven health literacy profiles and five vignettes representing diverse health literacy needs of pregnant women and mothers in Tasmania. Each vignette tells a data-informed story of women in Tasmania experiencing diverse health literacy strengths and challenges influencing their access and use of health information and health services. This allowed deeper exploration of the health literacy needs of the subgroups within the target population. CONCLUSION: A better understanding of the health literacy needs of pregnant women and mothers can provide policymakers and health care providers with the key insights needed to guide the planning and development of fit-for-purpose solutions. This understanding can also guide the tailoring of existing health and community services, to create a health literacy-responsive environment that is more likely to meet the diverse health needs of pregnant women and mothers. SO WHAT: We must shift away from a 'one size fits all' approach and promote the development of a health literacy-responsive environment to improve health and equity outcomes for pregnant women and mothers in Tasmania.

Major Incident Hospital Simulations in Hospital Based Health Care: A Scoping Review.

Major incidents are occurring in increasing frequency, and place significant stress on existing health-care systems. Simulation is often used to evaluate and improve the capacity of health systems to respond to these incidents, although this is difficult to evaluate. A scoping review was performed, searching 2 databases (PubMed, CINAHL) following PRISMA guidelines. The eligibility criteria included studies addressing whole hospital simulation, published in English after 2000, and interventional or observational research. Exclusion criteria included studies limited to single departments or prehospital conditions, pure computer modelling and dissimilar health systems to Australia. After exclusions, 11 relevant studies were included. These studies assessed various types of simulation, from tabletop exercises to multihospital events, with various outcome measures. The studies were highly heterogenous and assessed as representing variable levels of evidence. In general, all articles had positive conclusions with respect to the use of major incidence simulations. Several benefits were identified, and areas of improvement for the future were highlighted. Benefits included improved understanding of existing Major Incident Response Plans and familiarity with the necessary paradigm shifts of resource management in such events. However, overall this scoping review was unable to make definitive conclusions due to a low level of evidence and lack of validated evaluation.

Health literacy status of pregnant women and women with young children in Tasmania.

ISSUE ADDRESSED: The literature provides evidence that maternal health is strongly linked with noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and their associated risk factors. Enabling women with the asset of health literacy may help to reduce the intergenerational impact of NCDs. However, little is known about the health literacy of pregnant women and women with young children in Tasmania and globally. This study aimed to identify the health literacy status of pregnant women and women with young children (0-8 years) living in Tasmania and describe their health literacy status according to their demographic characteristics. METHODS: An online cross-sectional survey was undertaken. The survey included demographic questions and a health literacy questionnaire (HLQ). The description of demographic differences across the HLQ scales focused on effect sizes (ES) for standardised differences in mean health literacy scores. The differences found to be statistically significant at P < 0.05 were also included. RESULTS: 194 participants completed the survey with a mean age of 35.3 years. 73.2% were married, 16.5% were pregnant, 93% had one or more children and 81.5% were university educated. For the first five HLQ scales (score range 1-4), the lowest overall score was seen for the scale "Actively managing my health" (mean = 2.96; SD = 0.54). For the last four scales (score range 1-5), the lowest overall score was seen for the scale "Navigating the health care system" (mean = 3.75, SD = 0.67). Nonpregnant women, women with children, women with chronic health conditions and nonmarried women experienced more health literacy challenges. CONCLUSION: Women in our study showed various strengths and challenges with mean scores varying across the nine HLQ scales. Understanding the health literacy needs of women will enable health services to co-design solutions and interventions capable of responding to the evolving health needs of pregnant women and women with young children. This approach will ensure that codesigned solutions can engage the end-user in healthy lifestyle practices and the solutions are sustainable. SO WHAT?: We must shift away from a "one size fits all" approach to tailor services to respond to the differing health literacy needs of pregnant women and women with young children to support healthy lifestyle practices and reduce the NCD burden.

Potentially preventable hospitalisations in rural community-dwelling patients.

BACKGROUND: Potentially preventable hospitalisations (PPH) are a common occurrence. Knowing the factors associated with PPH may allow high-risk patients to be identified and healthcare resources to be better allocated, and these factors may differ between urban and rural locations. AIM: To determine factors associated with PPH in an Australian rural population. METHODS: A retrospective review of admitted patients' demographic and clinical data was used to describe and model the factors associated with PPH, using an age- and sex-matched control group of non-admitted patients. This study is based in a multi-site rural general practice, Tasmania. The study included patients aged ≥18 years residing in the Huon-Bruny Island region of Tasmania, who were active patients at a rural general practice and were admitted to a public hospital for a PPH between 1 July 2016 and 30 June 2019. Main outcome measure is overnight admission to hospital for a PPH. RESULTS: Predictors with a significant odds ratio (OR) in the final model were being single/unmarried (OR 2.43; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.38-4.28), higher Charlson Comorbidity Index score (OR 1.40; 95% CI 1.13-1.74) and the number of general practice visits in the preceding 12 months (OR 1.09; 95% CI 1.05-1.14). CONCLUSIONS: This study found that being single and having a higher comorbidity burden were the strongest independent risk factors for PPH in a rural population. Demographic and socioeconomic factors appeared to be as, if not more, important than medical factors and warrant attention when considering the design of programmes to reduce PPH risk in rural communities.

Risk Factors Associated with Preventable Hospitalisation among Rural Community-Dwelling Patients: A Systematic Review.

Potentially preventable hospitalisations (PPHs) are common and increase the burden on already stretched healthcare services. Increasingly, psychosocial factors have been recognised as contributing to PPHs and these may be mitigated through greater attention to social capital. This systematic review investigates the factors associated with PPHs within rural populations. The review was designed, conducted, and reported according to PRISMA guidelines and registered with Prospero (ID: CRD42020152194). Four databases were systematically searched, and all potentially relevant papers were screened at the title/abstract level, followed by full-text review by at least two reviewers. Papers published between 2000-2022 were included. Quality assessment was conducted using Newcastle-Ottawa Scale and CASP Qualitative checklist. Of the thirteen papers included, eight were quantitative/descriptive and five were qualitative studies. All were from either Australia or the USA. Access to primary healthcare was frequently identified as a determinant of PPH. Socioeconomic, psychosocial, and geographical factors were commonly identified in the qualitative studies. This systematic review highlights the inherent attributes of rural populations that predispose them to PPHs. Equal importance should be given to supply/system factors that restrict access and patient-level factors that influence the ability and capacity of rural communities to receive appropriate primary healthcare.

Promoting food literacy in primary school classrooms through the HealthLit4Kids Program in Australia.

Food literacy (FL) refers to the knowledge, skills, and behaviours associated with healthy eating. Schools are recognised as an important setting for FL promotion during childhood. HealthLit4Kids is an Australian primary school intervention that engages students, families, and educators to promote health literacy. This study aimed to assess the promotion of FL, a subtype of health literacy, in primary school classrooms across five schools. Teachers planned and implemented classroom activities over a 12-month period. Researchers examined lesson plans created by teachers and 'artefacts' (e.g. drawings, models) created by students during activities. Most classroom activities considered the nutritional knowledge and interpersonal communication skills associated with healthy eating, whereas fewer activities addressed students' ability to critically analyse and apply information relating to food. The FL themes considered most frequently in classroom activities were 'food and health choices', 'knowledge', and 'skills and behaviour'. Whereas the FL themes considered less frequently were 'food systems', 'emotion', and 'culture'. The delivery of classroom activities was supported by the integration of other curriculum areas (e.g. The Arts and English). Future studies are required to understand how school-based interventions can promote the areas of FL that were less frequently addressed in this intervention in the classroom and beyond.

A teacher professional development programme to enhance students' critical health literacy through school-based health and physical education programmes.

Health literacy is a critical asset for adolescents to develop given its positive impact on health outcomes. The few studies that have targeted teacher knowledge and attitudes show that teachers themselves find it difficult to: navigate the multi-modal nature of health information; critically evaluate the different modes and texts; and apply health-related information in a variety of contexts. This research study aimed to address this issue through developing and implementing a teacher professional development (PD) programme for three Australian secondary schools and nine Health and Physical Education (HPE) teachers to improve health literacy, particularly critical health literacy, content and pedagogies embedded in current HPE programmes. Fifteen HPE programmes were analysed using Nutbeam's health literacy hierarchy and the Australian Curriculum: HPE outcomes and content, with this analysis informing a personalized PD programme. To evaluate how teachers experienced the personalized PD programme, interviews conducted at the completion of the PD programme were analysed using Braun and Clarke's thematic approach. According to the teachers, the PD had improved their knowledge and understanding of the three levels of HL, including how to implement it into their practice. The personalized nature was a key strength of the PD programme as it allowed for changes to be made in a time-efficient manner, a known challenge for teachers. Teachers recommended the provision of additional resources that foster students' critical health literacy levels and an additional session to ensure sustainable changes in planning and teaching practices.

Diaryl dithiocarbamates: synthesis, oxidation to thiuram disulfides, Co(III) complexes [Co(S2CNAr2)3] and their use as single source precursors to CoS2.

Air and moisture stable diaryl dithiocarbamate salts, Ar2NCS2Li, result from addition of CS2 to Ar2NLi, the latter being formed upon deprotonation of diarylamines by nBuLi. Oxidation with K3[Fe(CN)6] affords the analogous thiuram disulfides, (Ar2NCS2)2, two examples of which (Ar = p-C6H4X; X = Me, OMe) have been crystallographically characterised. The interconversion of dithiocarbamate and thiuram disulfides has also been probed electrochemically and compared with that established for the widely-utilised diethyl system. While oxidation reactions are generally clean and high yielding, for Ph(2-naphthyl)NCS2Li an ortho-cyclisation product, 3-phenylnaphtho[2,1-d]thiazole-2(3H)-thione, is also formed, resulting from a competitive intramolecular free-radical cyclisation. To demonstrate the coordinating ability of diaryl dithiocarbamates, a small series of Co(III) complexes have been prepared, with two examples, [Co{S2CN(p-tolyl)2}3] and [Co{S2CNPh(m-tolyl)}3] being crystallographically characterised. Solvothermal decomposition of [Co{S2CN(p-tolyl)2}3] in oleylamine generates phase pure CoS2 nanospheres in an unexpected phase-selective manner.

Rural Patients' Perceptions of Their Potentially Preventable Hospitalisation: A Qualitative Study.

Potentially preventable hospitalisations (PPHs) occur when patients receive hospital care for a condition that could have been more appropriately managed in the primary healthcare setting. It is anticipated that the causes of PPHs in rural populations may differ from those in urban populations; however, this is understudied. Semi-structured interviews with 10 rural Australian patients enabled them to describe their recent PPH experience. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to identify the common factors that may have led to their PPH. The analysis revealed that most participants had challenges associated with their health and its optimal self-management. Self-referral to hospital with the belief that this was the only treatment option available was also common. Most participants had limited social networks to call on in times of need or ill health. Finally, difficulty in accessing primary healthcare, especially urgently or after-hours, was described as a frequent cause of PPH. These qualitative accounts revealed that patients describe nonclinical risk factors as contributing to their recent PPH and reinforces that the views of patients should be included when designing interventions to reduce PPHs.

Distributive health literacy and medication management: A longitudinal qualitative study with Bhutanese former refugees in Tasmania.

ISSUE ADDRESSED: Tasmania, Australia is home to a population of Bhutanese former refugees who have resettled since 2007. Their refugee journey and disrupted education opportunities have resulted in gaps in literacy in their primary language (Nepali), and many suffer one or more chronic conditions (ongoing communicable or noncommunicable diseases (NCDs)). This research explored how this community perceives chronic conditions and managed their medication using the concept of distributed health literacy. METHODS: A longitudinal qualitative method was used whereby 15 former refugees and their carers were interviewed 3-4 times over 9 months. Data were thematically analysed using a hybrid approach of inductive and deductive coding and theme development. RESULTS: Four themes related to distributed health literacy were identified. These were "barriers to medication literacy and adherence," "support people as health literacy mediators," "understandings of chronic disease" and "strengthening distributed health literacy." Participants described managing relatively low levels of knowledge about their chronic conditions and medications by appointing support people who acted as health literacy mediators. This resulted in interactions with health professionals, information gathering and medication use being enacted collectively between family members. Carers felt responsible for supporting others who were new to the Australian health system to learn new skills in addition to assisting with tasks such as informal interpreting. SO WHAT?: Interventions to improve the health literacy of former refugees should focus on collective critical health literacy action rather than just the functional health literacy of individuals. Health literacy mediators are a vital form of support for former refugees managing chronic conditions, so must be included in education and support programs.

A scoping review: global health literacy interventions for pregnant women and mothers with young children.

The World Health Organization is focused on enhancing health literacy (HL) throughout the life-course to address the growing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) globally. Pregnancy and early motherhood offer a window of opportunity to address NCDs risk earlier in the life-course. Empowering women through HL may help to reduce the intergenerational impact of NCDs. A scoping review of the international literature was conducted to identify HL interventions that focused on improving NCD-related health outcomes or health behaviors of pregnant women and/or mothers with young children. The search was conducted on 4 databases and identified 5019 articles. After full text screening, 25 studies met the inclusion criteria. No study acknowledged their intervention as an HL intervention, even though they were assessed as targeting various HL dimensions. Only one study measured the HL of mothers. The review suggests that HL interventions are being underutilized and highlight the need to create awareness about the importance of addressing HL of pregnant women and mothers using appropriate tools to understand HL strengths and challenges in achieving healthy lifestyle practices. This can help to co-design locally responsive solutions that may enable women to make informed healthier lifestyle choices for themselves and for their children and thus may accelerate prevention of NCDs globally.

Healthcare Providers' Perceptions of Potentially Preventable Rural Hospitalisations: A Qualitative Study.

Potentially preventable hospitalisations (PPHs) are common in rural communities in Australia and around the world. Healthcare providers have a perspective on PPHs that may not be accessible by analysing routine patient data. This study explores the factors that healthcare providers believe cause PPHs and seeks to identify strategies for preventing them. Physicians, nurses, paramedics, and health administrators with experience in managing rural patients with PPHs were recruited from southern Tasmania, Australia. Semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted, and reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. Participants linked health literacy, limited access to primary care, and perceptions of primary care services with PPH risk. The belief that patients did not have a good understanding of where, when, and how to manage their health was perceived to be linked to patient-specific health literacy challenges. Access to primary healthcare was impacted by appointment availability, transport, and financial constraints. In contrast, it was felt that the prompt, comprehensive, and free healthcare delivered in hospitals appealed to patients and influenced their decision to bypass rural primary healthcare services. Strategies to reduce PPHs in rural Australian communities may include promoting health literacy, optimising the delivery of existing services, and improving social support structures.

An International Review to Characterize the Role, Responsibilities, and Optimal Setting for Health Literacy Mediators.

Health literacy is a critically important determinant of health and is influenced by access to supportive social networks and services. Global investment in education throughout the life course is required to support health literacy development. The aim of this review is to characterize the role, responsibilities, and the optimal setting for the emergent role of a Health Literacy Mediator (HLM). A scoping review of recent literature was conducted. The review revealed a lack of consensus on who should be teaching health literacy, and variability in confidence when teaching health literacy. Professionals reported facing barriers such as a lack of time, a lack of knowledge, and recognized that the health literacy needs of children worldwide are not being met. Further research into the role of HLM is required to determine who is best suited to this role and what their responsibilities will be to ensure consistent health literacy education.

School-Based Health Literacy Programs for Children (2-16 Years): An International Review.

BACKGROUND: Health literacy impacts children's health and educational attainment. Therefore, determining the most appropriate pedagogical design is critical. The long-term health benefits of health literacy for each child's life course further justify this imperative. School-based health literacy programs are of interest internationally. METHODS: We brainstormed the search terms and established inclusion/exclusion criteria for this systematic review. We searched 2 databases (CINAHL, ERIC) following PRISMA guidelines. Three authors screened and sorted the findings. RESULTS: We identified 21 relevant studies from 629 retrieved. Few (6/21) studies were situated in the primary school setting. CONCLUSIONS: This review found a variety of project designs, evaluation methods, and conceptual models. Descriptive analysis of the final 21 papers highlighted the importance of multicomponent design (whole-of-school and curriculum), cross-curricula integration, professional development for teachers, age of children, role of parents, and role of community. The results of this analysis may inform primary school program design in the future. Schools provide a logical setting for health literacy development. Despite the evidence that adolescence is too late, few studies have been situated in primary schools. Teachers lack confidence to teach health and need ongoing professional development. Parent, child, and community voices are essential for sustained engagement and program success.

Food Literacy Interventions in Elementary Schools: A Systematic Scoping Review.

BACKGROUND: Childhood is a critical period for developing food-related skills and knowledge, known as food literacy (FL). Schools may be an important setting for interventions aiming to improve FL in children. This systematic scoping review aimed to characterize food literacy interventions in elementary schools. METHODS: Databases (PubMed, Web of Science, and EBSCO) were searched for FL interventions in elementary schools (students aged 4-12 years). Studies were assessed according to design, duration, theoretical underpinning, and ascertainment of FL outcome(s). Interventions were assessed according to FL competencies (functional, interactive, and critical). RESULTS: After exclusions, 116 studies were eligible for review, including 105 original interventions. Interventions ranged from 45 minutes to 4 years. Social cognitive theory was the most referenced theory and common interventions included; classroom lessons, games, school gardens, food preparation, and cooking classes. Most studies measured FL outcomes quantitatively (96%, N = 111). All studies addressed functional FL (N = 116), while 77% (N = 89) addressed interactive FL and 28% (N = 32) addressed critical FL. CONCLUSIONS: This first international review of FL programs in elementary schools found great heterogeneity in school-based FL intervention design and measurement of FL. Few interventions addressed critical FL, which should be a focus for future interventions.

Dynamic Covalent Properties of a Novel Indolo[3,2-b]carbazole Diradical.

This work describes the synthesis and properties of a dicyanomethylene-substituted indolo[3,2-b]carbazole diradical ICz-CN. This quinoidal system dimerises almost completely to (ICz-CN)2 , which contains two long C(sp3 )-C(sp3 ) σ-bonds between the dicyanomethylene units. The minor open-shell ICz-CN component in the solid-state mixture was identified by EPR spectroscopy. Cyclic voltammetry and UV-visible spectroelectrochemical data, as well as comparison with reference monomer ICz-Br reveal that the nature of the one-electron oxidation of (ICz-CN)2 at ambient temperature and ICz-CN at elevated temperature is very similar in all these compounds due to the prevailing localization of their HOMO on the ICz backbone. The peculiar cathodic behaviour reflects the co-existence of (ICz-CN)2 and ICz-CN. The involvement of the dicyanomethylene groups stabilizes the close-lying LUMO and LUMO+1 of (ICz-CN)2 and especially ICz-CN compared to ICz-Br, resulting in a distinctive cathodic response at low overpotentials. Differently from neutral ICz-CN, its radical anion and dianion are remarkably stable under ambient conditions. The UV/Vis(-NIR) electronic transitions in parent (ICz-CN)2 and ICz-CN and their different redox forms have been assigned convincingly with the aid of TD-DFT calculations. The σ-bond in neutral (ICz-CN)2 is cleaved in solution and in the solid-state upon soft external stimuli (temperature, pressure), showing a strong chromism from light yellow to blue-green. Notably, in the solid state, the monomeric diradical species is predominantly formed under high hydrostatic pressure (>1 GPa).

How Did Parents View the Impact of the Curriculum-Based HealthLit4Kids Program Beyond the Classroom?

The HealthLit4Kids program aims to build health literacy in a participatory and contextually relevant way. Whole-of-school and curriculum strategies aim to empower and build capacity to make informed health choices amongst students, teachers, parents, and their local community. The aim of this study was to evaluate the HealthLit4Kids program from the perspective of parents, using a Self-Determination Theory framework. This is one component within a larger evaluation of the program. Parents at four Australian primary schools were interviewed post-program. Qualitative data collected through parent interviews were analyzed thematically to identify themes, and coding checks were completed by experienced qualitative researchers. The three key themes identified were student engagement, behaviour change, and parent engagement. Findings also indicated that parents placed a high value on effective communication from schools and raised a range of health areas such as food and nutrition, physical activity, and mental health with the interviewer. Parent opinions of the HealthLit4Kids program were positive, with many reporting a perceived increase in their children's ability to understand, communicate and act on health-related knowledge at home. The HealthLit4Kids program requires further research to determine its viability as an optimal pedagogical strategy for the health literacy development of primary school-aged children.

Leadership development in health information management (HIM): literature review.

PURPOSE: The health information management (HIM) profession lacks clarity around leadership and leadership development. To date, little empirical research exists on this topic, and it is unclear if broader approaches for healthcare leadership are suitable. This paper aims to explore which the leadership styles are relevant to the HIM profession. The findings were also used to inform a discussion on how HIM professionals could develop these leadership styles. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: Through a systematic scoping literature review, deductive thematic analysis was undertaken to extrapolate common themes around this style of leadership based on transversal competency domains that reflect twenty-first century skills (i.e. critical thinking and innovation, interpersonal, intrapersonal and global citizenship) (Bernard, Watch and Ryan, 2016; UNESCO, 2015 ). This approach enabled the findings to be discussed from a leadership development perspective. FINDINGS: Analysis of the literature revealed that a relational leadership style through a team-based approach is required. Literature studies on how to develop leadership competencies were not found. RESEARCH LIMITATIONS/IMPLICATIONS: Future policy and research implications include the need for research on transversal competencies to determine if they can shape HIM leadership development. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: This leadership style and competencies proposed are relevant across many occupations and may have broader applications for leadership research, education and development. ORIGINALITY/VALUE: This paper defines the style of leadership required in the HIM profession and identifies a succinct set of contemporary competencies to inform the development of this type of leadership.