—Kait Greer

Kait Greer, MIM, MI, CHIM

Information Governance Lead
Northern Health

Faculty – Health Information Management (HIM)
CHA Learning / HealthCareCAN

Role/partnership with CHA Learning:

Faculty – Health Information Management (HIM)

Social Media: LinkedIn

Location: Prince George, British Columbia

Spotlight

Kait Greer is the Information Governance Lead at Northern Health, where she supports the advancement of organization-wide management of information and data throughout its lifecycle. She has over ten years of experience working in healthcare, including health information management, policy, and clinical information systems.

Kait holds a Master of Information from the University of Toronto and a Master of Information Management from Dalhousie University. She also has a certification in Health Information Management with the Canadian College of Health Information Management/Canadian Health Information Management Association (CHIMA). She currently serves as a board member for CHIMA, and as a professional member and volunteer with ARMA International.

Kait enjoys expanding her knowledge of information governance and never turns down an opportunity to learn from or discuss with others some of her favourite topics, such as records and information management, information literacy, and information policy. She plans to continue teaching in the HIM field, possibly pursuing research or a doctoral program in the coming years.

In Her Own Words

I am a historian at heart and planned to spend my career working in archives, maintaining historical records and valuable artifacts. Never once did I entertain the idea that I would end up working in healthcare; now, I can’t imagine it any other way. 

I studied to be an archivist and librarian at the University of Toronto, starting out my career processing and organizing records for non-profit organizations. Fast forward 10 years, with my education and experience in tow, I am a certified health information management professional and leading my health organization’s information governance program.  

A Little More About Kait

What is something you have accomplished or worked on that you are proud of?  

I am really proud of the work that my Northern Health colleagues have accomplished and continue to do in the area of Information Governance (IG). What was initially in response to a provincial data quality assessment in 2018, has since become an integral part of the organization’s approach to how we manage information and data. In 5 years, the IG program has extended data ownership and stewardship across health service networks, developed key tools on information and data quality management, and information lifecycle management. I am thrilled to be a part of this team, and to see what possibilities lie ahead for Information Governance not only here at Northern Health, but also on provincial and national scale.  

What are some of your favourite hobbies outside of work/professional development?  

Outside of my family and work commitments, I prioritize service and volunteer work. I currently serve as a board member for the Canadian College of Health Information Management and CHIMA and have held various provincial and national volunteer roles over the years with Girl Guides of Canada. Some how, I still manage to find time to read the latest bestsellers, watch baseball, and expand my cookbook collection, testing out recipes and discovering new family favourites with my twin daughters.  

Who do you admire in healthcare and why?  

I am inspired every day by my peers. These are the folks that are committed to working through complex health systems and continuously improving and bringing innovative solutions to health service delivery. Our point-of-care clinicians, health professionals, and staff continue to meet demands and provide exceptional care. I appreciate all those behind the scenes who work tirelessly to ensure the technologies and processes are in place to ensure health information/data is of the highest quality, and accessible to those who need it, contributing to better decision-making, and improved health outcomes. 

What would you want someone to know entering a program or course with CHA Learning? 

I would encourage students to be open to all possibilities that a new course or program can offer. I have observed that many students enter the HIM program with a focus on a certain position or job they want to do at the end of the program. While it is important to have a goal to work towards, there are many domains of practice within health information management and continues to evolve. More now than ever before, it is an exciting time to re-define the work and contributions of health information professionals. So, I would say, be curious. You never know exactly where your path will lead, and you are always capable of achieving more than what you think. 

How do you make room for continuing to learn while working/leading/living? 

Over the past few years, I have recognized that one of my strengths is learning. Not only do I look for opportunities to continuously improve, but I immensely enjoy the processes of learning, collaborating, and building up my skillset. Learning and self-improvement is a core value for me, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t require discipline. Continuous learning also means developing skills in self-reflection, time management, prioritization, and evaluation amongst others. 

What are the best ways that leaders/colleagues can support other leaders/colleagues, whether within the same organization or different organizations? 

Expressing gratitude is a daily practice that benefits others, whether it’s in our personal or professional relationships. Simply acknowledging the little things or reflecting on what’s good, rather than dismissing it as insignificant, is important. Gratitude demonstrates empathy, establishes a positive mindset, and can immensely support others.