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Mervat Abdelhak

PhD, RHIA, FAHIMA
Emeritus Professor, Retired

Mervat Abdelhak is a retired Emeritus faculty, who is recognized internationally as a leader and visionary with significant contributions to Health Information Management (HIM) and Health Informatics (HI) education and practice. Abdelhak founded the Masters programs and PhD Core in HIM at the University of Pittsburgh, being the first academic department offering graduate education for HIM professionals. She accelerated the department's research program. Her research interests include workforce readiness, patient engagement, and creating a learning health system in health care.

She was the recipient of coveted awards including: the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) Distinguished Member Award, the Pennsylvania Health Information Management Association (PHIMA) Distinguished Member Award, the University of Pittsburgh Distinguished Alumnus Award, and the Edna Huffman Literary Award. Abdelhak served as AHIMA's president, AHIMA's Board of Directors, co-authored AHIMA's Vision 2016:  A Blueprint for Quality Education in HIM and chaired the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM). Abdelhak has 40+ scholarly articles published; has been an invited speaker with over 100 international/national presentations, and has provided numerous consultancies in the United States, Puerto Rico, Japan, Canada, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Kuwait and UAE.

Departments

Department of Health Information Management

Education & Training

  • PhD, University of Pittsburgh, 1981
  • MSIS, University of Pittsburgh, 1975

Awards

  • Distinguished Member Award, American Health Information Management Association, 2009
  • Fellow of American Health Information Management Association (FAHIMA), 2006
  • Edna K. Huffman Literary Award of the American Health Information Management Association , 1996
  • Distinguished Alumnus Award, School of Health Related Professions, 1991
  • The President's Award to attend the American Experience Program, 1991
  • Pennsylvania Medical Record Association Distinguished Member Award, 1989
  • Outstanding Young Women of America, 1982

Representative Publications

  • Abdelhak, M., (2015).  Managing Editor, Health Information:  Management of a Strategic Resource, 5th Edition, (textbook/ancillaries, test bank and website)
  • Abdelhak, M., (2010).  Managing Editor, Health Information:  Management of a Strategic Resource, 4th Edition, (textbook/ancillaries, test bank and website)
  • Abdelhak, M., (2007).  Managing Editor, Health Information:  Management of a Strategic Resource, 3rd , Elsevier. (textbook/ancillaries, test bank and website)
  • Abdelhak, M ., (2005). Leading with purpose. Journal of the American Health Information Management Association , Vol. 76, No. 10, pg. 8
  • Abdelhak, M ., (2005). The ages of civilization:  Lessons for transforming health care.  Journal of the American Health Information Management Association , Vol. 76, No. 9, pg. 8
  • Abdelhak, M ., (2005). Expecting the best:  Exemplary behavior for leaders. Journal of the American Health Information Management Association , Vol. 76, No. 8, pg. 8
  • Abdelhak, M. (2005). Are we walking the walk? Measurements, scorecards, and milestones: Part Two, Journal of the American Health Information Management Association , Vol. 76, No. 7, pg. 8.
  • Abdelhak, M . (2005). Are we walking the walk: Measurements, scorecards, and milestones: Part One, Journal of the American Health Information Management Association , Vol. 76, No. 6, pg. 8.
  • Abdelhak, M. (2005). Taking the lead together - At envigorated team talks, unity over strategy for future success, Journal of the American Health Information Management Association , Vol. 76, No. 5, pg. 8.
  • Abdelhak, M. (2005). Writing AHIMA's next chapter, Journal of the American Health Information Management Association , Vol. 76, No. 4, pg. 8.
  • Abdelhak, M.  (2005). AHIMA's preferred future - framing AHIMA's problems and opportunities, Journal of the American Health Information Management Association , Vol. 76, No. 3, pg. 8.
  • Abdelhak, M . (2005).  Setting AHIMA's strategic directions, Journal of the American Health Information Management Association , Vol. 76, No. 2, pg. 8.
  • Abdelhak, M . (2005). Looking to breakthrough in 2005, Journal of the American Health Information Management Association , Vol. 76, No. 1, pg. 8.
  • Abdelhak, M . (2005).  Achieving breakthrough in 2005, South Florida Hospital News.

Research Interests

  • Health informatics
  • Health information systems 
  • Electronic health record
  • Privacy & security
  • Outcome research