Academic Appointment

• Department Chair and Associate Professor
  

Education

• PhD, Information Science, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 1981
• MSIS, Information Science, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 1975
• BS, Health Records Administration, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 1973

Biographical Profile

• Mervat Abdelhak, PhD, RHIA, FAHIMA, Department Chairman and Associate Professor of Health Information Management, University of Pittsburgh since 1981.   Dr. Abdelhak has served as president (2005) of the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA).   She also served on the Board of AHIMA, 2001-2006. Dr Abdelhak is currently serving as a Commissioner for  CAHIIM.  

   Dr. Abdelhak is the recipient of many Awards including the 2009 Distinguished Member Award, the highest award bestowed by AHIMA.   She was awarded the designation of AHIMA Fellow in November 2006 and is the recipient of AHIMA’s Literary Award in 1996.  Dr. Abdelhak received the Pennsylvania Health Information Management Association’s Distinguished Member Award in 1989 and the University of Pittsburgh, School of Health Related Professions’ 1991 Distinguished Alumnus Award.  She served on the Educational Strategy Committee of AHIMA and co-authored the “Vision 2016:  A Blueprint for Quality Education in Health Information Management.” Abdelhak chaired AHIMA’s Nominating Committee, chaired the Advisory Committee on Workforce Study, and was also Chair of AHIMA’s Council on Research.  She also served as a member of the Council of Accreditation, Panel of Accreditation Surveyors, and Council on Coding & Classification.  She served on Editorial Review Boards for the Journal of the American Health Information Management Association, Topics in Health Information Management, and Educational Perspectives in Health Information Management.  Abdelhak is Managing Editor of the 4th Edition of "Health Information: Management of a Strategic Resource."  She is widely published and speaker.  Dr. Abdelhak has served as a consultant nationally and internationally in the areas of education and the practice of health information management, including the electronic health record and standards development.

Research Interests

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

External Funded Research

•  "HIM CPATH Class I: Health Computing:  Integrate Computational Thinking into Health Science Education," NSF; $283,637 (10/1/2009 - 9/30/2011), Role:  Co-P.I.

Recent Publications

• 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.

Courses Recently Taught

• HRS 2420 Introduction to Health Information Systems

Awards and Honors

• Distinguished Member Award, American Health Information Management Association, 2009. This award represents the highest honor given by the association to one of its members for recognition of leadership, accomplishments in research and education, and contributions to the profession. 
• Fellow of American Health Information Management Association (FAHIMA), 2006
• Edna K. Huffman Literary Award of the American Health Information Management Association - A national award given to Dr. Abdelhak as managing editor and to the co-editors for the text and ancillaries, Health Information: Management of a Strategic Resource, 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. This award represents the highest honor given by the association to one of its members for recognition of leadership, accomplishments in research and education, and contributions to the profession.
• Outstanding Young Women of America, 1982