Fókus, the Icelandic Health Informatics Forum

The Icelandic Health Informatics Forum or Fókus was established in 2004 as a special interest group within the Icelandic Society of Information Processing (ISIP). The aim of the Forum is among others  to spread knowledge of and emphasize the role of informatics in health care and facilitate cooperation and interdisciplinary understanding between different groups of professionals in health informatics. The Forum holds meetings and conferences in Iceland on diverse health informatics subjects and publishes information about health informatics on the joint website of  ISIP www.sky.is    Fókus is the Icelandic representative to EFMI (European Federation of Medical Informatics).
The members of Fókus are health professionals and informatics people as well as IT people, academics and public officials. The gender distribution is exactly equal.
 

Statutes for Fókus

A special interest group of health informatics within the Icelandic Society of Information Processing

Article 1
Name of the group
The name of the group is Fókus. It is a Special Interest Group of Health Informatics within the Icelandic Society of Information Processing (ISIP) with the duties and rights it encompasses (see article 3 and 4), hereafter abbreviated HIG (for Health Informatics Group).

Article 2
Mission and objectives
The objectives of the HIG are as follows:
•    To emphasize the role of informatics in health care, especially regarding quality of service, patient safety and efficiency in health care services.
•    To spread knowledge of and encourage the sensible use of informatics in health care.
•    To increase cooperation and interdisciplinary understanding between different groups of professionals in health informatics.
•    To create an interdisciplinary platform for professional discussion and cooperation between members of the group as well as members of the ISIP.
•    To publicly represent professionals in health informatics.
•    To emphasize and strengthen good moral conduct in the practice of health informatics.
•    To strengthen and support research, education and development of informatics in health care.
•    To establish cooperation with health informatics societies in other countries.
•    To further and support the use of the Icelandic language in health informatics.

Article 3
Membership
All professionals, and other parties interested in health informatics may join the group. It is possible either to solely join the HIG or also to be a full member of the ISIP.  Applications to join the HIG should be sent to the office of the ISIP.
   
Article 4
The rights and obligations of members of the HIG
Members of the HIG have freedom of speech and proposal rights in meetings of the HIG. The right to vote and eligibility to stand for election to the board and committees is limited to those who have paid membership fees. Members shall observe the statutes of the HIG, agreements from meetings and the decisions of the board.  Members are prohibited to express themselves publicly in the name of the HIG unless the board has agreed so.
Members shall pay fees in accordance with the decision of the general assembly meeting of the ISIP, and members who do not pay fees for two years lose all rights within the HIG.

Article 5
Annual meeting
The annual meeting of the HIG shall be held in the autumn. All members have the right to attend with freedom of speech, proposal rights and the right to vote. Members shall be informed of the meeting in writing or with other undisputed means at least seven days in advance. The calling notice for the annual meeting  shall contain items to be discussed and all suggestions which shall be put to the vote. The board of the HIG plans and is responsible, for the execution of the annual meeting. The agenda for the annual meeting is as follows:
1.    Opening of the meeting and presentation of the agenda.
2.    Election of the meeting chairman and secretary. 
3.    Annual report of the board of the HIG for the preceding term.
4.    Presentation of the work plan for the next year.
5.    Changes in statutes for the HIG.
6.    Election of the chairman of the HIG.
7.    Election of the other board members.
8.    Election for HIG committees.
9.    Other items.
During annual meetings the majority of votes is decisive, though at least two thirds of votes are needed to change the statutes of the HIG (see article 6). In case of a resolution to dissolve the HIG, at least two thirds of the votes are needed to succeed. Minutes shall be written in a special meeting log. Matters that are requested to be discussed during the annual meeting shall be sent to the board of the HIG at least two weeks in advance.

Article 6
Changes of the statutes of the HIG
Changes of the statutes  of the HIG can only be made during the annual meeting. Proposed changes shall be sent to the board at least two weeks in advance. If a proposal for change shall be discussed during the annual meeting it shall be noted clearly in the calling notice for the annual meeting and the proposal written there.

Article 7
Election of board members
the board of the HIG shall have  five full members and two subsidiary members. Those are all elected at the annual meeting. The chairman shall be elected by separate voting. The board will consist of a chairman, a secretary that also serves as vice-chairman, and three other regular members. The board is elected for a two year term and members shall be replaced in turns. Subsidiary members are elected for one year at a time. If a board member leaves the HIG or resigns from the board a subsidiary member takes his place. The members of the board of the HIG shall be selected in such a manner that best reflects the knowledge and field of expertise of the members of the HIG. The same criteria applies to the subsidiary members.

Article 8
Effect
These statutes shall take effect on the constituary meeting of the HIG.