Cambrian College sued for $20 million, over allegations it misrepresented its health and information management program
Cambrian College is facing a $20 million lawsuit over allegations it misrepresented its health and information management program. The suit, filed by 11 students, claims that Cambrian mislead them about the school’s intentions to become certified by the Canadian Health Information Management Association, which is responsible for controlling entry into the profession.
College president Sylvia Barnard and two other administrators have been named in the suit. The allegations have not been proved in court.
Cambrian began offering the health and information management program in September 2005. According to the statement of claim, quoted in the Sudbury Star, “Prospective students were told in promotional materials and through outreach activities about the possibility of entering the ‘high-demand’ field of professional health information management.”
The claim adds that the college advertised that the “HIM program was based on requirements established by the Canadian Health Information Management Association, which controls entry into the profession through a national certification program and that the college’s program would be CHIMA certified.” According to the student plaintiffs, it was not until 18 months after the program began that the college began applying for certification, a process that was not completed.
President Barnard denies the allegations. “We will be working through the process because we do not feel that there has been any wrongdoing on behalf of the college. Other than that, we’ll be defending ourselves vigorously, but I can’t go into any other detail … It’s before the courts, so at this point I can’t comment any further,” she told the Star.