Health Information Management Careers: Explore HIM Careers and Degrees

Health Information Management Degrees and Certification

It is estimated that 2,314 exabytes of data have already been collected in the Health Information Management industry.

Due to the massive amount of data collection and management required in healthcare, this industry is growing fast and has many career opportunities.

So, is health information management a good career choice?

Understanding the requirements to become a health information manager and what type of health information management degree you need and what it takes to get it.

And of course gaining an understanding of what the role of health information management is.

What do Health Information Managers do?

Health Information Managers (HIM) work a lot with data and technology that directly and indirectly impacts the healthcare industry. The data you will collect and manage will be instrumental to advances in both the medical field and medical practice you work in.

Here are some of the types of data that HIMs collect:

• Patient Data
• Insurance/Claims Data
• Vital Statistics Data
• Electronic Health Records
• Administrative Data
• Clinical Trials Data
• Patient and Disease Registry
• Health Surveys

The doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals you work with will rely on the data you provide to improve healthcare services.

Modeling and analyzing the data, your job is to find gaps in the services, workflow, and administrative procedures, which can then be addressed so personnel can perform their jobs better.

It is also your job to create and maintain data systems that help optimize and improve patient results and healthcare service delivery on an ongoing basis.

You will regularly be creating and analyzing reports on patient data looking for improvement opportunities to be implemented in the medical practice you work in.

How Much Will You Earn?

The entry-level for a health information technician is $40,350 per year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). However, you can earn potentially around $99,730 annually when you reach the managerial level.

You won’t lack job opportunities as the healthcare information management industry is projected to grow 18% through 2028.

One reason that HIM professionals are paid high because they are responsible for designing the whole system implemented in the hospital. They will also need to ensure that all quality standards are met, especially in the areas of security, legal, and ethics.

Among their tasks are:

• Gathering patient data and analyzing them
• Making sure that all the information regarding the patient is accurate and complete
• Securing the data so unauthorized access is assured
• Managing the database for the organization to easily access when needed
• Making a template for easy reporting of data

What Types of Jobs are Available?

Those who pursue a health information degree will open themselves to various opportunities. By finishing your bachelor’s degree, you can apply for a job as a:

• Health information system manager
• Data quality specialists
• Section director
• Privacy officer
• Department director
• Teacher or consultant

But you don’t need to have a bachelor’s degree to work in the industry. If you finish an associate’s degree, you can have the following jobs:

• Insurance claims analyst
• Health data analyst
• Records technician
• Clinical coder
• Patient information specialist
• Physician practice manager

As you can see, there are plenty of opportunities that are available to you depending on your educational background and related experiences.

Where Will You Work?

With a health information management degree you can practically work anywhere in the healthcare industry that is in need of your services:

• Hospitals
• Private physician’s clinics
• Rehab and recovery centers
• Senior homes
• Hospices
• Public offices
• Insurance companies
• Non-profits and charity groups

Education Requirements for Health Information Managers

There are over 200 universities and colleges across the United States that offer health information management program. You can earn your degree on-campus or through the online education program. Make sure, however, that you earn your degree from an accredited school by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM).

Do You Need Certification and License?

Whether you finished an associate’s degree or bachelor’s degree, you need to pass the exam before you can earn your certificate. You have two ways to go about it:

1. An associate’s degree course will allow you to take an exam for the Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT). As a technician, you will be responsible for making sure the patient and hospital records are accurate, complete, and secure. You will also be responsible for coding parameters and procedures, which will be crucial in medical bills and reimbursements.
2. A bachelor’s degree will allow you to take a RHIT exam. A RHIT is a health information technician who makes sure the quality of medical records are complete, accurate and are entered correctly into a computerized database.

If you have a knack for working with data and pay high attention to detail you could make an impact in healthcare working as a health information manager. Click the blue “Find Schools” button to compare programs health information management programs