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Health Information Management

Health Information Management Job Description
Health Information Management professionals manage all aspects of the content of medical patient records and patient information systems. Job responsibiities include anything from information gathering and maintenance, data analysis and interpretation to designing, implementing, and maintaining health information technology systems.

Health information managers are responsible for the maintenance and security of all patient records. Recent regulations enacted by the Federal Government require that all health care providers maintain electronic patient records and that these records be secure. As a result, health information managers must keep up with current computer and software technology and with legislative requirements. In addition, as patient data become more frequently used for quality management and in medical research, health information managers ensure that databases are complete, accurate, and available only to authorized personnel.

HIM professionals have expertise in health informatics, which requires knowledge of clinical medicine, the computer-based patient record, coding and classifications systems, quality and human resource management, as well as ethical, legal, regulatory and accrediting agency requirements.

Job titles in Health Information Management include:

• HIM Director
• Clinical Data Analyst
• Health Data/Information Resource Manager
• Health Information System Application Designer
• Compliance Officer
• Chief Information Officer

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Health Information Management Salary
For many HIM professionals, salary levels are driven by their job titles, their education levels, and where they live. In 2006, the average annual full-time HIM salary across all work settings is $55,676. However, depending on all the factors, including job title, salaries started in the mid $30,000 and reached as high as over $100,000.

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Health Information Management Career Advancement
Experienced health information technicians typically advance through specialization or management. Technicians can specialize in coding, particulary Medicare coding or cancer registry. Depending on the employer, health information technicians can advance into supervisory or management roles based on experience and performance. However, most larger institutions and facilities require RHIT or RHIA credentials, which require a 2-year or 4-year degree respectively.

Health Information Management Education
Health information managers require a bachelor's degree from an accredited program. In 2007, there were 42 accredited bachelor's degree programs and 3 master's degree programs in health information management according to the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education.

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Professional Certification
Health information managers who have a bachelor's degree or postbaccalaureate from an approved program and who pass an exam can earn certification as a Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA) or Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) from the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA).

HIM Credentials include:

• Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA)
• Registered Health Information Techinician (RHIT)

• Certified Coding Specialist (CCS)
• Certified Coding Specialist-Physician Based (CCS-P)
• Certified in Healthcare Privacy and Security (CHPS)

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Health Information Management Professional Organizations