Purpose
The Health Information Management (HIM) degree provides students the opportunity to gain knowledge and skills required to perform a variety of specialized duties in a non-clinical healthcare setting. Graduates may seek positions as medical records technicians, coders, health information specialists, and similar designations.
Program Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will be able to:
- Apply Diagnosis and Procedure codes according to current professional classification systems guidelines.
- Identify complete health record according to organizational policies, external regulations and professional standards.
- Analyze and interpret data and data sources for patient care (management, billing, reports, registries and other databases)
- Use current concepts and government regulations to assign policies for data integrity and data exchange standards.
- Apply healthcare legal terminology to identify the use of legal document, consents for treatment, retention and release of information, privacy and patient rights.
- Apply confidentiality, privacy and security measures and policies and procedures for internal and external of and exchange to protect electronic health information.
- Use payment methodologies and systems such as capitation, Prospective Payment Systems, case mix and health insurance policies to evaluate the revenue cycle management process.
- Use billing processes and procedures such as claims, electronic data exchange, advanced beneficiary notice, charge master, coding and bill reconciliation process to support the reimbursement cycle.
- Analyze managed care and accountable care organization strategies and their impact to the delivery of care setting.
- Obtain Certified Coding Associate (CCA) through AHIMA (American Health Information Management Association), and/or Certified Professional Coder (CPC) through AAPC (American Association of Professional Coders). .
Employment Opportunities
HIM graduates will be able to work at acute care hospitals, clinics, behavioral healthcare facilities, hospice, home care, healthcare government agencies, EHR vendors, insurance companies, and Managed Care Organizations. Opportunities for certification include Certified Professional Coder (CPC) and Certified Coding Associate (CCA).
The 2023 HIM Student Graduate Survey reported that 87% of HIM program graduates felt they were trained to apply sound judgment and critical thinking skills in a healthcare/Health Information Management setting. Additionally, 92% of HIM graduates stated that the program effectively prepared them to communicate in their role as Health Information Management professionals.
Below are the Health Information Management program 2024 metrics:
- HIM Graduate Employment Rate: 100%
- HIM Program Graduation Rate: 53%
- HIM Program Completion Rate: 100%
- RHIT (Registered Health Information Technician) Certification Pass Rate: 100%
- AAPC Certified Professional Coder Pass Rate: 90%
Program Requirements
Students entering the HIM program must meet the College’s general admissions requirements, as well as program specific admission requirements which include:
- Completion of the Health Information Management Application for Admission packet, including a letter of intent and criminal background check.
- Students are required to take English and mathematics placement tests. Developmental classes in these areas may be required.
- Students may receive college credit for verified on-the-job experience.
- Courses taken out of suggested sequence must have the approval of the program director.
Accreditation
The Health Information Management program is accredited by CAHIIM (Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Health Information Management. The College’s accreditation for the Associate of Applied Science degree in Health Information Management has been reaffirmed through 2027.
For Further Information, Contact:
Sabrina Ward, Interim Program Director
sward@mecc.edu
276.523.9060
Wes Mullins, Dean
jmullins@mecc.edu
276.523.9017
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