The Health Information Management Program is a two-year associate of applied science degree designed to prepare individuals to manage and code the medical information obtained in the medical records, organize the coded information for reimbursement purposes, abstract other data to meet administrative and governmental requirements, manage medical and legal inquiries for medical information, calculate healthcare statistics, perform data analytics, and manage the HIM department operational and human resource functions. Graduates of this Program will be prepared for a variety of positions in the health information services market. The Program is designed to offer a wide variety of learning experiences including classroom and online instruction, use of computers and software designed for health information management, and professional practice experiences in various medical settings.
Health Information Management programs must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM) in order for graduates to be eligible to sit for the Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) credential.
This major is specifically designed for students who plan to enter the workforce after graduation. Students who plan to pursue a higher degree should plan to meet with the HIM Program Director or faculty member.
To facilitate success in this program, all students should enroll in ORN 1010 - Orientation: Learning to Succeed during their first semester at DSCC.
Due to the changing conditions in the external environment in the Health Information Management profession and medical settings such as annual ICD and CPT coding updates, accreditation compliance, and new and amended legislation, HIM classes taken more than 5 years previously should be repeated except for Medical Terminology.
Students in the Health Information Management Program must earn a C or better in all classes in the HIM curriculum.
Major/Concentration Codes: HIMM-HIMC
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To view a sample degree map by semester for this are of emphasis, go to Degree Map.
