BS in Health Information Management

Graduates with a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in health information management start their profession with a knowledge of medical ethics, healthcare law, computer information and business administration as well as medical coding and billing. Health information management degree holders work with information systems on the administrative side of the healthcare industry, helping other medical professionals do their job faster and more accurately. Students who have a BS in health information management can work as health information managers, clinical data analysts, health information systems trainer, information systems director and more.

Requirements for Earning a BS in Health Information Management

Requirements to become a health information manager can vary by state. Successful students generally complete the following steps:

Earn proper bachelor’s degree (requirements vary by state). A BS in health information management is the minimum education requirement for health information managers.
Earn proper master’s degree (requirements vary by state). Master’s degree graduates can work at the supervisorial/administrative level in health information management.
Obtain appropriate certification. Health information management students can go on to take the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) certification exam to become a Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA).

Average Salary and Career Data

The expected salary, career growth, and work environment for a health information manager might include:

Health Information Manager – Median expected salary: $80,240, according to The Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Job Prospects – Employment is expected to grow faster than average because managers will continue to be needed to oversee the digitization of patient medical records, according to The Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Job Setting – Medical records/health information technicians find employment in hospitals, private practices, home healthcare services, nursing care facilities and outpatient care.

Job Duties and Responsibilities for a Health Information Manager

A health information manager is typically responsible for the following job responsibilities:

Ensuring the accuracy of patient’s records, including reviewing for completeness and entering data into records, such as demographic information, history and treatment of disease, and diagnostic procedures.
Organizing health record storage and retrieval systems to collect and analyze patient data.
Keeping up with the most current computer and software technology as well as legislative requirements for patient records security.
Creating information policies and procedures to keep health care facilities running as smoothly and efficiently as possible.