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“We see innovations like AI components, computer-assisted coding (CAC), and autonomous coding every day. Embracing these changes and shifts in industry practices is essential to remaining competitive and effective in your role. Staying informed and adaptable ensures you don’t miss valuable opportunities.”
Leigh Poland, Vice President of Coding Services at AGS Health
Big data drives decision-making in healthcare. Health information managers oversee the flow of information between patients, providers, and third-party payers. Health information management (HIM) is a growing field, and professionals organize and analyze health data collected in clinical settings. Health information managers work closely with information technology and clinical staff to maximize data collection, preservation, and efficacy of transmission workflow. Health information managers weigh in on improving patient outcomes and clinical efficiency by applying their organizational knowledge to data sets.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), most health information management professionals obtain at least a bachelor’s degree education specifically focused on HIM or a related discipline. Many of these programs are available around the U.S. and teach a foundation of medical knowledge and administration, forming the basis of an enriching career.
Professional certification is available from the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA). Most health information managers have at least a bachelor’s degree accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for the Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM), qualifying them for the Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA) credential.
Health information managers and directors work in various settings, including hospitals, clinics, private practice offices, mental health care facilities, and other clinical settings. However, they are also increasingly employed in non-clinical settings, including insurance companies, software companies, and government positions.
Keep reading to learn more about on-campus, hybrid, and online HIM programs in the United States and how to earn an RHIA certification.
Meet the Expert: Leigh Poland, RHIA, CCS, CDIP, CIC
Leigh Poland is the vice president of coding services at AGS Health, with over 25 years of experience in revenue cycle management. Her passion for coding and education, which she has specialized in for the past 20 years, is evident in her oversight of educational programs for over 3,500 coders and her advisory role at the AGS Health International Coding Training Academy.
Previously, Poland was the corporate HIM supervisor for a major healthcare provider, managing coding education, auditing support, HIM system implementation, and serving as RAC coordinator. Her extensive background includes roles as a coder, coding supervisor, and director of HIM in various healthcare settings, as well as senior coding consultant in Florida.
A recognized speaker and writer, Poland has presented at numerous conventions and contributed to industry publications. She holds a bachelor of science degree from Louisiana Tech University, is a long-time member of AHIMA, and carries multiple AHIMA and AAPC credentials.
MedicalTechnologySchools: How has graduating from a Health Information Management program enhanced your career?
Poland: I graduated from Louisiana Tech University with a four-year degree in health information management, which provided a solid foundation in revenue cycle management, medical coding, data management, and healthcare regulations. This education was pivotal to my career success and remains one of the best decisions that launched my 25-year career in this industry.
Unlike many who question their career paths, I immediately knew I was passionate about this field. The specialized knowledge I gained opened numerous career opportunities, from hospital and clinic roles to my current position on the vendor side. The high demand for professionals in our field has further validated my career choice.
MedicalTechnologySchools: What is one piece of advice you would give to a prospective Health Information Management professional?
Poland: The key to success is embracing continuous learning and staying current with industry trends and technology. The field of health information management (HIM) is constantly evolving, with regulatory updates and new technological advancements emerging regularly. We see innovations like AI components, computer-assisted coding (CAC), and autonomous coding every day. Embracing these changes and shifts in industry practices is essential to remaining competitive and effective in your role. Staying informed and adaptable ensures you don’t miss valuable opportunities.
On-Campus Health Information Management Programs
A post-secondary degree is necessary to pursue a career in health information management. There are no specific legal requirements to pursue this career, but obtaining a degree at the undergraduate level, at minimum, is highly recommended to have access to the widest variety of job opportunities.
Luckily, several health information management programs cater to students wanting to learn more about this growing field. Most of the programs offered culminate in a bachelor of science (BS) degree, although associate’s degrees, master’s degrees, and certification programs are also available. A bachelor’s degree is the minimum requirement to become a registered health information administrator (RHIA).
Here’s a list of featured on-campus health information management programs, including CAHIIM-accredited bachelor’s, certificate, and master’s degree programs.
Southern University at New Orleans (BS)
Southern University at New Orleans (SUNO) offers a bachelor of science degree in health information management systems. To complete this campus-based program, students must satisfy all general education requirements for the school and the specified HIM degree requirements, which include a professional practicum experience.
Students choose to complete their practicum experience in a hospital, behavioral health facility, ambulatory facility, or nursing home local to the New Orleans area.
- Location: New Orleans, LA
- Duration: Four years
- Accreditation: Commission on Accreditation for the Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM)
The Ohio State University (OSU) in Columbus has a campus-based bachelor of science program in health information management and systems in the school of health and rehabilitation sciences.
To complete the program, OSU offers a four-year schedule, including general education requirements, prerequisites, and the two-year HIMS curriculum. The 63-hour HIMS curriculum culminates in a six-week management professional practice affiliation that students can complete in Ohio or another state. Before applying to the program, students must schedule an informational tour or interview with a HIMS professional to determine the student’s suitability and desire to commit to the program.
- Location: Columbus, OH
- Duration: Two to four years
- Accreditation: Commission on Accreditation for the Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM)
University of Central Florida (BS)
The University of Central Florida (UCF) in Orlando offers a 66-credit on-campus and online bachelor of science degree program in health informatics and information management.
In their final year, students in this program spend five weeks in a professional, hands-on experience at a location in the state of Florida. This full-time internship can thoroughly prepare graduating seniors for the rigors and practicalities of a career in health information management.
- Location: Orlando, FL
- Duration: Four years
- Accreditation: Commission on Accreditation for the Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM)
The University of Washington in Seattle is one of the few schools in the country that offers a master of science degree in health informatics and health information management as part of their school of public health. The program uses a hybrid delivery model for working professionals, with classes meeting on-campus just once per month.
Courses include organizational behavior & human resource management, health data analytics, and project management. A capstone project is required for graduation and allows students to solve a practiced-based problem related to health information management.
- Location: Seattle, WA
- Duration: 18 months
- Accreditation: Commission on Accreditation for the Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM)
List of Health Information Management Schools
| School | City | State | Website | GRADS ('21) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ivy Tech Community College | Indianapolis | Indiana | https://www.ivytech.edu | 408 |
| Institute of Technology | Clovis | California | https://www.iot.edu | 95 |
| University of Washington-Seattle Campus | Seattle | Washington | https://www.washington.edu | 69 |
| CUNY Graduate School and University Center | New York | New York | https://www.gc.cuny.edu | 60 |
| Texas State University | San Marcos | Texas | https://www.txst.edu | 53 |
| Albany Technical College | Albany | Georgia | https://www.albanytech.edu | 51 |
| Grand Valley State University | Allendale | Michigan | https://www.gvsu.edu | 37 |
| West Virginia University | Morgantown | West Virginia | https://www.wvu.edu | 35 |
| Eastern Kentucky University | Richmond | Kentucky | https://www.eku.edu | 33 |
| Ohio State University-Main Campus | Columbus | Ohio | https://www.osu.edu | 27 |
| University of Louisiana at Lafayette | Lafayette | Louisiana | https://louisiana.edu | 25 |
| Arkansas Tech University | Russellville | Arkansas | https://www.atu.edu | 22 |
| Coppin State University | Baltimore | Maryland | https://www.coppin.edu | 20 |
| Career College of Northern Nevada | Sparks | Nevada | https://www.ccnn.edu | 18 |
| University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus | Pittsburgh | Pennsylvania | https://www.pitt.edu | 17 |
| Camden County College | Blackwood | New Jersey | https://www.camdencc.edu | 17 |
| Duquesne University | Pittsburgh | Pennsylvania | https://www.duq.edu | 15 |
| University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences | San Juan | Puerto Rico | https://rcm2.rcm.upr.edu | 15 |
| University of Mississippi | University | Mississippi | https://olemiss.edu | 14 |
| College of Coastal Georgia | Brunswick | Georgia | https://www.ccga.edu | 14 |
| Rasmussen University-Florida | Ocala | Florida | https://www.rasmussen.edu | 14 |
| Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University | Tallahassee | Florida | https://www.famu.edu | 13 |
| Rutgers University-New Brunswick | New Brunswick | New Jersey | https://newbrunswick.rutgers.edu | 12 |
| Ogeechee Technical College | Statesboro | Georgia | https://www.ogeecheetech.edu | 12 |
| William Rainey Harper College | Palatine | Illinois | https://www.harpercollege.edu | 12 |
| University of Toledo | Toledo | Ohio | https://www.utoledo.edu | 12 |
| City Colleges of Chicago-Malcolm X College | Chicago | Illinois | https://www.ccc.edu/colleges/malcolm-x | 12 |
| Augusta University | Augusta | Georgia | https://www.augusta.edu | 11 |
| Missouri Western State University | Saint Joseph | Missouri | https://www.missouriwestern.edu | 11 |
| Florida Atlantic University | Boca Raton | Florida | https://www.fau.edu | 10 |
| Chicago State University | Chicago | Illinois | https://www.csu.edu | 10 |
| Alabama State University | Montgomery | Alabama | https://www.alasu.edu | 9 |
| Academy of Allied Health Careers | Chattanooga | Tennessee | https://aahctn.edu | 9 |
| Mid-State Technical College | Wisconsin Rapids | Wisconsin | https://www.mstc.edu | 8 |
| Spoon River College | Canton | Illinois | https://www.src.edu | 7 |
| Kean University | Union | New Jersey | https://www.kean.edu | 7 |
| Texas Southern University | Houston | Texas | https://www.tsu.edu | 7 |
| McHenry County College | Crystal Lake | Illinois | https://www.mchenry.edu | 7 |
| Rasmussen University-Minnesota | St. Cloud | Minnesota | https://www.rasmussen.edu | 6 |
| Indiana University-Southeast | New Albany | Indiana | https://southeast.iu.edu | 6 |
| Kaskaskia College | Centralia | Illinois | https://www.kaskaskia.edu | 6 |
| Manchester Community College | Manchester | New Hampshire | https://www.mccnh.edu | 6 |
| Saint Louis University | Saint Louis | Missouri | https://www.slu.edu | 6 |
| Middlesex Community College | Middletown | Connecticut | https://mxcc.edu | 6 |
| University of Detroit Mercy | Detroit | Michigan | https://www.udmercy.edu | 5 |
| Rasmussen University-Illinois | Rockford | Illinois | https://www.rasmussen.edu | 4 |
| The University of Montana | Missoula | Montana | https://www.umt.edu | 3 |
| Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan Campus | Teaneck | New Jersey | https://www.fdu.edu | 3 |
| Manchester Community College | Manchester | Connecticut | https://www.manchestercc.edu | 3 |
| Southern University at New Orleans | New Orleans | Louisiana | https://www.suno.edu | 2 |
| Oak Point University | Oak Brook | Illinois | https://oakpoint.edu | 2 |
| Rasmussen University-Wisconsin | Green Bay | Wisconsin | https://www.rasmussen.edu | 2 |
| Bellevue College | Bellevue | Washington | https://www.bellevuecollege.edu | 2 |
| Utah Valley University | Orem | Utah | https://www.uvu.edu | 2 |
| Northwestern University | Evanston | Illinois | https://www.northwestern.edu | 2 |
| Mercy College of Health Sciences | Des Moines | Iowa | https://www.mchs.edu | 1 |
| The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | Edinburg | Texas | https://www.utrgv.edu | 1 |
| Saint Peter's University | Jersey City | New Jersey | https://www.saintpeters.edu | 1 |
| Rasmussen University-North Dakota | Fargo | North Dakota | https://www.rasmussen.edu | 1 |
| Rasmussen University-Kansas | Topeka | Kansas | https://www.rasmussen.edu | 1 |
| University of Rhode Island | Kingston | Rhode Island | https://www.uri.edu | 1 |
| Eastern Washington University | Cheney | Washington | https://www.ewu.edu | 1 |
| Bay de Noc Community College | Escanaba | Michigan | https://www.baycollege.edu | 1 |
Hybrid & Online Health Information Management Programs
Many HIM degree programs are offered as online or hybrid – a blend of on-campus and online programs. These programs allow working professionals to pursue an advanced degree to further their health information management careers without leaving their current position or relocating to take classes. The programs featured here will prepare students to take the RHIA exam just as thoroughly as classroom-based programs.
University of Illinois at Chicago (BS)
The College of Applied Health Sciences at the University of Illinois at Chicago offers a bachelor of science degree in health information management, which students can complete on campus or online. The program is designed for those with two years of college coursework and can take two years to complete for students who can dedicate themselves to a full-time schedule or three years part-time.
The 63-credit program integrates professional practice experience through the school’s relationships with local healthcare facilities. Certificate programs, such as the post-baccalaureate certificate in health informatics, are also available to those with a bachelor’s degree.
- Location: Chicago, IL
- Duration: Two to three years
- Accreditation: Commission on Accreditation for the Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM)
The University of Wisconsin offers a bachelor of science completion degree in health information management and technology. The 60-credit program is offered entirely online with flexible scheduling, making it perfect for those students who want to earn a degree while working full-time. This program has no on-campus requirements, although students can still take advantage of services such as career placement, advising, and libraries.
- Location: Madison, WI
- Duration: Two years
- Accreditation: Commission on Accreditation for the Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM)
Rutgers University (BS)
The Rutgers School of Health Professions offers a hybrid bachelor of science degree in health information management. The academic reputation of Rutgers is quite prestigious, so graduates from this nationally-ranked program can expect to be well prepared for the RHIA exam.
Students in this 61-credit program can choose to complete a bachelor’s degree or a bachelor’s of science joint degree with an affiliated college. Post-baccalaureate certificates in health information management and certificates in medical coding are also available. Upon completing this CAHIIM-accredited program, graduates are prepared for more than 75 unique careers in health information management.
- Location: Newark, NJ
- Duration: Three to four years
- Accreditation: Commission on Accreditation for the Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM)
University of Kansas (BS)
The University of Kansas School of Health Professions offers a bachelor of science degree in health information management. The two-year degree completion program is open to undergraduates and community college students who have completed the necessary general education requirements. Many courses are offered in a hybrid format with classroom and online elements.
There is also an online RHIT-to-RHIA option for those who have already earned their Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) credential. At the end of the student’s senior year, the program requires a four-week professional internship for the BS program. For particularly ambitious students, the school also offers a track to complete both a BS and a master’s degree in health services administration in just five years.
- Location: Lawrence, KS
- Duration: Two to four years
- Accreditation: Commission on Accreditation for the Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM)
Core & Elective Courses in Health Information Management Programs
The curriculum for a Health Information Management degree is not strictly prescribed. However, many courses are standard across most programs as core requirements, including:
- Coding and classification systems
- Financial management
- Health information management and the law
- Health records
- Human pathophysiology
- Human resource management
- Medical terminology
- Pharmacology
It is essential to note that though most of these courses will be required as part of an HIM education, they may go by different course titles as decided by the faculty of an individual institution.
Because most HIM programs culminate in a bachelor of science degree, elective courses can range from anything to additional science courses to courses in the arts and humanities. These elective opportunities are a good chance for students to explore different areas and broaden their educational horizons.
Accreditation of Health Information Management Programs
There are two types of accreditation: programmatic and institutional.
Programmatic Accreditation
To be eligible for the RHIA exam, students must graduate from a program that has been accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for the Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM), which keeps a complete list of accredited programs on its website. The CAHIIM accreditation process assures the academic integrity and professional standards of a program. The initial accreditation process includes an application, thorough self-assessment, CAHIIM review, site visit, and final council and board review.
Institutional Accreditation
In addition to CAHIIM accreditation, every institution should have general accreditation from a national organization recognized by the Council for Higher Education (CHEA). For instance, an HIM program can be accredited by the CAHIIM. The school overall should hold accreditation from one of the following regional accreditation agencies:
- Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
- Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
- New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE)
- Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)
- Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
- Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)
Career Outlook
According to the BLS, the projected demand for medical and health services managers is quadruple the national average for all occupations (3 percent), and is expected to grow 28 percent between 2022 and 2032 (BLS 2024). The BLS does not explicitly track health information manager and director demand, meaning the BLS numbers apply to the broader field of medical records and health information instead of health information management precisely. The increased demand for these professionals could add 144,700 new jobs in that decade.
Medical and health services manager salaries vary based on experience, education, and location. The salary percentiles are as follows:
- 10th percentile: $67,900
- 25th percentile: $86,080
- 50th percentile (median): $110,680
- 75th percentile: $157,640
- 90th percentile: $216,750
As previously stated, the BLS doesn’t track RHIA-certified health information management professionals. PayScale, an aggregator of self-reported data, shows that RHIA-certified HIM professionals earn average annual salaries of $77,000 based on 842 reported salaries (PayScale July 2024).
Because the health information management profession requires specific education and certification, those employed in the career can expect salaries that reflect that dedication. The BLS reports that the position pays a median annual salary of $110,680. Those with the RHIA credential can expect higher wages overall and access to better opportunities for growth and career advancement.
Licensing & Certification of Health Information Managers
Although there is no government licensing process for these professionals, anyone who wishes to sit for the Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA) exam must complete a CAHIIM-accredited bachelor’s or master’s degree. The American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) offers this exam. Students can begin registering for the exam during their final semester in an accredited program to jumpstart their careers upon graduation.
Finally, check out the comprehensive guide to health information management certifications.
