Health Information Management Schools

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The Health Information Management (HIM) career is a growing field where students can work with medical data to organize and analyze health data as it is collected in clinical settings. Health information managers often work closely with information technology staff as well as clinical staff to ensure workflows that maximize the efficacy of data collection. Health information managers are able to weigh in on how to improve patient outcomes as well as clinical efficiency by analyzing the data available to them and applying their knowledge.

Most health information management professionals obtain at least a bachelor’s degree education that is specifically targeted towards HIM. There are many of these programs available around the U.S. that teach a foundation of medical knowledge and administration that can form the basis of a very rewarding career.

Health information managers and directors work in a variety of 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 as well including insurance companies, software companies and government positions. Keep reading to learn more about the available HIM programs in the U.S. and how to become certified as an RHIA.

Degree & Certification Programs

An education past high school is necessary in order to pursue a career in health information management. There are no specific legal requirements in order to pursue this career, but obtaining a degree at the undergraduate level, at minimum, is highly recommended.

Luckily there are a number of health information management programs around the country that cater to students who want 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 degree, and certifications are all available at some locations as well. It should be noted that in order to become a Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA), a bachelor’s degree is the minimum requirement.

    • University of Illinois at Chicago (BS) – The University of Illinois at Chicago, as part of their department of biomedical and health information sciences college of applied health Sciences offers a bachelor of science degree in health information management. The program is expected to take two years to complete for students who are able to dedicate themselves to a full-time schedule, or three years on a part-time basis. Professional practice experience, by way of the school’s relationships with local healthcare facilities, is integrated into the 63-credit program.

    • Southern University at New Orleans (BS) – Southern University at New Orleans (SUNO) offers a bachelor of science degree in health information management systems. In order to complete this campus-based program, students must satisfy all general education requirements for the school in addition to the specified HIM degree requirements, which include a professional practicum experience. Students generally choose to complete their practicum experience in a hospital, behavioral health facility, ambulatory facility, or nursing home that is local to the New Orleans area.

    • The Ohio State University (BS) – 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.  OSU offers a 4-year schedule, including general education requirements, prerequisites and the 2-year HIMS curriculum in order to complete the program. The 63-hour HIMS curriculum culminates in a 6-week management professional practice affiliation that can be completed in Ohio or another state.  Prior to applying to the program, students must schedule an informational tour or interview with a HIMS professional in order to determine the student’s suitability and desire to commit to the program.

    • University of Central Florida (BS) – The University of Central Florida (UCF) in Orlando offers a bachelor of science degree program in health informatics and information management. One particularly notable part of this program is that senior students spend 5 weeks in a professional, hands-on experience called a “management affiliation” somewhere 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. The school also offers two scholarships specific to their HIIM program: the Carole Barr Scholarship and the Betty W. Kernodle Memorial Scholarship.

    • University of Washington (MS) – 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.  

 

List of Health Information Management Schools

Filter by state :
School City State Website grads (2018)
Ivy Tech Community College Indianapolis Indiana www.ivytech.edu 203
Park University Parkville Missouri www.park.edu 76
Texas State University San Marcos Texas www.txstate.edu 75
University of Washington-Seattle Campus Seattle Washington www.washington.edu 47
Southwest University at El Paso El Paso Texas southwestuniversity.edu 44
Institute of Technology Clovis California www.iot.edu 39
Grand Valley State University Allendale Michigan www.gvsu.edu 36
Duquesne University Pittsburgh Pennsylvania www.duq.edu 31
Eastern Kentucky University Richmond Kentucky www.eku.edu 30
Coppin State University Baltimore Maryland www.coppin.edu 28
Ohio State University-Main Campus Columbus Ohio www.osu.edu 27
Career College of Northern Nevada Sparks Nevada www.ccnn.edu 26
University of Louisiana at Lafayette Lafayette Louisiana www.louisiana.edu 25
Tennessee State University Nashville Tennessee www.tnstate.edu 22
ASA College Brooklyn New York www.asa.edu 21
Camden County College Blackwood New Jersey www.camdencc.edu 20
University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus Pittsburgh Pennsylvania www.pitt.edu 20
William Rainey Harper College Palatine Illinois www.harpercollege.edu 20
Arkansas Tech University Russellville Arkansas www.atu.edu 19
Rutgers University-New Brunswick New Brunswick New Jersey newbrunswick.rutgers.edu 16
University of Toledo Toledo Ohio www.utoledo.edu 16
Lakeland Community College Kirtland Ohio www.lakelandcc.edu 15
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University Tallahassee Florida www.famu.edu 14
The University of Montana Missoula Montana www.umt.edu 14
Central New Mexico Community College Albuquerque New Mexico www.cnm.edu 13
Gordon State College Barnesville Georgia www.gordonstate.edu 13
Indiana University-Northwest Gary Indiana www.iun.edu 13
Texas Southern University Houston Texas www.tsu.edu 13
Saint Louis University Saint Louis Missouri www.slu.edu 12
Southern University at New Orleans New Orleans Louisiana www.suno.edu 12
Alabama State University Montgomery Alabama www.alasu.edu 11
University of Michigan-Dearborn Dearborn Michigan umdearborn.edu 11
Chicago State University Chicago Illinois www.csu.edu 10
Kean University Union New Jersey www.kean.edu 9
Oklahoma City Community College Oklahoma City Oklahoma www.occc.edu 9
Summit College Colton California www.summitcollege.edu 9
Andrew College Cuthbert Georgia www.andrewcollege.edu 8
Spoon River College Canton Illinois www.src.edu 8
Blue Ridge Community and Technical College Martinsburg West Virginia www.blueridgectc.edu 7
College of Coastal Georgia Brunswick Georgia www.ccga.edu 7
McHenry County College Crystal Lake Illinois www.mchenry.edu 7
University of Detroit Mercy Detroit Michigan www.udmercy.edu 7
University of Phoenix-California Ontario California www.phoenix.edu 6
Loma Linda University Loma Linda California home.llu.edu 5
Bay de Noc Community College Escanaba Michigan www.baycollege.edu 5
Chatham University Pittsburgh Pennsylvania www.chatham.edu 5
Dalton State College Dalton Georgia www.daltonstate.edu 5
University of Puerto Rico-Medical Sciences San Juan Puerto Rico www.rcm.upr.edu 5
Carl Sandburg College Galesburg Illinois www.sandburg.edu 4
Kaskaskia College Centralia Illinois www.kaskaskia.edu 4
Manchester Community College Manchester New Hampshire www.mccnh.edu 4
University of Phoenix-Hawaii Honolulu Hawaii www.phoenix.edu 4
City Colleges of Chicago-Malcolm X College Chicago Illinois www.ccc.edu/colleges/malcolm-x 3
Eagle Rock College Los Angeles California www.eaglerockcollege.edu 3
Eastern Washington University Cheney Washington www.ewu.edu 3
Florida Atlantic University Boca Raton Florida www.fau.edu 3
Long Island University Brookville New York liu.edu/cwpost 3
Manchester Community College Manchester Connecticut www.manchestercc.edu 3
Northwestern University Evanston Illinois www.northwestern.edu 3
Sinclair Community College Dayton Ohio www.sinclair.edu 3
SUNY Westchester Community College Valhalla New York www.sunywcc.edu 3
University of Phoenix-Texas Houston Texas www.phoenix.edu 3
Capital Community College Hartford Connecticut www.ccc.commnet.edu 2
D'Youville College Buffalo New York www.dyc.edu 2
Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan Campus Teaneck New Jersey www.fdu.edu 2
Keiser University-Ft Lauderdale Fort Lauderdale Florida www.keiseruniversity.edu 2
Mount Wachusett Community College Gardner Massachusetts mwcc.edu 2
University of Phoenix-Georgia Atlanta Georgia www.phoenix.edu 2
University of Phoenix-Nevada Las Vegas Nevada www.phoenix.edu 2
Ursuline College Pepper Pike Ohio www.ursuline.edu 2
Western Kentucky University Bowling Green Kentucky www.wku.edu 2
Indiana University-Southeast New Albany Indiana www.ius.edu 1
Augusta Technical College Augusta Georgia www.augustatech.edu 1
Bellevue College Bellevue Washington bellevuecollege.edu 1
Marymount University Arlington Virginia www.marymount.edu 1
Metropolitan Community College Area Omaha Nebraska www.mccneb.edu 1
New River Community and Technical College Beaver West Virginia www.newriver.edu 1
Northern Essex Community College Haverhill Massachusetts www.necc.mass.edu 1
Salem Community College Carneys Point New Jersey www.salemcc.edu 1
Shenandoah University Winchester Virginia www.su.edu 1
Stevens-Henager College West Haven Utah www.stevenshenager.edu 1
University of Phoenix-Tennessee Nashville Tennessee www.phoenix.edu 1
West Georgia Technical College Waco Georgia www.westgatech.edu 1
2017-2018 School Data from IPEDS (Sourced in November, 2019)

Hybrid & online programs

Many HIM degree programs are offered as online or hybrid online/campus programs. This allows working professionals to pursue an advanced degree in order to further their health information management careers without leaving their current position or relocating in order to take classes. The programs featured here will prepare students to take the RHIA exam just as thoroughly as classroom-based programs do.

  • University of Wisconsin (BS) – The University of Wisconsin offers a bachelor of science 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 work and go to school at the same time. There are no on-campus requirements for this program, although students can still take advantage of services such as career placement, advising, and libraries.

  • Rutgers (BS) – The Rutgers School of Health Professions offers a bachelor of science degree in health information management that is available entirely online. The academic reputation of Rutgers is quite prestigious and graduates from this rigorous program can expect to be well prepared for the RHIA exam. According to Rutgers internal surveys, within 6 months of graduation, 90 percent of graduates are employed in the health information management career. The program also offers annual need-based and merit scholarships, which students should consider applying for if eligible.

  • 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 program is open to undergraduates as well as community college students who have completed the necessary general education requirements. Many of the 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 credential. For the BS program, at the end of the student’s senior year, the program requires a 4-week professional internship. 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. 93 percent of students who graduate from the B.S. program pass the RHIA exam. 

School City State Website grads (2018)
University of Illinois at Chicago Chicago Illinois www.uic.edu 185
Western Governors University Salt Lake City Utah www.wgu.edu 163
University of Phoenix-Arizona Tempe Arizona www.phoenix.edu 115
University of Cincinnati-Main Campus Cincinnati Ohio www.uc.edu 96
The College of Saint Scholastica Duluth Minnesota www.css.edu 95
Park University Parkville Missouri www.park.edu 76
University of Central Florida Orlando Florida www.ucf.edu 57
CUNY Graduate School and University Center New York New York www.gc.cuny.edu 45
Columbus State Community College Columbus Ohio www.cscc.edu 35
Louisiana Tech University Ruston Louisiana www.latech.edu 33
Stephens College Columbia Missouri www.stephens.edu 32
Purdue University Global-Davenport Davenport Iowa www.purdueglobal.edu/campus-locations 31
Weber State University Ogden Utah www.weber.edu 31
Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis Indianapolis Indiana www.iupui.edu 29
Charter Oak State College New Britain Connecticut www.charteroak.edu 28
Davenport University Grand Rapids Michigan www.davenport.edu 26
University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Green Bay Wisconsin www.uwgb.edu 26
University of South Carolina-Columbia Columbia South Carolina www.sc.edu 25
Ferris State University Big Rapids Michigan www.ferris.edu 24
SUNY Polytechnic Institute Utica New York www.sunypoly.edu 24
University of Mississippi University Mississippi www.olemiss.edu 24
Herzing University-Madison Madison Wisconsin www.herzing.edu 23
Illinois State University Normal Illinois illinoisstate.edu 23
Southwestern Oklahoma State University Weatherford Oklahoma www.swosu.edu 23
Temple University Philadelphia Pennsylvania www.temple.edu 22
The University of Tennessee Health Science Center Memphis Tennessee www.uthsc.edu 21
Jacksonville University Jacksonville Florida www.ju.edu 20
Arkansas Tech University Russellville Arkansas www.atu.edu 19
Central Arizona College Coolidge Arizona www.centralaz.edu 19
Southeastern Technical College Vidalia Georgia www.southeasterntech.edu 18
University of Kansas Lawrence Kansas ku.edu 18
Independence University Salt Lake City Utah www.independence.edu 17
University of Alaska Southeast Juneau Alaska www.uas.alaska.edu 17
Great Falls College Montana State University Great Falls Montana www.gfcmsu.edu 16
Richland Community College Decatur Illinois www.richland.edu 16
University of Toledo Toledo Ohio www.utoledo.edu 16
Augusta University Augusta Georgia www.augusta.edu 15
Mercer University Macon Georgia www.mercer.edu 15
East Carolina University Greenville North Carolina www.ecu.edu 14
Lakeshore Technical College Cleveland Wisconsin www.gotoltc.edu 14
Regis University Denver Colorado www.regis.edu 14
Dakota State University Madison South Dakota dsu.edu 13
Missouri Western State University Saint Joseph Missouri www.missouriwestern.edu 13
Ashford University San Diego California www.ashford.edu 11
Johnson County Community College Overland Park Kansas www.jccc.edu 10
The College of Health Care Professions-Northwest Houston Texas www.chcp.edu 10
Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College Shell Lake Wisconsin www.witc.edu 10
Fisher College Boston Massachusetts www.fisher.edu 9
Fremont College Cerritos California www.fremont.edu 9
Medaille College Buffalo New York www.medaille.edu 9
Oklahoma City Community College Oklahoma City Oklahoma www.occc.edu 9
Stratford University Fairfax Virginia www.stratford.edu 9
University of Wisconsin-Parkside Kenosha Wisconsin www.uwp.edu 9
United States University San Diego California www.usuniversity.edu 8
Clarkson College Omaha Nebraska www.clarksoncollege.edu 7
Pennsylvania College of Technology Williamsport Pennsylvania www.pct.edu 7
Rasmussen College-Illinois Rockford Illinois rasmussen.edu 7
Rasmussen College-Minnesota St. Cloud Minnesota rasmussen.edu 7
Oregon Institute of Technology Klamath Falls Oregon www.oit.edu 6
Rasmussen College-Florida Ocala Florida rasmussen.edu 6
Davidson County Community College Thomasville North Carolina www.davidsonccc.edu 5
Herzing University-Atlanta Atlanta Georgia www.herzing.edu 5
Peirce College Philadelphia Pennsylvania www.peirce.edu 5
Valley College-Princeton Princeton West Virginia www.valley.edu 5
Walden University Minneapolis Minnesota www.waldenu.edu 5
American Public University System Charles Town West Virginia www.apus.edu 3
Herzing University-Minneapolis St. Louis Park Minnesota www.herzing.edu 3
Herzing University-Winter Park Winter Park Florida www.herzing.edu 3
Hutchinson Community College Hutchinson Kansas www.hutchcc.edu 3
Indiana Institute of Technology-College of Professions Studies Fort Wayne Indiana cps.indianatech.edu 3
Rasmussen College-Kansas Topeka Kansas rasmussen.edu 3
Thomas Edison State University Trenton New Jersey www.tesu.edu 3
Valley College-Beckley Beckley West Virginia www.valley.edu 3
Herzing University-Akron Akron Ohio www.herzing.edu 2
Herzing University-Birmingham Birmingham Alabama www.herzing.edu 2
Herzing University-Kenner Kenner Louisiana www.herzing.edu 2
Parker University Dallas Texas www.parker.edu 2
University of Minnesota-Crookston Crookston Minnesota www.crk.umn.edu 2
Purdue University Global-Augusta Augusta Maine www.purdueglobal.edu/campus-locations 1
Purdue University Global-Indianapolis Indianapolis Indiana www.purdueglobal.edu/campus-locations 1
Purdue University Global-Lewiston Lewiston Maine www.purdueglobal.edu/campus-locations 1
Purdue University Global-Lincoln Lincoln Nebraska www.purdueglobal.edu/campus-locations 1
Purdue University Global-Milwaukee Milwaukee Wisconsin www.purdueglobal.edu/campus-locations 1
Purdue University Global-St. Louis St. Louis Missouri www.purdueglobal.edu/campus-locations 1
Granite State College Concord New Hampshire www.granite.edu 1
Herzing University-Toledo Toledo Ohio www.herzing.edu 1
Holmes Community College Goodman Mississippi www.holmescc.edu 1
Rasmussen College-Wisconsin Green Bay Wisconsin rasmussen.edu 1
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Stevens Point Wisconsin www.uwsp.edu 1
2017-2018 School Data from IPEDS (Sourced in November, 2019)

Core & Elective Courses

The curriculum for a Health Information Management degree is not strictly prescribed. However, there are a number of courses that are standard across most programs as core requirements, including:

  • Pharmacology
  • Human resource management
  • Human pathophysiology
  • Health records
  • Health information management and the law
  • Coding and classification systems
  • Financial management
  • Medical terminology

It is important to note that though most of these course will be required as part of a HIM education, they may go by different course titles as decided by the faculty of an individual institution.

Because the majority of HIM programs culminate in a bachelor of science degree, elective courses tend to be found in the general education requirements of that program and may 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 the horizons of their education.

Accreditation

In order 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). A full list of accredited programs in the U.S. is available on the CAHIIM website.

This accreditation process assures the academic integrity of the program. The standards for accreditation for undergraduate and graduate programs are different but similar. A full accounting of the undergraduate accreditation standards and graduate accreditation standards is available in pdf format on the CAHIIM website. The initial accreditation process includes an application, thorough self-assessment, CAHIIM review and site visit and final council and board review.

In addition to CAHIIM accreditation, every institution should have general accreditation from a national organization that is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. For instance, a HIM program might be accredited by the CAHIIM while the school over all may have accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission or another regional accreditation agency.

Career Outlook

According to the BLS, the projected demand for health information professionals is quite high with growth expected to measure 14 percent between 2016 and 2026 (BLS 2017). The BLS does not specifically track health information manager and director demand, meaning the BLS numbers apply to the broader field of medical records and health information, as opposed to health information management specifically. The increased demand for these professionals could add up to 27,800 new jobs by 2026.

There are a number of reasons that there will be an increased demand for health information management professionals. Firstly, as all medical records continue to take the form of electronic health records (EHR) there is an increased need for people who know how to organize and assess these types of records. Further, there is a growing demand among employers for more efficiency and so a more sophisticated understanding of health information systems looks to be important going forward, as does clinical exposure and experience that would enable a medical professional to perform advanced analytics aimed at improving patient outcomes.

Because the health information management profession does require specific education and offers certification, those employed in the career can expect salaries that reflect that dedication. The BLS reports that the position pays an average annual salary of $42,820. Those with the RHIA credential can expect higher wages overall as well as better opportunities for growth and career advancement.

Career Facts Health Informatics
Related CareersComputer and Information Systems Manager, Nursing Information Systems Coordinator
Common Job TitlesClinical Informations Systems Coordinator, Coding Manager, (Registered) Health Information Manager, Manager of HIM
Technology & EquipmentMedical Imaging Database Systems, Medical Software, Medical Picture Archiving Systems, Computers
Sourced from BLS, June 2018

Licensing & Certification

Although there is no government licensing process for these professionals, anyone who wishes to sit for the Registered Health Information Administrator exam must first complete a bachelor's level degree from an accredited institution. This exam is offered by the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA). Students can begin to register for the exam during their final semester in an accredited program in order to jumpstart their careers upon graduation.

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