What Does a Health Information Management Professional Do?

As vital members of the healthcare team, health information management (HIM) professionals, and the job they perform every single day, are the backbone of efficient, accurate patient care. If you’ve felt that calling to make a difference in your career and are exploring health information management courses or getting a health information management degree, then you’ll want to know precisely what HIM is and the potential, impactful role you could play in this in-demand position and field.

What Health Information Management Professionals Do and Why It Matters

1. What is Health Info Management?

Healthcare information management is the hub of patient medical data and info, where details and records are collected, sorted, overseen, safeguarded and disseminated with compliance and care. These records hold patients’ medical histories, symptoms, tests, diagnosis and treatments and are accessed by those healthcare professionals charged with their care.

Around for decades, HIM once meant maintaining files and keeping them in secured cabinets. Now, sophisticated technology has made way for electronic health records (EHI) that consist of up-to-date patient data, records and information and are guarded by security protocols and laws to ensure patient privacy. There is an HIM lifecycle of information and HIM professionals are key to understanding and adhering to the stages of overseeing and safeguarding sensitive data.

2. What is the Role and What Are the Responsibilities of an HIM Professional?

The role of the HIM professional is focused on overseeing, organizing and protecting patient health information, details and data. This may include medical histories, symptoms, exam, lab and test results, diagnosis and procedures.

While responsibilities will shift based on job title and place of work, duties may include some or all of the following:

• The compiling, organization, maintenance and protection of confidential medical records.
• The use of technology, software and a computer to collect, sort, group, analyze, retrieve and present health data.
• Updating data and patient details from paper records to electronic records.
• Entering details into the electronic medical record (EMR).
• Monitoring EMRs for accuracy and compliance.
• Ensuring that all collection, recording and release of patient data complies with local and national laws and standards.
• Working and communicating effectively with various levels of healthcare team professionals.
• Sharing data with the healthcare professionals who require it.
• Educating staff on the essential nature of accurate and up-to-date documentation.
• Analyzing clinical data for improving or designing systems, research and reporting.
• Meeting with administrators to present ideas on findings.

3. What Skills Do You Require?

In this career you are working alongside various healthcare professionals and technology and systems in the HIM industry are rapidly evolving. It is imperative that you hone your skills to meet the needs of your role. Here is our popular blog post on precisely what you need to do to cultivate those key skills, right now. 5 Skills Required to Thrive in a Health Information Management Career.

4. Job Opportunities for HIM Graduates.

The healthcare industry as a whole needs quality-trained, highly skilled professionals to support patient care in myriad roles. HIM is in the foundation for many of those career streams and positions are in demand. Myriad fields of opportunity, industries and positions are available.
We’ve compiled a comprehensive overview to get you dreaming. You can access those details here: Your Career Path Options as a Health Info Management Graduate.

5. Why Take This HIM Career Path?

After reviewing all these details, you may still be wondering why this career path is powerful and worthy of your investment in you, and your future. Blending tech savvy and brain power with compassionate heart and the chance to make a difference, HIM truly is a unique career opportunity for the right person. Here are 5 Powerful Reasons to Launch Your Health Information Management Career.

6. So, What’s Next? How to Become an HIM Professional.

At Anderson College, our Health Information Management program is 60 weeks, including 420 hours of practicum with on-the-job training, offsite with potential employers. It covers the areas of study that will ensure you are highly skilled upon graduation. Educational content includes areas such as healthcare laws and ethics in Canada, health information analysis, systems and technology, electronic health records, database management, statistics for health sciences, project management, workplace communications and more.

This program is accredited through Canadian Health Information Management Association (CHIMA). Graduates are encouraged to sit for the certification exam, offered through the Canadian College of Health Information Management (CHIM). Candidates who successfully write the CHIM national certification examination (NCE) earn a CHIM professional designation.
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The possibilities are near endless in this field. For those looking to enhance their tech skills and medical knowledge and offer them within a career that makes a difference in the healthcare industry and to patients every day, this could be the perfect fit for you.
No need to navigate program selection or how to get started on your own.

If you’re still considering if health information management certification is for you, take the “Anderson College Health Information Management Career Discovery Quiz”.

When you’re ready to launch your Health Information Management career , we’re here to help you every step along the way to success. Book a virtual appointment with an Admissions Advisor and let’s get you started!

Quick Links to Fuel Your Success!

We want to make sure you have what you need to succeed! Check out these reference links:

• Health Information Management Program – Anderson College
• 5 Powerful Reasons to Launch Your HIM Career!
• 5 Skills Required to Thrive in a Health Information Management Career.
• Your Career Path Options as a HIM Graduate
• Canadian College of Health Information Management