What Is Health Information Management?

Health information is any data related to a person’s medical history. This includes symptoms, diagnoses, procedures and outcomes. A personal health record may include information such as a patient’s history, lab results, X-rays, clinical information, demographic information and providers’ notes. 

Health information can be viewed in the context of a single patient to see how that patient’s health has changed. It can also be analyzed as part of a larger data set to help healthcare providers or researchers understand how the health of a population – such as a group of patients with similar diagnoses, taking the same medication or belonging to the same demographic group – has changed and how medical interventions have influenced that change.

Here are some of the things health information management is responsible for keeping track of: 

Health information management professionals organize, oversee and protect patient health information in large health systems, physician practices and many other organizations of all sizes. Serving as an essential link between physicians, patients and third-party payers such as insurance companies, they ensure patient health information is complete, accurate and protected. 

They also enter patient information into computer databases to comply with federal legislation mandating the use of either electronic health records (EHR) or electronic medical records (EMR). While EHR and EMR are often used interchangeably, there is a difference. EMR generally refers to a digitalized patient chart stored on a computer that contains diagnoses, immunization dates and medications, while an EHR is a digital record of a patient’s health, including medical history, progress notes and lab data.

According to the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, responsibilities of the health information manager include:

HIM professionals work in hospitals, doctors’ offices, insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies, skilled nursing facilities, home health agencies, consulting firms and other healthcare-related organizations. Some health information managers work in offices, but the digital nature of their work may allow them the flexibility to work remotely.

How would you prepare for an HIM career? While there is no singular path that works for everyone, one way to pursue opportunities in health information management is by earning a bachelor’s degree. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), medical and health services managers typically need to have at least a bachelor’s degree before entering the field. Master’s degrees are also common, and may be preferred, depending on the employer. 

At DeVry, our Bachelor’s Degree in Technical Management with a Specialization in Health Information Management can prepare you to pursue career opportunities in this dynamic and essential industry.

HIM roles you may consider pursuing include:

If you are interested in healthcare, but don’t want a job involving hands-on patient care, you might be well-suited for a career in health information management. 

You may want to consider a career in HIM if you are:

The widespread use of electronic medical records and the growth and complexity of our healthcare delivery system illustrates the need for professionals in health information management. Working in many different areas of healthcare and in various environments, health information managers such as healthcare data analysts, medical records supervisors and health informatics specialists are the professionals who acquire, process, maintain and protect patient records. Career paths within this field are numerous and typically require some post-secondary education, such as a bachelor’s degree, along with some technical aptitude and an interest in healthcare.