Health Information Management and Medical Coding
The Health Information Management program brings together skills and concepts from the disciplines of health care, information technology, and business management to prepare students for careers in the effective and ethical handling of medical information.
Professionals in the field of health information organize, classify, and evaluate the incredible volume of medical data generated by the health care field. In addition to technical functions in information management like statistical and data analysis, students gain perspective of the broader significance of health data at all levels: personal privacy and patient rights; staff and facility planning; research; and financial implications.
CSM’s Health Information Management program offers students two options for their course of study: the Medical Coding Certificate and the Associate of Applied Science in Health Information Management. Taken together, the certificate and associate degree tracks form a seamless, continuous path. Graduates who complete their Associate of Applied Science in Health Information Management will earn their Medical Coding Certificate as part of their program, with no additional courses required. Graduates who earn the Medical Coding Certificate can earn their associate degree with just two additional semesters of study.
Graduates of the certificate and associate degree tracks are prepared to sit for the Certified Coding Associate exam.
Programs of Study
The Health Information Management, AAS degree prepares students for a challenging career path that integrates the disciplines of health, computer technology and business management. The graduate is prepared to perform a variety of technical health information management functions including organizing, analyzing and evaluating health information; generating health data for reimbursement, planning, quality assessment, and research; and coding diseases, surgeries, and other procedures as well as the revenue cycle (e.g. billing & reimbursement). Responsibilities also include maintaining and using a variety of health information indices, special registries, and storage and retrieval systems; as well as controlling the release of health information in accordance with legal requirements.
View Program Requirements in the Catalog:
This certificate program provides the knowledge and skills needed to classify medical data from patient records for submission to insurance companies or the government for reimbursement of expenses and to researchers and public health officials to monitor trends in healthcare. Students develop skill in accurate interpretation of patient diagnosis and treatment descriptions; the ICD, CPT and HCPCS Level II coding systems; billing and reimbursement; and health information documentation. Graduates may be employed by hospitals, physicians' offices, group practices, multi-specialty clinics, or specialty centers. Graduates are eligible to take the Certified Coding Associate (CCA) examination sponsored by the American Health Information Management Association.
View Program Requirements in the Catalog:
Highlights
Career Opportunities
Student Learning Outcomes
Students will:
- Analyze policies and procedures for compliance with legal and regulatory requirements relating to healthcare information.
- Apply knowledge of anatomy and physiology, medical terminology, pathophysiology, and pharmacology to the classification of diagnoses and procedural standards to meet research and reimbursement methodologies.
- Manage health data to identify trends that will impact overall quality, safety, and effectiveness of the healthcare system.
- Evaluate health documentation to validate compliance, reporting requirements, and revenue cycle processes.
- Incorporate technology to facilitate advancement of electronic health information management through integration and display of health data.
- Utilize leadership principles and ethical standards to manage health information decisions, policies, and strategies.
Program Enrollment and Graduation Rates
|
Graduation Year |
HIM Program Enrollment |
Attrition Rate |
Graduation Rate |
|
2018 |
3 |
0% |
100% |
|
2019 |
6 |
17% (1 out of 6 students) |
83% (5 out of 6) |
|
2020 |
4 |
0% |
100% |
|
2021 |
4 |
|
|
Accreditation
Our Health Information Management Associates of Applied Science degree is accredited* by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM) https://www.cahiim.org.
*The Health Information Management accreditor of the College of Southern Maryland is the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM). The College’s accreditation for an Associate degree in Health Information Management has been reaffirmed through 2028-2029. All inquiries about the program’s accreditation status should be directed by mail to CAHIIM, 200 East Randolph Street, Suite 5100, Chicago, IL, 60601; by phone at (312) 235- 3255; or by email at info@cahiim.org.