Career and Program Description
Health Information Management (HIM) professionals create, analyze and manage health care information and data. HIM professionals are part of the healthcare team, rather than direct patient care, HIM is the business side of healthcare. HIM professionals are integral to the healthcare industry, as the work they provide is required wherever health information is collected, organized, and analyzed.
HIM professionals bring unique skills to the healthcare industry such as managing health records, health information, and health information systems. The skills that HIM professionals possess through education and training is planning, collecting and analyzing data and summarizing into useful information. This includes the complexities of medical coding, documentation, and billing.
HIM Professional assists all members of the healthcare team, including providers, to understand the regulations mandating proper documentation, retention, storage and disclosure of health information. HIM professionals understand data flow and reporting requirements within the context of dynamic rules, regulations and guidelines. HIM professionals are trained in the Privacy and Security regulations (including HIPAA) and are the frontline in protecting the privacy and security of patient health information.
HIM professionals work in every type of healthcare organization: Hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, home health agencies, surgical centers, multi-level healthcare organizations, etc. Also, they are in high demand in other healthcare related entities such as insurance companies, research/policy/governmental agencies, law firms, and accounting firms.
The program begins fall term only. Students must receive a Pass grade or C or better in all program required courses. The program is designed to correlate classroom and lab experience with practical experience in health care facilities. The lecture and lab portion of the program is offered entirely through distance learning.
Degrees and Certificates Offered
Associate of Applied Science Degree
Health Information Management
Academic Prerequisites
- Completion of WR 121.
- Completion of MTH 58, or MTH 65
- Completion of MP 111 or successful completion of a challenge exam offered on campus.
- Completion of CIS 120 and (CIS 121, or BA 131, or BA 205) or similar course.
- This is a limited entry program. Complete the program application and submit unofficial transcripts from any college attended other than PCC.
Academic Requirements
- All HIM-prefix courses, BI 121, BI 122, BI 231, BI 232, and BI 233 must be completed with a "C" or "P" or better.
Non-Academic Prerequisites
- Students are encouraged to meet with the Cascade Allied Health Admissions Coordinator.
Non-Academic Requirements
- Once admitted, students are strongly encouraged to complete program advising with a Health Information Management program advisor.
- After admission to the program, but before beginning practicum, students may be required to complete some or all of the following: criminal background check, proof of immunizations, and a ten-panel drug screening. There will be a cost to the student associated with completing this requirement.
- Students must be able to provide their own transportation to clinical facilities.
Health Information Management AAS Degree
Minimum 94 credits. Students must also meet Associate Degree Comprehensive Requirements and Associate of Applied Science Requirements. Students must complete a total of four courses of General Education. Some courses specified within the program may be used as General Education. In addition to required courses in the program of study, students must satisfy MTH 58/65 competency. Students should consult with program advisors for course planning.
Course of Study
The coursework listed below is required. The following is an example of a term-by-term breakdown.
| First Term | Credits | |
|---|---|---|
| CIS 121 | Information Systems and Programming * or Introduction to Business Technology or Business Communication Using Technology | 4 |
| HIM 121 | Legal and Ethical Aspects of Healthcare | 3 |
| HIM 128 | Anatomy & Physiology for Health Information Management 1 or Introduction to Human Anatomy & Physiology I or Human Anatomy & Physiology I and Human Anatomy & Physiology II | 4 |
| HIM 141 | Health Record Content in Non-Acute Care Settings | 3 |
| HIM 182 | Healthcare Delivery Systems | 3 |
| Second Term | ||
| HIM 110 | Health Record Content in Acute Care Settings | 3 |
| HIM 120 | Health Record Content in Acute Care Settings Lab | 2 |
| HIM 129 | Anatomy & Physiology for Health Information Management 2 or Introduction to Human Anatomy & Physiology II or Human Anatomy & Physiology III | 4 |
| HIM 282 | Healthcare Statistics | 3 |
| General Education: 1 Course | ||
| Third Term | ||
| HIM 131 | Medical Science | 5 |
| HIM 136 | Medications | 3 |
| HIM 270 | ICD Procedure Coding | 4 |
| HIM 271 | Quality Improvement in Healthcare | 2 |
| General Education: 1 Course | ||
| Fourth Term | ||
| CIS 125D or BA 216A | Database Application Development I or Data Analytics with Excel and Tableau | 4 |
| HIM 260 | HIM Professional Practice Lab 1 | 3 |
| HIM 275 | CPT Coding | 3 |
| HIM 283 | Health Information Systems | 4 |
| General Education: 1 Course | ||
| Fifth Term | ||
| HIM 261 | HIM Professional Practice Lab 2 | 3 |
| HIM 273 | ICD Diagnosis Coding | 4 |
| HIM 281 | Data Management and Analysis | 3 |
| HIM 285 | Healthcare Financing and Compliance | 3 |
| Sixth Term | ||
| HIM 262 | HIM Professional Practice Lab 3 | 3 |
| HIM 272 | Health Information Management | 3 |
| HIM 290 | HIM Teams and Training | 3 |
| HIM 293 | Health Information Directed Practice | 2 |
| SOC 213 or ES 101 | Diversity in the United States * or Introduction to Ethnic Studies | 4 |
| Total Credits | 94 | |
- *
Could be used as General Education.
HIM 105. Ancillary Information Analysis. 2 Credits.
Develops knowledge of health care ancillary services, laboratory tests, and imaging services. Prerequisite: HIM 110, HIM 120. Corequisite: HIM 107. Audit available.
HIM 107. Ancillary Information Analysis Lab. 2 Credits.
Provides an opportunity to analyze diagnostic tests and results in an electronic health record format and identify the medical necessity for the tests. Prerequisite: HIM 110, HIM 120. Corequisite: HIM 105.
HIM 110. Health Record Content in Acute Care Settings. 3 Credits.
Introduces the concept of health information management and health informatics including the components of content, use and structure of healthcare data along with information keeping practices in both paper and electronic systems. Corequisite: HIM 120. Audit available.
HIM 120. Health Record Content in Acute Care Settings Lab. 2 Credits.
Provides an opportunity to practice auditing health records and recognize key elements of health record documents. Corequisite: HIM 110.
HIM 121. Legal and Ethical Aspects of Healthcare. 3 Credits.
Provides an overview of the legal system and the legal principles that govern the delivery of healthcare. Covers patient confidentiality and the disclosure of patient information. Includes codes of ethics and bioethical issues facing today's healthcare professionals. Audit available.
HIM 128. Anatomy & Physiology for Health Information Management 1. 4 Credits.
Provides the conceptual framework, factual knowledge and analytical skills needed to pursue a career in health information management. Surveys anatomical terminology, basic chemistry, cell structure and function, tissues, and integumentary, skeletal, muscular, and nervous systems. Audit available.
HIM 129. Anatomy & Physiology for Health Information Management 2. 4 Credits.
Provides the conceptual framework, factual knowledge and analytical skills needed to pursue a career in health information management. Surveys the endocrine, lymphatic, cardiovascular, digestive, respiratory, reproductive, urinary systems. Includes some coverage of human development, human genetics, and immunology. Prerequisites: HIM 128. Audit available.
HIM 131. Medical Science. 5 Credits.
Explores concepts of disease processes as they relate to the normal physiology of the major body systems. Prerequisites: (HIM 128 and HIM 129) or (BI 121 and BI 122) or (BI 231, BI 232 and BI 233). Audit available.
HIM 136. Medications. 3 Credits.
Covers appropriate drug uses, effects, precautions, and routes of administration. Reviews common prescription abbreviations, forms of medications and basic drug categories. Prerequisites: (HIM 128 and HIM 129) or (BI 121 and BI 122) or (BI 231, BI 232 and BI 233). Audit available.
HIM 141. Health Record Content in Non-Acute Care Settings. 3 Credits.
Addresses the concepts of health information management including components of the content, use, and structure of non-acute health care data. Audit available.
HIM 182. Healthcare Delivery Systems. 3 Credits.
Covers the past, present, and future influences on the delivery of healthcare. Presents the organizations and patient care settings where services are received. Introduces the financing, regulation, technology advances, and the trends in quality and patient safety for healthcare organizations and professionals. Covers the use of an electronic health record (EHR). Audit available.
HIM 260. HIM Professional Practice Lab 1. 3 Credits.
Provides an opportunity to demonstrate competency in core health information management, revenue management and data management skills. Focuses on healthcare delivery systems and the policies and regulations that support data integrity and data governance. Prerequisites: HIM 131, HIM 282. Audit available.
HIM 261. HIM Professional Practice Lab 2. 3 Credits.
Provides an opportunity to demonstrate competency in core health information management, revenue management and data management skills. Focuses on data standards and compliance. Prerequisite: HIM 260. Prerequisite/concurrent: HIM 273, HIM 285. Audit available.
HIM 262. HIM Professional Practice Lab 3. 3 Credits.
Provides an opportunity to demonstrate competency in core health information management, revenue management and data management skills. Focuses on revenue cycle and management functions, as well as medical coding from case studies. Prerequisites: HIM 261. Prerequisite/concurrent: HIM 272, HIM 271. Audit available.
HIM 270. ICD Procedure Coding. 4 Credits.
Covers classification of procedures utilizing the current ICD coding system. Prerequisite: (HIM 128 and HIM 129) or (BI 121 and BI 122) or (BI 231, BI 232, and BI 233) or equivalent. Audit available.
HIM 271. Quality Improvement in Healthcare. 2 Credits.
Covers medical staff organization, physician credentialing, and quality improvement techniques in the healthcare setting. Prerequisites: HIM 110, HIM 120, HIM 282. Audit available.
HIM 272. Health Information Management. 3 Credits.
Covers principles of personnel supervision and management of a health information department. Audit available.
HIM 273. ICD Diagnosis Coding. 4 Credits.
Covers classification of diseases utilizing the current ICD coding system. Prerequisite/Concurrent: HIM 131, HIM 136. Audit available.
HIM 275. CPT Coding. 3 Credits.
Introduces coding and classification systems for outpatient procedures and ambulatory care facilities. Prerequisite: HIM 131. Audit available.
HIM 276. Coding Capstone. 2 Credits.
Includes the application of all ICD and CPT code systems in the appropriate settings. Uses case-summary coding exercises for enhanced learning. Prerequisites: HIM 270, HIM 273, HIM 275.
HIM 281. Data Management and Analysis. 3 Credits.
Covers the collection, retrieval, analysis and quality review of administrative and clinical information and data. Prerequisites: HIM 110, HIM 120. Audit available.
HIM 282. Healthcare Statistics. 3 Credits.
Covers statistical analysis, healthcare administrative, and clinical information and data. Audit available.
HIM 283. Health Information Systems. 4 Credits.
Introduces the history and current status of information systems in healthcare, including information architectures, administrative and clinical applications, evidence-based medicine, information retrieval, decision support systems, security and confidentiality, bioinformatics, information system cycles, the electronic health record, key health information systems and standards, and medical devices. Covers strategies and tools to insure the development and selection of health information systems. Explores the role of healthcare information and communication technologies in healthcare delivery including their role in improving the quality, safety and efficiency of healthcare delivery. Audit available.
HIM 285. Healthcare Financing and Compliance. 3 Credits.
Introduces the essential components of financing and compliance in healthcare facilities. Prerequisite/concurrent: HIM 273. Audit available.
HIM 290. HIM Teams and Training. 3 Credits.
Examines and develops skills for functioning in teams and providing training for healthcare staff and consumers. Covers project and change management concepts in relation to health information. Prerequisites: HIM 121, HIM 141, HIM 182, HIM 281, HIM 283. Audit available.
HIM 293. Health Information Directed Practice. 2 Credits.
Provides practicum experience in health information management functions utilizing medical record technologies in a classroom simulation and/or under the direct supervision of facility personnel in local health care facilities. Includes practice exams in preparation for the national Registered Health Information Technicians (RHIT) Exam. Prerequisites: HIM 121, HIM 141, HIM 182, HIM 270, HIM 273, HIM 275, HIM 281, HIM 283. Prerequisite/concurrent: HIM 262.