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Health Information Management

(This program is no longer accepting new students)

Health Information Management (HIM) is the practice of developing, implementing, and/or providing oversight to the data collection and reporting systems to ensure that the right information gets to the right people at the right time. Health information leaders have expertise in developing and managing effective processes and systems to assure the integrity of healthcare data and to preserve the complete, accurate, and legal source of patient data. In addition, they may apply the science of health informatics to the collection, storage, use, and transmission of information to meet the legal, professional, ethical and administrative documentation requirements of healthcare delivery. Graduates of HIM programs work wherever healthcare data is collected, stored, or used to make healthcare decisions, whether it is in the clinical setting, for a third party payer, or at various levels of government.

Program Goals

  • Provide an understanding and appreciation of the ways in which quality healthcare data impacts patient outcomes;
  • Develop the basic understanding, knowledge, skills, and attributes needed by managers and/or professionals in the healthcare environment;
  • Provide students the skills sets needed to leverage information and knowledge to produce better patient outcomes;
  • Encourage critical thinking and communication skills in a dynamic healthcare environment.

Admission Requirements

  • Student must first be accepted to the University of Saint Mary
  • GPA of 2.00 on a 4.00 scale
  • Student must submit the following to the HIM program:
    • A completed application
    • A Letter of Intent detailing why you want to become a HIM professional (if your GPA is less than 2.00 then state why you should be considered)
    • A resume covering education and work experience

Pathway for Admission for Applicants from a CAHIIM Accredited Health Information Technology Associate Degree Program

  1. The applicant has graduated from a CAHIIM accredited Health Information Technology (HIT) program and has the RHIT credential. The following USM courses may be substituted for by course work already completed in the HIT curriculum:

    BI 109 Biology for Today with Lab (3 crs)

    BI 256 Human Anatomy (4 crs)

    HIM 210 Medical Terminology (3 crs)

    HIM 225 Principles of Disease (3 crs)

    HIM 300 Principles of Health Information Management (3 crs)

    HIM 420 Classification Systems I (3 crs)

    HIM 440 Professional Practice Experience (3 crs)

    HIM 470 Classification Systems II (3 crs)

    3 credit hours of free electives will be given for having the RHIT credential

  2. If the student has a minimum of 1 year of hands-on direct coding experience with ICD 10 CM and PCS, and CPT within the last year of application of admission, s/he will receive credit for the following courses:

    BI 109 Biology for Today with Lab (3 crs)

    BI 256 Human Anatomy (4 crs)

    HIM 210 Medical Terminology (3 crs)

    HIM 225 Principles of Diseases (3 crs)

    HIM 420 Classification Systems I (3 crs)

    HIM 470 Classification Systems II (3 crs)

Graduation Requirements

  • Requirements for graduation are the same as the University requirements
  • Students will graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Health Information Management

Academic Policies for the HIM Major

  • Students whose cumulative GPA falls below 2.00 will be placed on academic probation.
  • A minimum grade of “C” must be earned in all HIM courses in order to progress in the HIM curriculum. Students will be allowed to repeat or withdraw from one course one time.
  • While the HIM program strongly recommends completion of BI 256 Human Anatomy prior to entering the program, all required supporting courses must be complete prior to the spring semester of the student’s final year in the program.

Additional Requirements for the HIM Student

HIM education takes place in both the college classroom and the professional setting. Students will need to meet additional requirements and expenses including, but not limited to: health examinations, immunizations, transportation to professional practice sites, medical insurance, background checks, and lab fees while enrolled in the junior and senior HIM courses. Upon graduation the student is eligible to sit for the Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA) examination from the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) and is responsible for all costs associated with that exam.

The HIM program at the University of Saint Mary requires that all students accepted into the program obtain a personal computing system that meets or exceeds the published “Personal Computing Specifications” of the University. Proof of system ownership or reliable access to such a system, as well as minimum specifications may be required for acceptance into the HIM program. Because the HIM field is a rapid evolving profession, all HIM core courses are offered in 8-week sessions in a 100% online method of delivery. Students are expected to be able to fully participate with online assignments in a timely manner. Failure to do so may result in dismissal from the HIM degree program.