Health Information Management HIM.S.AAS
Associate of Applied Science - 62 Credit Hours
Division: Health Sciences
Department: Health Information Management
Effective as of Fall 2016
What is the program about?
Health Information Management (HIM) professionals are experts in the field of managing and protecting patient health information, administering computer information systems and coding the diagnoses and procedures for health care services provided to patients in accordance with medical, administrative, ethical, legal, accreditation and regulatory requirements of the health care delivery system. The Health Information Management program is designed to be completed in five (5) semesters on a full-time basis when the student begins the technical portion of the program. Students preferring to complete on a part-time basis may take longer than five sequential semesters. The degree program consists of open-enrollment courses (general education and division specific) and program-specific courses with limited enrollment. The open-enrollment courses may be taken prior to entry into the limited-enrollment courses. To qualify for entry to limited-enrollment courses, please see the Applicant Information packet located on the webpage. A minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 and completion of prerequisite courses are required. A grade of C or higher is required in all program courses. The curriculum includes a professional practice experience (PPE). Each fall term, two cohorts of students begin the technical courses that have limited enrollment. Local cohort students (students who live generally in the 14-county area surrounding Sinclair) are assigned to local PPE sites. The remote cohort students (students living generally outside of the 14-county area surrounding Sinclair) are responsible for securing an appropriate medical facility for their PPE. Most second-year HIM courses are limited-enrollment courses. All courses in the program are available online. Students may enroll in courses face-to-face on campus, online, or a combination. Face-to-face courses on campus are only available during the day. Students are generally required to complete their PPE during daytime business hours. Note: For students under age 18 there may be restrictions on participating in certain Health Sciences programs. Any student under age 18 must contact the program director/department chair to discuss whether he or she may enroll. This degree program contains one or more embedded certificates which will be automatically awarded when the certificate requirements are completed. If you do not want to receive the embedded certificate(s), please notify Registration and Student Records at studentrecords@sinclair.edu.
Program Outcomes
- Demonstrate competency and skill in the technology used by the healthcare information environment.
- Apply effective skills in the areas of written and oral communication, critical thinking and problem solving in the practice of health information management.
- Evaluate and appropriately apply principles of confidentiality and privacy congruent with the standards and ethics of the health information profession.
- Demonstrate the ability to design, organize and implement changes in the evolution of health information to electronic formats.
- Demonstrate proficiency in classifications and nomenclatures sufficient to support reimbursement in multiple patient care environments.
- Demonstrate the ability to perform the health information associate degree entry-level competencies as identified by the American Health Information Management Association.
- Demonstrate personal behaviors, attitudes and values consistent with and appropriate to the entry-level health information management professional.
Career Opportunities
Employment prospects are excellent throughout the nation. HIM graduates work in hospitals, clinics, ambulatory care centers, skilled nursing facilities, rehabilitation centers, long term care facilities, mental health care and psychiatric facilities, home health care agencies, hospice facilities, physician offices, insurance companies, law firms, colleges and universities, state and federal agencies, consulting firms, medical research institutions and companies that market health information products and services.
Transferability
Formal articulation agreements with other colleges and universities indicate how Sinclair programs and courses will transfer to other institutions.
Prerequisites
- BIO 1121 AND HIM 1101
Credentials
Upon successful completion of the HIM program, students are eligible to write the national certification exam. Upon passing the exam, students receive the RHIT credential (Registered Health Information Technician), which is recognized nationally.
Curriculum
Program Accreditation Information
The Health Information Management program is fully accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM).
