What is Health Information Management

HIM professionals play a critical role in maintaining, collecting and analyzing the data that doctors, nurses and other healthcare providers rely on to deliver quality healthcare. They are experts in managing patient health information and medical records, administering computer information systems and coding the diagnosis and procedures for healthcare services provided to patients. HIM professionals work in a multitude of settings throughout the healthcare industry including hospitals, physician offices and clinics, long-term care facilities, insurance companies, government agencies and home care providers.

Learn more!  Visit the American Health Information Management Association's   
Health Information Careers website!

For more information on a HIM career contact:

American Health Information Management Association
233 N. Michigan Avenue, Suite 2150,
Chicago, IL 60601-5519;
312-233-1100
www.ahima.org

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How to Get Started on Your HIM Career

Education
 

You need to complete either an associate's or bachelor's degree in HIM from an accredited institution. The list below identifies the accredited HIT and HIA programs in Maine. These programs are accredited by the Commission of the Accreditation of Allied Health Programs (CAAHEP) in cooperation with the Council on Accreditation of the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA).
 

There is a listing of numerous accredited HIM programs across the country  that can be obtained from the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA), the national association of HIM professionals, at www.ahima.org/careers or by calling 312-233-1100.

If you've already earned a college degree and possess the prerequisites, you can earn a postgraduate certificate or second degree in HIM. The accredited HIM program in your area can provide more details. High school students considering a HIM career can begin a foundation with the following courses: business, computer science, English, math, biology and chemistry.

Financial aid is available to qualified students through the AHIMA Foundation of Research and Education, which offers both loans and scholarships. For more information, contact AHIMA or call the AHIMA scholarship hotline at 312-233-1128. For information on federally sponsored programs call Federal Student Financial Aid Information Center at 800-433-3243.