Health Information Management

Cindy Joy Marselis, MBA, MS RHIA, Interim Chair
3307 N. Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19140
215-707-4811

hlthinfo@temple.edu

www.temple.edu/chpsw/departments/him/

A career as a Health Information Management (HIM) professional allows individuals to combine interests in health care, business, and information technology. HIM professionals have expertise in health informatics, which requires knowledge of clinical medicine and the electronic health record (EHR).  HIM professionals also have expertise in coding and classification systems, quality and human resource management, the legal and ethical aspects of health information systems, the regulatory and accrediting agency requirements, and the public policy issues that affect the health information system. Clinical internships are scheduled at several health care institutions.

The HIM professional works closely with all other health professionals to collect and disseminate the information needed to provide high-quality patient care. The health information system supports the needs of patients, health care professionals, administrators, the community, and those involved in research and education. Job opportunities include positions with hospitals and other health care institutions, research and pharmaceutical firms, and governmental agencies. Career opportunities for the HIM professional include: Information Security Officer, Director of Integrated Health Information Systems, Director of Medical Records, Research and Decision-Support Analyst, Clinical Data Specialist, Data Resource Administrator, Patient Information Manager and Clinical Coding Specialist.

Certification

Students enrolled in the HIM program and in the last term of study are eligible to apply for and sit for the examination of the American Health Information Management Association for certification as a Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA), which is nationally and internationally recognized.

Following satisfactory completion of all course requirements, the graduate is awarded the degree of Bachelor of Science in Health Information Management.

Accreditation

The baccalaureate program in Health Information Management at Temple University is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM).

Requirements

This is an upper-level program. Students are admitted in the fall of the junior year and must have 55 credits completed by the fall semester of admission to the program. Transfer students must have their transfer credits evaluated by the Admissions Office and must meet general and prerequisite requirements of the program.

1. University requirements

• All new students starting in the 2011-2012 academic year and beyond are required to complete the university's General Education (GenEd) curriculum (Analytical Reading & Writing, Mosaic I and II, Arts, Human Behavior, World Society, U.S. Society, Race & Diversity, Science & Technology, Quantitative Literacy).
• All Temple students must take a minimum of two writing-intensive courses at Temple as part of the major. The specific writing-intensive courses required for this major are listed below and are identified by "WI" in the Attribute column.

2. Program requirements

Students in the HIM program are required to satisfy the following prerequisite and professional courses. A grade of C or better is required for all prerequisite and professional courses. (A grade of C- is not acceptable.)

• Health Information Management prerequisites:
  • Mathematics 1013 or Psychology 1167 or Sociology 1167 or Statistics 2101.
  • Kinesiology 1223 & 1224.
  • Computer & Information Sciences 1055 or successfully pass a computer competency exam.
• Health Information Management Professional Courses:
  • HIM 1101, 3020, 3101, 3103, 3111, 3113, 3202, 3204, 3206, 3208, 3211, 3285, 4101, 4105, 4107, 4109, 4197, 4202, 4204, 4211, 4213, 4286, 4298.

3. Electives: 11 credits. Strongly recommended electives include business writing and writing-intensive electives.

Suggested Semester-by-Semester Plan

Requirements for New Students starting in the 2011-2012 Academic Year