B.S. in Health Information Management (HIM)
Join healthcare professionals in providing quality patient care in this growing career field through education in data analysis, science, administration, and health information application and governance. Missouri Western’s Bachelor of Science in Health Information Management is your pathway.
Health Information Management prepares confident, innovative professionals who can apply information resources and technologies across the healthcare industry in settings that span the continuum of care. The HIM graduate serves as a pivotal team member in the planning, design, implementation, management, use and evaluation of electronic health records and other electronic information systems.
What is special about HIM?
HIM professionals are critical to the success of information governance and data analytics in the emerging health related topics such as population health management. HIM professionals actively lead, engage, participate in, and contribute to decisions that affect the well-being of patients by drawing on the perspectives, values, and experiences of those involved in patient care decisions.
Promising Job Market
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Health Services Managers with a baccalaureate degree, which includes HIM RHIA-credentialed professionals, has an expected job growth of 32% in the years spanning to 2029.
Program Accreditation
The Bachelor of Science in Health Information Management program at Missouri Western State University is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM) cahiim.org. CAHIIM is the accrediting organization for degree-granting programs in health informatics and information management. CAHIIM serves the public interest by establishing quality standards for the educational preparation of future health information management professionals. When a program is accredited by CAHIIM, it means that it has voluntarily undergone a rigorous review process and has been determined to meet or exceed the accreditation standards.
Graduates from CAHIIM accredited baccalaureate degree programs can take the Registered Health Information Administration exam.
The Health Information Management accreditor of Missouri Western State University is the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM). The College’s accreditation for the Baccalaureate degree in Health Information Management has been reaffirmed through 2025-2026. All inquiries about the program’s accreditation status should be directed by mail to CAHIIM, 200 East Randolph Street, Suite 5100, Chicago, IL, 60601; by phone at (312) 235-3255; or by email at info@cahiim.org.
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Health Information Management (Bachelor of Science, B.S.)
The School of Nursing and Health Professions offers a Bachelor of Science in Health Information Management (HIM). The Bachelor of Science in HIM is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM). Graduates from CAHIIM accredited baccalaureate degree programs can take the Registered Health Information Administration (RHIA) exam.
What can I do with a Health Information Management Degree?
Health Information Management coursework prepares confident, innovative, and contributing healthcare professionals who have the ability to identify and utilize a variety of information resources and technologies. HIM professions work across a vast array of roles ranging from analytical to project management to healthcare system management and information governance roles. The baccalaureate degree health information management graduate serves as a pivotal team member in the planning, design, implementation, management, use and evaluation of electronic health records and other electronic information systems. Job responsibilities also include serving as brokers of information services. Among the information services provided are definition of requirements and design for clinical and administrative systems development, data administration, clinical data management, data privacy and security management, decision support and data analysis, management of information-intensive areas such as quality/performance improvement, case management and outcomes measurement as well as management of the health information management departmental services. Baccalaureate degree graduates may hold positions as compliance officer, data quality manager, data sets/nomenclature/classification standards manager, educator, healthcare consumer advocate, privacy/security officer, project manager, reimbursement or revenue cycle manager to name a few.
Practical Experience/Internship
Students gain both theoretical knowledge, and practical experience in healthcare settings to prepare them to respond to the challenge of working in health informatics and health information management. Students should be aware that some courses involve professional practice experiences for a significant number of hours. Because these experiences are usually only available during typical working hours, working students must make arrangements to be absent from their work. Students work closely with their advisors since many of the courses have prerequisites and must be taken in sequence. Some professional management experience sites may require criminal background checks, current medical history, proof of liability insurance, and proof of negative TB tests. Students will be required to travel and may be required to temporarily relocate in order to complete the practical experience. Working students may have to make arrangements to be absent from their work in order to complete class requirements.
Classes are offered in a variety of settings, including web-based learning management system, face to face, and a hybrid method. All HIM core classes are web-based.
Students desiring to obtain a B.S. degree in Health Information Management should declare their interest to the Program Coordinator. Based on approval from the Program Coordinator, students who have completed health informatics, health information management, or health information technology coursework with a grade of C or higher and an overall GPA of at least 2.5 from a CAHIIM accredited associate's program may receive transfer credit.
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General Studies | ||
| Students must complete General Studies courses | 42-47 | |
| Major Requirements | ||
| HIF 132 | Pharmacology | 2 |
| HIF 200 | Health Care Delivery Systems | 3 |
| HIF 300 | Health Data Management | 3 |
| HIF 310 | Clinical Classification Systems | 3 |
| HIF 320 | Information Technology and Systems | 3 |
| HIF 330 | Legal and Ethical Aspects of Healthcare Management | 3 |
| HIF 350 | Quality Management | 3 |
| HIF 371 | Professional Management Experience I | 2 |
| HIF 379 | Revenue Cycle and Reimbursement Management | 3 |
| HIF 410 | Human Resources and Operations Management | 3 |
| HIF 420 | Clinical Data Management | 3 |
| HIF 430 | Applied Health Informatics | 3 |
| HIF 440 | Financial and Resource Management | 3 |
| HIF 460 | Applied Research | 3 |
| HIF 465 | Professional Management Experience II | 3 |
| HIF 470 | Senior Seminar | 1 |
| ACC 201 | Introductory Financial Accounting | 3 |
| ACT 201 | Microcomputer Applications | 3 |
| ACT 301 | Applied Database Systems | 3 |
| ALH 106 | Medical Terminology | 2 |
| BIO 101 | Principles of Biology | 4 |
| BIO 250 | Anatomy and Physiology | 5 |
| BIO 375 | Pathophysiology | 4 |
| MGT 350 | Organizational Behavior | 3 |
| NUR 314 | Quantitative Analysis for Health Care Research | 3 |
| or PSY 300 | Introductory Psychological Statistics | |
Program Graduation Requirements
- Earn a grade of C or higher in all major coursework.
- Earn an overall GPA of at least 2.5 and a major GPA of at least 2.0.
University Graduation Requirements
- Earn a minimum of 120 credit hours (100 level and higher, maximum of 6 CED credit hours applicable).
- Earn a minimum of 30 credit hours in upper-division courses. Lower-division transfer courses accepted as meeting upper-division departmental course requirements cannot be used to fulfill this requirement.
- Earn 30 of the last 45 credit hours at MWSU in institutional coursework (exclusive of credit by examination).
- Participate in required departmental and campus wide assessments.
- Fulfill the Missouri Constitution requirement.
- Successfully pass the Missouri Higher Education Civics Achievement exam.
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Are you ready to declare the major? Download and submit this form to Health Information Management, Murphy 309, 4525 Downs Dr., St. Joseph, MO 64507 or email to him@missouriwestern.edu.
Mapping your degree plan is important. Consult with your academic advisor to create a plan and monitor it regularly.
All of the professional classes and general studies are available online. Professional Practice Experiences (PPEs) are completed at a location arranged with the program PPE Coordinator.
The admission requirements are the same as the institution’s requirements.
Professional information about the Health Information Management field can be found by visiting physician offices, hospitals, and other healthcare settings and conducting interviews with the Director of Health Information services. Also please see http://www.ahima.org or http://www.hicareers.com.
One of the biggest advantages of the program is that students receive individualized attention regarding classes and schedules. The program is available for either full-time or part-time students. All of the professional classes and general studies are available online. Professional Practice Experience (PPE) are completed at a location arranged with the program PPE Coordinator.
The B.S. HIM degree is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management (CAHIIM).
Why is it important that a program be accredited? National accreditation is one way to ensure the quality of the program you choose. The organizations providing accreditation ensure the program meets certain standards of quality. The certification exams (RHIT and RHIA) can only be taken by graduates of a program accredited by CAHIIM.
Students and faculty members work together in many ways, for example, planning activities for Health Information Professionals week. Students also serve on the Ad-visory Committee to help evaluate curriculum and program effectiveness. Faculty members work closely with students to determine the best sites to complete their professional practice experiences.
The computer lab has many pieces of specialized software. The program also uses an academic electronic health record, EHRgo to help students integrate their learning regarding electronic health records.
Program Name: Health Information Technology Certificate
This program is designed to be completed in 2 Years (34 Credit Hours).
This program will cost $10,120.88 if completed within normal time for in-state students and $17,986.10 for out-of-state students. There may be additional costs for living expenses. These costs were accurate at the time of posting, but may have changed.
Of the students who completed this program within normal time, the typical graduate leaves with NA of debt. Fewer than 10 students completed this program within normal time. Average debt has been withheld to preserve the confidentiality of these students.
The following States do not have licensure requirements for this profession: Missouri, Kansas, Iowa
For more information about graduation rates, loan repayment rates, and post-enrollment earnings about this institution and other postsecondary institutions please click here: https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/
Last Updated June 20, 2019
Degree at a Glance
100% ONLINE
Number of Credits
120
Transfer up to 90 credits
RHIT-to-RHIA
Bachelor’s Degree-Completion Program
Griffon Rate Waiver
Undergraduate students from some states qualify.
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