If you like the idea of working with computers but also have a passion for healthcare, you may be interested in a health information management (HIM) career. What do these careers look like and what qualifications do they require? We’ll answer both of these questions and more.

What Is a HIM Career (And What Is It Like)?

Health information management professionals help healthcare agencies with the storage, organization, and management of their patient's private health information. This data includes the patient’s medical history, diagnoses, testing procedures, and treatment protocols.

Working in a HIM position often requires the use of digital recordkeeping systems such as electronic health records (EHRs) and electronic medical records (EMRs). This is also sometimes referred to as health information technology or HIT.

Depending on your specific job duties, you may be asked to review patient records for accuracy and completeness, enter the proper diagnostic and treatment codes based on standard coding classification systems, track patient data, and prepare reports. HIM professionals may also be tasked with ensuring that patient data is secure within the organization’s digital health record storage system.

Top Careers in Health Information Management

One of the growing HIM roles is Health Information Technician.1 This healthcare professional helps health organizations store, manage, and track patient data so it is both secure and accessible. They also ensure that the information is accurate, both for seeking reimbursement from the patient’s health insurance provider and also for its inclusion in larger databases designed to better understand health on a more global scale.

Clinical Data Manager is another rising health information management role.2 Working in this type of higher-level position entails verifying that a healthcare organization’s records are compliant with legal regulations and laws. It also requires ensuring that the necessary information collection, storage, and security standards are met.

A third health information position is Cancer Registrar, one of the most common health-related registry positions.3 The National Cancer Registrars Association explains that a Cancer Registrar collects data on cancer patients.4 This information is then used to help researchers and healthcare providers identify trends and develop more effective prevention or treatment options.

Health Information Management Career Path

The American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) separates health information management careers into six basic categories:

• Data Quality
• Informatics
• Data Analytics
• Revenue Cycle Management
• Consumer HI (Health Information)
• Privacy, Risk, and Compliance

Each one has a variety of potential career paths. For example, if you are interested in revenue cycle management, you might start in a Medical Biller position and then advance to a Payor Specialist role. From there, you might decide to become a Revenue Cycle Trainer, which could then prepare you for a Director of Revenue Cycle Management position.

Some of these position advancements may require additional education and experience, but there are countless health information management career path options depending on which ones interest you most.

Job Outlook for Health Information Management Careers

Healthcare occupations, in general, are projected to increase from 2022 to 2032, creating roughly 1.8 million new positions within that time.6

The Bureau of Labor Statistics adds that medical records specialist positions, which include health information management professionals, specifically are expected to grow 8% during this same time frame,7 which is a rate that is “faster than average.” This equates to approximately 15,000 new job openings each year.

Is Health Information Management a Good Career Choice?

Whether working in a HIM position is a good career choice for you depends on your interests, what types of job functions you enjoy performing, and your ultimate career goals. If you want to work in healthcare but want a more behind-the-scenes position, for instance, you may enjoy health information management. You might also enjoy it if you like working with computers and data.

Qualities that are helpful when working in a HIM position include being analytical, having a strong attention to detail, and good interpersonal skills when communicating with others.8 So, if you have these types of qualities naturally, you may find that you would like working in the health information management field.

How To Begin a Career In HIM

If a health information management career sounds appealing to you, you may be wondering what steps you need to take. Securing an entry-level HIM position may only require that you have a high school diploma or GED, or the employer may request that only individuals with an associate degree or higher apply. This qualification is set by individual healthcare organizations, so it’s helpful to contact the employer you’d like to work for and ask about its requirements.

Some healthcare agencies also require their employees to hold certain certifications when working in health information management career roles. Examples include Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT), Certified Electronic Health Records Specialist (CEHRS), and Certified Coding Associate (CCA).

Is a Health Information Management Degree Worth It?

Though a diploma or degree is not always required to obtain an entry-level position in health information management, if you want to advance to a higher-level position at a later point in time—following any one of the numerous health information management career paths—it may become necessary to complete this type of educational program.

Taking a course early in your career can help provide the education and skills you need to advance once you’re ready. Plus, full-time associate degree workers aged 25 and older could possibly earn an average of $159 more each week than workers who only finished high school.9

If you’re ready to begin your healthcare career, Ultimate Medical Academy offers an online Health Information Management associate degree program. This program can be completed in 18 months10 and includes a 90-hour practicum, offering students experience in an actual healthcare setting. Contact us today to learn more!