Health Information Management Careers

Health Information Management Careers: is Coding the Key to Your Future?

Health information management careers can evolve into leadership positions that focus on big-picture goals. Medical providers depend on the expertise of health information managers to deliver quality patient care. As a professional in the health information management field, you could shape how information technology improves patient care in the future.

Health information management careers involve:

• Protecting patient privacy.
• Medical coding and billing.
• Data analysis for medical care improvement.
• Ensuring compliance with relevant laws set by the government.
• Overseeing the collection, preservation and security of all records for an organization.
• Analysis to improve the financial well-being of an organization.
• Managing schedules for employees, doctors and patients.

After completing a Health Information Management program, you will have an understanding of healthcare operations. The knowledge and skills you have gained will be valuable to organizations, ranging from private practices to large hospital systems.

What area of the health information management (HIM) field you chose to specialize in is up to you. Below are five possible career paths you can pursue with a degree in HIM.

Health Information Manager

As a health information manager, you will oversee patient records and data security. Professionals in this area stay up to date with evolving technology. You will ensure departmental compliance with laws relating to health information and audit data for accuracy. You will also manage medical recordkeeping teams and track trends to improve patient records.

Data Analyst

Pursuing a career as a data analyst you will study and compile medical data. Using this data, analysts can gauge the efficacy of treatments. Analysts also examine the impact of cost-saving efforts on patient safety. Using your expertise you will identify ways to improve patient care.

Medical Coder

As a medical coder you would assign the diagnosis and procedure codes for patient care, billing purposes and population health statistics. For example, you would review a patient’s file for pre-existing conditions, such as diabetes, to ensure proper coding. You will also act as a liaison between the medical provider and billing offices.

Clinical Documentation Specialist

A career as a clinical documentation specialist will give you a variety of core job duties. People in this area manage clinical trials and service documents. Maintaining charts, medical records and reports is another function of this role. You will provide oversight to the organization’s employees and doctors to ensure patient’s records are both complete and accurate.

Outpatient Coding Compliance Auditor

Working as a medical coding compliance auditor, you will review clinical documents, physician billing, coding and administrative data. Audits identify coding mistakes and billing issues. Your goal would be to improve the financial well-being of the medical provider.

These are just a few possibilities in the health management careers arena. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that employment in the Health Information Management field will grow 8% by 2029. This increase is double the average growth for other occupations.

Health Information Management Program in Northern Nevada

For more information about our Health Information Management program at the Career College of North Nevada (CCNN), contacts us or call us today at 775.241.4445.

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