If you are interested in working in the health industry and you would like to work in technology as well, becoming a health information manager could be an option. Health information managers, also referred to as HIMs within the field, are professionals who master and manager information systems that are used in the healthcare system to store and organize various pieces of pertinent information. As a professional HIM, you will play several different roles in collecting and generating reports and records on patients within the medical center or the hospital. If you are interested in this position, read on and learn about where you will work and what you will do on a daily basis.
Where Do HIMs Work?
You can work in a variety of different settings if you are trained to work as a health information manager. If you earn your degree or you take a certification test to work as a certified professional, you can work for IT companies, public health agencies, health insurance companies, public hospitals, private hospitals, research facilities, and community health service centers. Your roles and your earnings will depend upon where you work, and whether or not you can land a position will depend on your level of experience. Once you have the skills and the knowledge that you need to work in health services management, you will be considered a valuable candidate in most work places.
What Will an HIM Do on a Daily Basis?
You can play a number of roles in a health facility or an IT company. If you work for a computer company, you may be responsible for designing or managing information systems once they are launched and sold to customers. If you work in the healthcare setting, you may collect records of patients that are being treated at the facility and generate reports that can be used in conducting research or in the treatment process to streamline it.
HIM’s that work in the healthcare field and review and manage information must have clinical knowledge and technical knowledge to monitor systems and manage information effectively. It is also critical that HIM’s set and follow security policies to ensure all personal data of patients is safe at all times. A security breach could be a catastrophe and lead to legal issues that are costly for a medical office or hospital.
How to Become a Health Information Manager
Now that you know about many of the duties of an HIM, you may be wondering how you can work towards becoming one. You will need a minimum of a bachelor’s degree to work in the field, but a master’s degree can be helpful. With your bachelor’s degree, you will be prepared to sit and test for your certification through American Health Information Management Association. Passing the exam will qualify you to call yourself a Registered Health Information Administrator, which will earn you more money and open up more opportunities to you.
Related Resource: Public Health Degree Jobs
If you want to work in the growing healthcare industry, there are many opportunities that many are not familiar with. One is to work in a hybrid position where you must know clinical and technical tasks. Find an HIM degree program that will help you generate these skills and you will be a great health information manager.
