Health Information Management Technology

Area of Study: Health Information Management Technology
Degree/Certificate: Associate of Applied Science Degree in Health Information Management Technology

If you are not already an active Tri-C student, you must first apply to the college. If you are interested in more than one health careers program, you must submit a separate health careers application for each program.  You may only apply to three programs at one time.

The Health Information Management Technology (HIMT) program prepares graduates who can identify and use a variety of health information resources and technologies to accomplish the objectives of diverse practice environments. In general, these individuals may perform tasks related to the use, analysis, validation, presentation, abstracting, coding, storage, security, retrieval, quality measurement and control of health care data.Their task responsibility may also include supervision of personnel.

The goal of the Health Information Management Technology Program is to provide an educational experience within the framework of professional standards. Graduates of the program may be eligible to take the national certification examination to become a Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT). Upon passing the examination, an individual is permitted to use the credential RHIT behind his/her last name. Earning a credential validates your competence as an HIM professional to employers and the public.

This program is designed to prepare students to demonstrate the following program outcomes:

• Communication - Utilize oral and written skills to effectively communicate and interact with health care professionals, colleagues, administration and customers to enhance satisfaction.
• Interpersonal - Develop effective interpersonal skills to conduct yourself professionally among clients, colleagues, and other health care professionals.
• Professionalism - Conduct yourself ethically and professionally according to the AHIMA code of ethics and standards of practice.
• Problem Solving -  Use varieties of techniques to problem solve and arrive at best outcome.
• Regulations - Apply regulatory and accreditation standards, to identify and support documentation compliance.
• Legal - Apply hospital policies, federal regulations and/or state statutes in the release and management of protected health information (PHI).
• Compliance-  Identify areas of quality assurance/ Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) that relate to risk management, utilization review (UR) and documentation compliance.
• Data - Apply skills to find, build, research, manage and report both electronic and paper data.
• Chart Review -  Employ auditing skills and methodologies to insure compliance, accuracy, completeness, regulations, policies and procedures, and protocols in the health care delivery system.
• Coding/Billing - Utilize knowledge and skills of Anatomy and Physiology (A&P), medical terminology, Pharmacology, Pathophysiology, code sets, reimbursement methodologies and regulations to analyze clinical documentation to accurately and thoroughly assign respective code sets for entity’s database and 3rd party reimbursement.
• Computer Hardware/Software - Apply skills to find, build, restart and manage the system.
• Management - Apply management skills for the daily operations of Health Information Management department related entity.

Program Options

• Part-Time Sequence Options - Program Sequences 
• Full-Time Sequence Option - Program Sequence