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How do I get a Health Information Management Degree?

Tess C. Taylor
Tess C. Taylor

A career in health information management may require a specific degree depending on the type of job chosen. A professional who wants to work in a health information management career may need to obtain a degree in order to become qualified to work in that occupation. In addition, certain occupations in healthcare may require special training for employees to be able to legally handle sensitive patient records.

You can obtain a health information management degree in several ways. There are generally colleges and universities that offer health information management degree programs in many major cities. There are also programs that are offered partly or entirely online by accredited schools. In healthcare companies, employees may be able to receive training to learn how to handle confidential healthcare information safely – a prerequisite to a degree program.

Health information management refers to organizing and managing medical records.
Health information management refers to organizing and managing medical records.

In order to evaluate the best choice in a health information management degree program, it’s important to review the actual coursework to determine if it will provide the most value. The core coursework should include an in-depth review of several important topics. This can include ethical handling of patient records, quality management strategies for healthcare providers and legal issues surrounding healthcare information policies.

Failure to manage sensitive medical records can result in serious consequences for a healthcare provider.
Failure to manage sensitive medical records can result in serious consequences for a healthcare provider.

If you are considering a health information management degree, it is important to note the level of degree required for the specific job type desired. For example, some careers may only require an Associate's degree, which is a two-year program. Other careers in healthcare information management may require a higher level of education such as a Bachelor’s degree program.

Not all healthcare information management careers require an actual degree. Some careers may allow a one-year certificate of studies followed by some form of testing to prove a certain level of acceptable knowledge. In addition, careers that involve use of specialized equipment or computer software to perform healthcare information management roles, such as medical transcription or medical coding, may require training on that equipment.

Overall, healthcare information management careers are on the rise in many regions. So this trend indicates that healthcare information management is considered a positive career option. That means getting a health information management degree is probably a wise thing to do for those interesting in working in the growing field of healthcare.

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    • Health information management refers to organizing and managing medical records.
      By: andreiorlov
      Health information management refers to organizing and managing medical records.
    • Failure to manage sensitive medical records can result in serious consequences for a healthcare provider.
      By: Monkey Business
      Failure to manage sensitive medical records can result in serious consequences for a healthcare provider.