This program prepares students with the necessary skills and academic knowledge for entry-level positions in health information management (HIM). HIM professionals plan, collect, aggregate, analyze and disseminate individual patient and aggregate clinical data. Students in the ASHIM program will learn entry-level skills related to those areas of the HIM profession.
PROGRAM OBJECTIVES
Upon completion of their program, the student should be able to:
Demonstrate ability to use knowledge attained to abstract, analyze and manage healthcare data.
Monitor and apply organization-wide health record documentation guidelines to ensure organizational compliance.
Support healthcare data analysis and management using applications software.
Apply knowledge of medical terminology, disease process, anatomy and physiology, and pharmacology to the selection of appropriate ICD and CPT diagnosis/procedure codes.
Read and understand medical documentation and insure that documentation supports the diagnosis and/or procedure performed.
Apply knowledge of payer billing and reimbursement, the prospective payment system and fraud and abuse issues.
Apply medico-legal knowledge to protected health information for authorization, disclosure and security.
Demonstrate knowledge of industry-standard databases and electronic health records.
Apply current laws, accreditation, licensure, and certification standards related to health information to meet organizational needs.
Abstract and analyze clinical data to identify trends.
Demonstrate the ability to define and articulate organizational, operational, ethical, and legal issues impacting HIM.
Think critically both conceptually and by using mathematical analysis; write and speak effectively; use basic computer applications; and understand human behavior in the context of the greater society.
POTENTIAL JOB POSITION TITLES
Potential entry-level job position titles include: Coder, Quality Improvement Specialist, Abstractor, Charge Master Auditor, Documentation Specialist, Cancer Registrar, Information Access/Disclosure Specialist, and HIM Technician.
