Learn how to become a health information manager

Health information manager at a glance

Key takeaways

• Health information managers oversee the full lifecycle of patient data, designing and managing information systems to keep records accurate, compliant and secure.​
• Bachelor’s degrees in health information management plus credentials like RHIA can open doors to a wide variety of data-focused and leadership roles.​
• Many top professionals in this field also earn master’s degrees in health information management or health informatics to move into higher-level positions.​

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Health information management is a vital part of quality patient care. These professionals gather patient medical data, analyze that data and ensure that it’s secure to protect patient privacy.

Health information management has been around for decades and has evolved along with the healthcare industry. From the metal drawers and filing cabinets of yesterday to the sophisticated electronic health records (EHR) of today, health information management has always had a role to play in quality patient care.

Health information management overview

Patient records aren’t the only documents health information managers deal with. Everything from scheduling to processing insurance claims happens electronically and creates a record. That’s a lot of systems and a lot of data. It all needs to be organized, managed, shared and analyzed.

That’s where health information managers come in. They’re the professionals who integrate a facility’s data, records and information. They make sure that data is used effectively for communication between departments and outside health organizations.

“The health information manager is focused on the information lifecycle,” said Julie A. Pursley, MSHI, RHIA, CHDA, FAHIMA, Director of Health Information Thought Leadership for the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA). “We know that data goes everywhere today.”

As an overseer of sensitive data, a great deal of trust is placed upon a health information manager. They must use guiding principles to manage that data and ensure that it is accurate, compliant and safeguarded.

What is the role of a health information manager?

Your roles and as a health information manager will depend on your job title and place of work. Some common tasks that health information managers often tackle include:

New roles and responsibilities for data managers are emerging on the tails of new trends in technology and healthcare. There is more data sharing today than ever before, and health information managers will be needed to oversee and manage that function. One example? A recent provision of the federal 21st Century Cures Act that allows patients to request their health information be sent to an app of their choice.

“If you want your data to go to your Apple Health app or another app you designate, you can do that and they have to comply,” Pursley said. “Our professionals are already starting and have planned for this, and we’ll continue planning. It will take the health data to new places.”

So, as technology and data sharing continue to evolve, the role of health information managers will evolve too. Health information managers need to prepare for these changes and challenges. The duties you have in your first health management role might look different than ones you’ll see 10 years into your career, but you’ll still be overseeing, organizing and managing data.

What degree do I need?

There are several pathways to a job as a health information manager. You can get a health information management role with an associate degree in a related field plus several years of on-the-job experience. However, if you know health information management is what you want to do, you should probably consider earning at least a bachelor’s degree. Earning a bachelor’s in health information management will allow you to take on health information management roles without as many years of prior experience.

If you’re looking beyond entry-level roles, you may even consider a master’s degree. Not only will this degree allow you to apply for advanced roles that might offer more responsibilities and a higher salary, but it will also prepare you to stay in the field for years to come. Plus, you have options when it comes to a master’s degree. If your bachelor’s degree is in health information management, you might want to choose a master’s in a related area, such as public health.

Pursley recommended getting your knowledge base from a bachelor’s in health information management and then adding the optional Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA) certification offered through AHIMA. This, Pursley said, is “the best path to open up the best variety of opportunities.”

“I would couple that with a master’s degree in health information management or health informatics,” especially if you want to take on leadership roles, Pursley said, who herself holds a master’s degree in health informatics. Many top professionals in health information management have earned a master’s degree, she said.

Bachelor’s degree overview

A health information management bachelor’s program focuses on data systems and electronic health information. You’ll learn how to manage and evaluate these systems and how to create and implement your own systems. You’ll also hone the critical thinking, problem solving and decision-making skills you’ll need to succeed in health information management. You can expect to take classes in areas such as:

Most bachelor’s degree programs take about four years to complete. You might be able to fast-track your degree, especially if you have credits or work experience to transfer. You’ll need a high school diploma before you apply. Many programs will want to see that you took and did well in advanced math and science courses in high school.

Master’s degree overview

A master’s degree builds on the skills you learn in a bachelor’s program. You’ll focus on leadership and systems implementation, and gain a more in-depth knowledge of health information and healthcare operations. You’ll also learn how to create new information management systems and how to help your healthcare organization strategize for the future.

It takes about two years to complete most master’s programs. You’ll need a solid GPA from your undergraduate coursework, and you might need to take the Graduate Records Examination (GRE). If your bachelor’s degree isn’t in health information management, you may need to take additional prerequisite courses before you can begin a master’s programs.

Jobs you can get in health information management

You might run into several job titles in your search for health information management roles.

“I would highly encourage (graduates) to really look widely for opportunities,” Pursley said, who stressed that jobs can be found not only in hospitals and healthcare facilities, but also in social service agencies and community-based organizations. “While the comfortable thing to do would be to come out of school and try to find a position in coding or in release of information, there are so many other opportunities. So, don’t limit your investigation. The beauty of being a health information manager is that there are so many different opportunities.”

Licensing and certification

There are no official licensing requirements for health information managers in any state, but earning an optional certification is considered a smart career move. Many employers look for applicants who have earned certification.

Even if an employer doesn’t require their employees to be certified, earning one can help you stand out. Certification is a great way to show you’re dedicated to health information management and have the knowledge, skills and experience you need to take on any health information management role.

Health information managers can earn certification through AHIMA.

Some popular certification options include:

Health information management and nursing informatics: What’s the difference?

Health information management and nursing informatics roles sound similar. It’s true that professionals in these roles often work closely in healthcare facilities, but there are significant differences between them.

“It’s definitely very intertwined,” Pursley said. Nursing informatics is focused on nursing science and how related information is used to enhance clinical care, while the focus of health information managers is much broader. “(Health information managers) interact with many different stakeholders, including those in nursing, including providers, labs, radiology, case management, compliance, and the list goes on. Health information managers need to bridge the gaps. And that’s exactly what we do.”

What about medical billing and coding?

Medical billing and coding is an important part of health information. However, professionals in this group aren’t health information managers. They enter important data from medical records and assign the correct medical codes so that the information can be quickly read by insurance companies and other healthcare professionals. So, medical billers and coders work to create some of the data that health information managers oversee and manage.

Another big difference? Education. Medical billing and coding requires the completion of a certificate or associate degree program, while many health information managers have master’s degrees. This difference in education and level of responsibility is reflected in their salaries. Medical billing and coding professionals earn a median annual salary of $50,250 per year, while health information managers earn more than twice that, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Salary

The BLS classifies health information managers under the broader umbrella of health services managers. According to the BLS, professionals in this group earn a median salary of $117,960. Your salary can be affected by:

Growing your career

There’s room for advancement in health information management. As with most careers, more education or certifications can help you advance in the field. Being curious and seeking out new information and opportunities can also help.

“The health information managers I see that are most successful really learn about a multitude of different areas and then put that practice to work,” Pursley said. “First, it’s an education base, and then it’s experience, and then it’s networking, it’s joining (your) state AHIMA associations, it’s volunteering. There are lots of volunteer opportunities at the state and local levels of these different organizations. Often, you will find a mentor there who would love to have you volunteer and would love to share their expertise with you.”

Health information management career outlook

Health information management is a fast-growing career. The BLS predicts an impressive 23.2% growth in information systems manager roles through 2034. While not all medical and health services managers are health information managers, there’s plenty of reason to think that health information managers will see a large portion of that growth.

Pursley expects that more roles for health information managers will open up in community and social service organizations due to their growing relationships with healthcare facilities.

“We’ve got this evolving area now where data is going to new places and being shared,” Pursley said. “We’re going to be seeing more data being shared out to the social service agencies and to the community partners. And eventually, we will have a feedback loop from our systems into healthcare organizations. So that’s a whole new set of data governance standards that will need to be applied… It really is an evolving landscape right now.”

Professional resources

Staying on top of new technology and developments in data management can help you succeed in health information management. One great way to do this by familiarizing yourself with organizations that cater to health information management professionals. AHIMA is one such organization that provides certification, industry news and career resources. Local AHIMA chapters can help you network or find a mentor. Other great resources include: