Health Information Management
The University of Kansas offers a bachelor of science in health information management, an in-demand health profession specialized in managing health data and information to improve health care delivery and protecting health information privacy and security. The curriculum focuses on health care administration concepts, data and information management practices, regulatory and legal requirements in health care, health information systems and technology, types of health care settings, and how health services are delivered. Students in this program complete the final two years of their bachelor degree at the University of Kansas Medical Center campus, where applied learning is a focus in this degree program and interprofessional education is a focus of the medical center campus.
Those with a degree in health information management may find work in varieties of settings including health information software companies, mobile health vendors, hospitals, physician offices, law firms, pharmaceutical companies, health insurance companies, and government agencies, among others. To learn more about this program and the profession of health information management, please visit the program website.
Upon successful competition of the program, students are eligible to take the American Health Information Management Association’s (AHIMA) Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA) certification exam; to learn about the RHIA credential, please visit AHIMA’s website.
The Health Information Management accreditor of the University of Kansas Medical Center is the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM). The College’s accreditation for baccalaureate degree in Health Information Management has been reaffirmed through 2029. All inquiries about the program’s accreditation status should be directed by mail to CAHIIM, 200 East Randolph Street, Suite 5100, Chicago, IL, 60601; by phone at 312.235.3255 or by email at info@cahiim.org
Students interested in entering this field should contact an advisor as early as possible in their academic careers to ensure prerequisite courses are completed on schedule. For more information, view the frequently asked questions for prospective students.
Courses
A limited-enrollment, seminar course for first-time freshmen, addressing current issues in health data and information management. Course is designed to meet the critical thinking learning outcome of the KU Core. First-Year Seminar topics are coordinated and approved by the Office of Academic Programs and Experiential Learning. Prerequisite: Open to Freshmen only (less than 30 hours).
This course is an introductory overview of the United States healthcare system. Course content emphasizes organizational structures and patient care settings in healthcare, healthcare professionals and their roles, as well as laws and regulations that influence how healthcare is paid for, quality is assessed, and healthcare data is protected. Current events in healthcare are also addressed. Open to all students.
A study of the language of medicine including word construction, definitions, medical abbreviations, and use of terms related to various areas of medical science and health professions. Course requires students to be able to break down medical terms, understand their meanings and pronounce them correctly. This online course is designed for students interested in clinical and health professions.
This course introduces students to the foundational concepts of health record content, characteristics and requirements, along with the operational processes designed to support and safeguard the healthcare data and information contained therein. Joint Commission survey process is also included. Industry standard software applications are used for applied, hands-on learning in this course.
This course is an in-depth overview of the United States healthcare system and focuses on the structure and function of services across settings. Special emphasis is placed on the history of healthcare, reimbursements and financing, health policy, outcomes (cost, quality, access) and the integration of care across delivery settings using health information technology.
This course introduces the student to some of the basic legal principles found in healthcare and health information management (HIM). Fundamentals of law including statutory, regulatory, and judiciary practices are reviewed in the context of HIM including tort and liability. Emphasis is placed on HIPAA regulations. Patient legal rights and responsibilities as related to their healthcare are included, as well as fraud and abuse prevention and compliance.
A fundamental overview of how drugs affect the human body and how the body impacts drugs used in pharmacotherapy. This course is designed to provide the student with the knowledge necessary for managing patient health information specific to medication administration and management. This course also covers pharmacology topics relevant to analyzing medication administration documentation in the patient health record. Prerequisite: Admission to BS in HIM program or instructor permission.
This course examines ways in which health information professionals apply knowledge of clinical concepts in professional practice. Course content surveys professional practice roles and application of clinical knowledge in daily work, clinical documentation in health records, as well as diseases and conditions affecting the various body systems. Prerequisite: Anatomy and physiology lecture and lab, medical terminology, or instructor consent.
This course is designed to provide students a better understanding of the various career opportunities in the Health Information Management field and develop skills required for professional environments. The emphasis is on professional behavior for health information management professionals in the workplace. Course content is intended to prepare students for site visits, professional practice experiences, internships, and their future careers.
The content will vary depending on material appropriate to students. May be repeated for additional credit utilizing a variety of projects and special assignments. Prerequisite: Permission of the program director.
This course prepares students to effectively utilize information resources and technology on an academic medical center campus to foster success in the Health Information Management program, professional practice experiences and the health professions. Students will learn to apply software applications, project management strategies, and professional writing and literacy skills. This course has a special emphasis on professionalism, self-awareness, communication, collaboration and critical thinking.
This course provides a laboratory/professional practice experience opportunity for the application of concepts learned through previous coursework in addition to further exploration of advanced health information management topics, interprofessional education, and technical writing. Prerequisite: Successful completion of Junior-level HIM academic courses or permission from instructor.
This course is designed to help students understand databases and database management systems. Students will learn to model and understand database design, in conjunction with learning methods to structure data as records, tables, or objects. Students will also learn how query languages are used for searching, sorting, reporting, and other "decision support" activities to best utilize the available data. Along with acquiring knowledge fundamental to management of the electronic health record (EHR), students will develop general technical knowledge to become capable health information professionals. Prerequisite: IST 202, IST 205, or similar course.
The increased use of technology to support health data and information continues to evolve. This course introduces students to core topics and concepts in health informatics, emphasizing the implementation and management of health information systems. Students learn the conceptual framework and foundational elements of health informatics, selecting and implementing systems through the Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC), data and information infrastructure, privacy and security aspects, human-computer interaction frameworks and usability concepts, and current trends and supporting technologies.
This course introduces classification systems and terminologies used in healthcare and the relationship of these systems to patient care, research, and reimbursement systems. Course content provides study and application of coding guidelines, conventions, and rules of coding systems. Prerequisite: HEIM 435 or permission of the instructor.
This course provides instruction on the principles of quality (QI) and performance improvement (PI) in the context of healthcare. PI drivers, models, techniques, and processes are covered including workflow reengineering. QI program organization, management and effectiveness are addressed. This course also includes content on patient safety, risk management, resource management and assessment of provider competence.
This course introduces theoretical and applicable concepts of management with an emphasis on managing in healthcare organizations. Students explore traditional management roles as well as leadership concepts. Course content depicts management in the context of a complex stakeholder environment evidenced in the healthcare system of the United States.
This course explores the human resource management roles and responsibilities that are necessary in the successful administration of healthcare organizations. Course content studies the fundamentals of human resource management including employment law, staffing, performance management, workforce diversity, and training and development. Prerequisite: HEIM 570 Healthcare Management.
Emphasis is on the statistical analysis of healthcare data. Content includes hospital-based statistics, an introduction to epidemiological concepts, research design and methodology, research ethics and protocol, hypothesis testing, data management, analysis and presentation. Prerequisite: HEIM 525 and MATH 365 or similar.
This course examines complex financial systems within the United States healthcare system. Students explore content related to healthcare reimbursement methodologies and revenue cycle management.
This course offers continued study of classification systems and terminologies used in healthcare and the relationship of these systems to patient care, research, and reimbursement systems. This course includes an introduction to the role of mapping between the various classification systems, nomenclatures and clinical terminologies used in healthcare. Prerequisite: HEIM 565 or permission of the instructor.
Introduction to basic principles of management and education and their application in the current healthcare environment. Course content includes: management, quality issues, budgeting, personnel issues, evaluation and application of management concepts, and educational methodologies. Cross listed with CLS 661 and RESP 661. Prerequisite: Admission to the Health Information Management Program or permission of the instructor.
This course will utilize case studies, student discussions and guest presentations to address the latest developments in the management of health information. Students will examine key issues and trends within HIM through a series of seminar topics and presentations.
The content will vary depending on material appropriate to students. May be repeated for additional credit utilizing a variety of projects and special assignments. Prerequisite: Permission of the program director.
This course applies key concepts in personal, professional and organizational leadership for healthcare management. Special emphasis is on strategic leadership and planning for enterprise-wide health information strategies. Students will focus on leadership styles with an emphasis on self-discovery and professional development within an ever-changing environment.
This course covers data-driven, computer-based tools and data analysis techniques that aid decision-making in healthcare. Effective use of data analysis increases the quality of strategic and operative planning and reduces the time used for decision-making processes. The course focuses on data-driven techniques and tools including such topics as medical coding systems, database fundamentals, business performance monitoring (managerial dashboards), and data mining applied to the healthcare industry. A number of data mining and predictive modeling approaches are discussed to address specific issues in healthcare. Prerequisite: HEIM 575.
This course examines the role of health information managers as facilitators and champions of information governance in healthcare organizations. Course content includes an exploration of the topic of information governance, as well as introduces strategic considerations for enterprise processes, policies and procedures, standards, and metrics to support information governance efforts. Information is considered throughout the course as a strategic asset for organizational optimization. External users of information and related implications are also discussed.
This is a four-week internship that provides the student with a management capstone experience with the activities and responsibilities commonly performed by the health information administrator. Students receive "hands-on" managerial experience. The internship may take place in any type of healthcare setting throughout the healthcare continuum and industry. Students interpret classroom theory into actual planning, organizing, assessing, and controlling situations in a health information department or related administrative or technical environment. Students are responsible for all costs including room, board, and transportation. Management internship sites are selected based upon such factors as: HIM experience, credentials of the student, expressed wishes from their internship choices. Prerequisite: Successful completion of all HIM professional coursework and/or permission of the instructor.
This practicum experience provides the student with a management capstone experience in the activities and responsibilities of the health information administrator. The specific practicum topics are selected based on the experience and credentials of the student. Prerequisite: Successful completion of all HIM professional coursework and/or permission of the instructor.