Description
The Bachelor of Science in Health Informatics and Health Information Management gives students training in information management, health care and patient data systems, computer systems in health care with an emphasis on electronic health records and health informatics, systems analysis, leadership skills, quality assurance, health data privacy, security and confidentiality, finance and legal and regulatory requirements in health care. It prepares students for the Registered Health Information Administrator certification examination of the American Health Information Management Association. This program is nationally accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM).
Likely Careers
Health information specialists in the past, worked in healthcare organizations: hospitals, public health agencies and clinics. But other organizations also need accurate and up-to-date health information. Increasingly, employers are information systems vendors and developers, software developers and marketers, insurance companies, law firms, physician groups, information management consulting firms, accounting and financial management consultants, health data organizations, specialty provider organizations such as mental healthcare facilities and hospice programs, skilled nursing facilities, and others.
Applying
This program is open to current regularly admitted UW students as well as transfer applicants. Admission to the HIHIM major is competitive. The program only admits once a year and begins in summer quarter.
Competencies
Upon satisfactory completion of the BS in Health Informatics and Health Information Management, graduates will be able to:
- Meet the competencies for all SPH degrees;
- Develop organization-wide health record documentation guidelines;
- Manage associated health data such as data elements, data sets, and databases;
- Implement and manage applications and processes for clinical classification and coding;
- Manage the use of clinical data required in prospective payment systems (PPS and other reimbursement systems in health care delivery;
- Provide support for facility-wide quality management and performance improvement programs;
- Analyze clinical data to identify trends that demonstrate quality, safety, and effectiveness of healthcare;
- Evaluate and implement national health information initiatives in the healthcare delivery system for application to information systems policies and procedures;
- Interpret, communicate, and apply current laws, accreditation, licensure and certification standards related to health information initiatives at the national, state, local, and facility levels;
- Analyze and respond to the information needs of internal and external customers throughout the continuum of healthcare services;
- Develop and implement organization-wide confidentiality policies and procedures;
- Define and maintain elements of the legal health record;
- Implement and manage use of technology, including hardware and software to ensure data collection, storage, analysis and reporting of health information;
- Contribute to the development of networks, including intranet and internet applications to facilitate the electronic health record (EHR), personal health record (PHE), public health and other administrative applications;
- Apply knowledge of database architecture and design (such as data dictionary, data modeling, data warehousing) to meet organizational needs;
- Apply appropriate systems to life cycle concepts, including systems analysis, design, implementation, evaluation, and maintenance to the selection of healthcare information systems;
- Implement and monitor department and organizational data and information system security policies;
- Recommend elements that must be included in the design of audit trails and data quality monitoring programs; and
- Apply general principles of management in the administration of health information services.