Health Information Management (HIM) may appear a new course to many. However, it is not a new career option. It has always been there, under different names and diverse job portfolios. Health Information Managers play a pivotal role in the efficient functioning of medical institutions including hospitals and specialty medical centers. Here we will look into what is health information management, what are the functions of health information managers, and relevant aspects.

Health Information Management courses have become a popular career-oriented option nowadays. Owing to the extensive options and opportunities it offers.

Brief overview of Health Information Management (HIM)

Health information management involves collecting, collating, streamlining, assessing, and organizing health and medical information. The said team will function as the main medical data managing team of the health organization. Ensuring the timely availability of all the necessary info.

Nonetheless, the scope of work of health information managers is beyond what you imagine. Securely storing the data, at the same making sure that it is accessible by authorized personnel is also the responsibility of the health information management team. Consequently, the job profiles available also vary. A few of the career options available for health information management professionals are:

•         Medical records summarise
•         Medical records reviewer
•         Insurance claims processor
•         Process associate – medical billing
•         AR caller
•         Payment posting associate
•         Denial management specialist
•         Virtual radiology assistant
•         Medical underwriter
•         Medical claims review analyst

What is Health Information Management (HIM)?

As we have seen in the previous section, the health information management team handles all the data related to a patient. Having said that, the health information manager has wider and more responsible roles. Compared to a normal medical scribe or any other manager in the medical field.

The HIM professional would be responsible for the management of multiple data. The compliance of regulatory obligations also falls under the purview of a health information manager. The responsibilities of a health information manager are:

•         Managing the Client Data: Medical history, diagnosis reports, scheduled treatment programs, lab results concerning the patient will be collated, organized and managed by the HIM.
•         Compliance of Regulatory Obligations: Every medical institution, whether it is a hospital, medical college or any other, it is subjected to certain laws. The HIM will ensure that the regulatory obligations are complied with by the organization.
•         Maintaining Data Security: Patient health data is sensitive in nature. The data should be held safe. Lose of the data can lead to unforeseen consequences and cascading effects. The health information management team prevents such a possibility by implementing the highest data security protocols.
•         Health Data Analysis and Medical Coding Processes: Health data analysis as well as support for decision-making are also undertaken by health information management professionals. Billing, health insurance, and reimbursement necessitate coded medical info related to the treatment, diagnosis, and medical history. The HIM handles the required task as well.

Simple definition of HIM

Since HIM is not common among many, the main question that arises is what is health information management. The simple definition of HIM is that it is the sector that handles and manages all the health information data of a patient. Explaining the HIM meaning may not be required, since everything might be clear to you by now.

Key Components of HIM

Before we discuss the benefits of health information management, let’s into the key components of HIM. The key components of HIM are:

– Health Data Collection And Analysis: Collecting and analyzing health data is the first responsibility of HIM.

– Health Record Management: Managing and maintaining the health records in a pre-planned way helps in improving the efficiency and functioning of the hospital. A dedicated team is necessary for this broad activity. The HIM team is entrusted with the task of health record management.

– Coding And Classification Systems: Medical codes have become a necessity with the rise in popularity of health insurance. The comfortable transfer of medical data is facilitated by medical coding and classification.

The health information management courses impart training and coaching on managing and organizing medical and health records. A student becomes capable of sorting and classifying of the medical record with the HIM course.  

Functions of HIM

A health information management professional functions as the pivotal pillar of the hospital. The HIM functions include:

•         Data management – Managing data is the duty of health information management professionals.   
•         Information Governance – Info regarding the clients is handled and governed by the HIM.
•         Compliance And Risk Management – Compliance with the regulations and risk management are also the functions of HIM.

Importance of HIM

The importance of HIM needs no emphasis. What is health information management and how important it is are underscored by the factors:

•         HIM ensures the accuracy of the health information and the quality of the health data.
•         Decision-making is always based on the information available. Erroneous data can cause mistakes. HIM helps in correct decision-making.

Our Verdict

No hospital can function efficiently without a professional Health Information Management team at its helm. The benefits of health information management are vast and that helps medical institutions function seamlessly. This has led to the increased requirement of qualified professionals. That is why health information management courses have seen a rapid rise in the recent past.

Contact us now, for more on health information management and related courses.