Bachelor of Professional Studies/Bachelor of Science
Health information management (HIM) is the practice of acquiring, analyzing, and protecting digital and traditional medical information vital to providing quality patient care. Health information management professionals work in a variety of different settings and job titles. They often serve in bridge roles, connecting clinical, operational, and administrative functions. These professionals affect the quality of patient information and patient care at every touch point in the healthcare delivery cycle. Having skilled HIM professionals on staff ensures an organization has the right information on hand when and where it is needed while maintaining the highest standards of data integrity, confidentiality, and security. HIM professionals are highly trained in the latest information management technology applications and understand the workflow in any healthcare provider organization from large hospital systems to the private physician practice. They are vital to the daily operations management of health information and electronic health records. For more information about the field, see: www.ahima.org/careers/healthinfo.
Graduates of the SUNY Poly health information management program and students in their last semester are eligible to write the registered health information administrator (RHIA) examination of the American Health Information Management Association.
Accreditation
The program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM). For more information, please see www.cahiim.org.
Required Internet-Based, External Laboratories
The program uses the virtual laboratory (V-lab) of the American Health Information Management Association and Neehr Perfect of Archetype Innovations, LLC. These are Internet-based software labs so they can be accessed anywhere the Internet is available. This allows students to practice with a wide variety of current software applications used in the health information management field. Students pay a subscription fee to use the v-lab. Neehr Perfect cost for students varies from $45.00 for 3 months up to $285.00 for 36 months. Students should realize that the fees may change during the course of their degree programs.
Degree Options
Two degrees are offered in the health information management program:
- Bachelor of Professional Studies (B.P.S)
- Bachelor of Science (B.S.)
The Bachelor of Science degree program is open to freshman-level students as well as transfer students. The Bachelor of Professional Studies degree is open to transfer students only. Both degrees require the completion of 124 semester credits.
Transfer Credit
Graduates of CAHIIM-accredited two-year health information technology programs usually choose the B.P.S. degree option. In this degree program, students can enter with two years of transfer credit. Students can anticipate completion of the degree program in four semesters of full-time study. Transfer credit is given for prior course work in health information technology. Graduates of other two-year technical programs also usually choose the B.P.S. degree option. Transfer credit is given for prior course work that is applicable to the major. Transfer students from two-year liberal arts programs usually choose the B.S. degree option. Transfer credit is given for prior course work that is applicable to the major. Each applicant’s transfer credit is evaluated individually.
Recommended pre-requisites for the program for transfer students include introductory courses in statistics, and a one-year laboratory sequence in human anatomy and physiology (A&P I & II) and spreadsheets.
Professional Practice Experiences (PPE)
Each student in the program completes three professional practice experiences (PPEs)*.
The first PPE (3 credits) is completed between the junior year and the senior year. This is normally a summer course and students should be prepared to pay summer tuition/fees. In this PPE, the student spends three weeks full time in a hospital health information department. The PPE provides the student with the opportunity to gain practical experience in the technical aspects of health information management.
The second PPE (1 credit) is completed in ten (10) half days during the fall semester of the senior year. This residency exposes students to various non-hospital settings.
The third PPE (3 credits) is taken for three weeks during the last semester of the senior year. It takes place in the health information services area of a healthcare or health-related organization. This PPE focuses on management aspects.
Additional expenses may be incurred during the PPEs for transportation, housing, health testing, criminal background checks, and proper work attire. Every effort is made to place students in organizations that are within reasonable commuting distance of SUNY Poly or the student’s hometown. The decision regarding the proper placement of the student is made by the program faculty.
* Note: Transfer students with an associate degree, from a CAHIIM-accredited program, in health information technology, may transfer the equivalent of the first technical-level PPE and the second specialty rotation PPE.
Minimum Grade Required in Major
Health Information Management students are required to receive a minimum grade of C in all HIM core courses and Anatomy and Physiology I and II to qualify for graduation. The core courses are listed under HIM core coursework requirements in the degree programs.
Online Learning
All HIM courses (except for professional practice experiences), are available online. Some courses also ask the students to meet virtually, as a group (via the Internet) a few times during the semester. All on-line class meetings will be recorded for later playback by students who were unable to participate at the posted time.
The Professional Practice Experience courses (HIM 392, HIM 494, and HIM 495) are completed in health related organizations/settings such as hospitals and non-acute care facilities.
American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) Membership
Students are asked to join the AHIMA so they can take advantage of member-only benefits. The benefits include access to an online library with full-text articles, discounts on books that are required for many of the courses, and a discount on the registered health information administrator (RHIA) national certification examination. Students will also receive the professional journal and emailed newsletters. At the time of this publication, the student membership rate is $45.00/year. Students should realize that the fees may change during the course of their degree program.
Employment
Health care facilities employ most health information managers. These facilities include hospitals, ambulatory care, long term care, home health care, mental health care, and hospices to name a few. Employment is also available with insurance companies, software vendors, service vendors, educational institutions, government agencies, and pharmaceutical companies. Health information managers can work anywhere health data is used.
Examples of some local employers of program graduates are:
- Mohawk Valley Health Services – Utica
- Rome Memorial Hospital – Rome
- University Hospital, SUNY Upstate Medical University – Syracuse
- Oneida Healthcare – Oneida
- Slocum Dickson Medical Group – New Hartford
- Onondaga Community College – Syracuse
- Central New York Psychiatric Center – Marcy
Graduates are also employed in other prestigious organizations such as the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center in Bethesda, MD and the New York State Department of Health in Albany.
Typical job titles include:
- Director Health Information Management
- Associate or Assistant Director Health Information Management
- Data Quality Manager
- Data Quality Specialist
- Coding Specialist
- Cancer Registrar
Graduate school opportunities are available in both health information management and health informatics. Some graduates also enter programs for Master of Business Administration (MBA) or other business-related areas.
4-Year Sample Plan (pdf)
B.S. in Health Information Management (HIM) – 124 total credits
Students shall satisfy the requirements listed below.
I. SUNY General Education Requirements (30 credits)
All SUNY students must satisfy the following requirements.
No fewer than 30 credits must be attained from the SUNY approved General Education Course List with the following provisions:
- Mathematics (STA 100 recommended by program)
- Basic Communication (ENG 101 or equivalent)
At least five (5) out of the following eight (8) SUNY General Education categories:
- Natural Science (BIO 215T & BIO 215L w/lab recommended by program)
- Social Science
- American History
- Western Civilization
- Other World Civilization
- Humanities
- The Arts
- Foreign Language
NOTE: You may take more than one course in a given category to complete this 30 credit hour requirement, but you must also satisfy the appropriate number of categories.
II. Liberal Arts/Sciences Requirements (30 credits)
The New York State Education Department (SED) requires a student earning a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree to attain no fewer than 60 credits of combined SUNY General Education and Liberal Arts/Sciences courses. There may be overlap between courses meeting both the SUNY General Education Requirements and Liberal Arts/Sciences Requirements, but a student may receive course credits only once even if multiple requirements are satisfied by a single course. The total number of combined credit hours must be no fewer than 60 credits.
Upper-Division Writing Course
- See the Catalog descriptions of COM courses to find specific courses that satisfy this requirement.
Specific requirement for Health Information Management majors includes:
- BIO 215T & BIO 215L Anatomy & Physiology I
- BIO 216T & BIO 216L Anatomy & Physiology II
- STA 100 Statistical Methods
Liberal Arts and Sciences Electives (remainder of credits)
III. Health Information Management Core Coursework (56 credits)
- HIM 100 Introduction to the Health Information Management Field
- HIM 111 Medical Terminology
- HIM 212 Pathophysiology for Health Information Management
- HIM 220 Data Management and Analysis for Health Information Management
- HIM 305 Inpatient Coding and Classification
- HIM 306 Outpatient Coding and Classification
- HIM 309 Legal Aspects of Health Information
- HIM 313 Management for the Health Professions
- HIM 392 Professional Practice Experience I – Technical
- HIM 400 Non-hospital Health Information Management Systems
- HIM 401 Systems for the Evaluation and Improvement of Health Care Systems
- HIM 403 Introduction to Epidemiology
- HIM 425 Research in Health Information Management
- HIM 435 Health Information Systems
- HIM 440 Health Informatics Concepts
- HIM 445 Healthcare Reimbursement
- HIM 450 Health Information Services Management
- HIM 493 Senior Seminar
- HIM 494 Professional Practice Experience II – Specialty
- HIM 495 Professional Practice Experience III – Management
Other Required Courses (8 credit minimum)
- ACC 201 Introductory Accounting
- MGT 318 Human Resource Management
- CSC 311C Spreadsheets I
B.P.S. in Health Information Management (HIM) – 124 total credits
Students shall satisfy the requirements listed below.
I. SUNY General Education Requirements (30 credits)
All SUNY students must satisfy the following requirements.
No fewer than 30 credits must be attained from the SUNY approved General Education Course List with the following provisions:
- Mathematics (STA 100 recommended by program)
- Basic Communication (ENG 101 or equivalent)
At least five (5) out of the following eight (8) SUNY General Education categories:
- Natural Science (BIO 215T & BIO 215L w/lab recommended by program)
- Social Science
- American History
- Western Civilization
- Other World Civilization
- Humanities
- The Arts
- Foreign Language
NOTE: You may take more than one course in a given category to complete this 30 credit hour requirement, but you must also satisfy the appropriate number of categories.
II. Liberal Arts/Sciences Requirements (10 credits)
The New York State Education Department (SED) requires a student earning a Bachelor of Professional Studies (BPS) degree to attain no fewer than 40 credits of combined SUNY General Education and Liberal Arts/Sciences courses. There may be overlap between courses meeting both the SUNY General Education Requirements and Liberal Arts/Sciences Requirements, but a student may receive course credits only once even if multiple requirements are satisfied by a single course. The total number of combined credit hours must be no fewer than 40 credits.
Upper-Division Writing Course
- See the Catalog descriptions of COM courses to find specific courses that satisfy this requirement.
Specific requirement for Health Information Management majors includes:
- BIO 215T & BIO 215L Anatomy & Physiology I
- BIO 216T & BIO 216L Anatomy & Physiology II
- STA 100 Statistical Methods
Liberal Arts and Sciences Electives (remainder of credits)
III. Health Information Management Core Coursework (56 credits)
- HIM 100 Introduction to the Health Information Management Field
- HIM 111 Medical Terminology
- HIM 212 Pathophysiology for Health Information Management
- HIM 220 Data Management and Analysis for Health Information Management
- HIM 305 Inpatient Coding and Classification
- HIM 306 Outpatient Coding and Classification
- HIM 309 Legal Aspects of Health Information
- HIM 313 Management for the Health Professions
- HIM 392 Professional Practice Experience I – Technical
- HIM 400 Non-hospital Health Information Management Systems
- HIM 401 Systems for the Evaluation and Improvement of Health Care Systems
- HIM 403 Introduction to Epidemiology
- HIM 425 Research in Health Information Management
- HIM 435 Health Information Systems
- HIM 440 Health Informatics Concepts
- HIM 445 Healthcare Reimbursement
- HIM 450 Health Information Services Management
- HIM 493 Senior Seminar
- HIM 494 Professional Practice Experience II – Specialty
- HIM 495 Professional Practice Experience III – Management
Other Required Courses (8 credit minimum)
- ACC 201 Introductory Accounting
- MGT 318 Human Resource Management
- CSC 311C Spreadsheets I