Health Information Management (HIM)
     The Health Information Management (or Medical Records) Department is the key health information center for the medical facility, the medical staff, administrators, other health professionals, and the community. A health information manager (registered records administrator) directs the work of this department and is part of the management team in the health care facility helping with decisions affecting the patient and the institution. He or she plans, designs, develops, evaluates, and manages health information systems and disease registries in all types of health care facilities, organizations, and agencies.
     Health Information Management graduates are prepared to function in such settings as acute-care hospitals, psychiatric facilities, ambulatory-care facilities, physician office practices, long-term care facilities, mental health/mental retardation agencies, rehabilitation centers, consulting firms, cancer and other registries, and education research institutions. The health information manager is educated in the health information and legal aspects of the patient's record, furnishes documentary evidence of the course of the patient's illness and treatment during each admission, and protects the legal interests of the patient, the medical facility, and the medical staff. The health record provides data for research, education, and long-range planning for the health needs of the institution, the community, and society at large.
     In order to meet the data requirements of all facets of the health care delivery system, a broad-based curriculum has been designed for health information management students. The health information manager combines knowledge of health care, health records, information management, and administration to provide quality services that meet the medical, epidemiological, administrative, legal, ethical, regulatory, and institutional requirements of the health care delivery system being served. The graduate must also have an understanding of anatomy, physiology, pathophysiology, epidemiological research, statistical methods, and legal aspects of health care, as well as knowledge of both state and federal regulations.
     The full-time upper-division curriculum includes two terms and Summer Session I for the junior year and Fall and Spring Terms for the senior year. Clinical education, beginning in the Spring Term of the junior year, is scheduled at various health care institutions to provide the student with real experiences in the profession. The final clinical education is a six-week, full-time management affiliation at a health care institution within or, at times, outside the state. Students are responsible for their expenses incurred during clinical education.

Part-time Study
     In addition to the full-time curriculum, a part-time program is available. An attempt has been made to offer a few of the Health Information Management courses in the late afternoon to accommodate those students who are employed on a full-time basis.

Progression for the Accredited Record Technician (ART)
     Provision for transfer of credits may be made for those students accepted into the school who have satisfactorily completed a junior college medical record technician program accredited by the Committee on Allied Health Education and Accreditation of the American Medical Association in collaboration with the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA). In addition, the department has an articulation agreement with the Medical Record Technician program at Community College of Allegheny County. Credit by examination is offered for some of the professional courses. Students may receive a waiver for these courses if they successfully pass the examination.

Cancer Registry
     The Health Information Management Program has been chosen from all the baccalaureate degree medical record administration programs in the United States to pilot the first integrated health information/patient registry management program. In addition to acquiring the knowledge and skills for a health information manager, graduates from this program will also have the necessary entry-level competencies to manage patient registries including, but not limited to, cancer, trauma, diabetic, cardiovascular, renal, gerontological, and AIDS.

Combined and Coordinated Programs
     The Health Information Management Program offers a combined program for students who already have a baccalaureate degree, leading to a certificate in health information management and a Master of Science degree in Health and Rehabilitation Sciences with an emphasis in Health Information Systems.
     In addition, a coordinated program is available to HIM students leading to a Bachelor of Science degree in Health Information Management and a Master of Science degree in Health Administration offered in collaboration with the Graduate School of Public Health and the Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business.
     The Health Information Management Program is accredited by the Committee on Allied Health Education and Accreditation of the American Medical Association in collaboration with the American Health Information Management Association. Following satisfactory completion of all course requirements, the graduate will be awarded the degree of Bachelor of Science and will be eligible to write both the registration examination of the American Health Information Management Association and the certification examination of the National Tumor Registrars' Association.
    

Admission Prerequisites
     A minimum of 60 college semester credits is required, including the following prerequisite courses:

	English composition	6 semester credits
	Psychology (general)	3 semester credits
	Biological sciences (other than anatomy and physiology)	8 semester credits--courses must include labs University of Pittsburgh students should take BIOSC 0050, 0060, 0150, and 0160.
	Chemistry (introductory)	3-4 semester credits University of Pittsburgh students should take CHEM 0110.
	*Mathematics (college algebra)	2-3 semester credits minimum University of Pittsburgh students should take MATH 0031 and 0032, or 0100 or 0200.
	*Statistics	3-4 semester credits minimum University of Pittsburgh students should take STAT 1131.
	Communication (public speaking)	3 semester credits minimum
	**Computer science	9 semester credits--including a programming information science course. Recommended programming Pascal or C++.

*Students must have a total of six (6) credits between Mathematics and Statistics.
**Students who wish to complete the 12-credit sequence of computer science credits available through the University's Department of Computer Science may arrange to do so. For health information management majors, this could mean three credits in addition to those required for prerequisites.

Recommended Courses
     Economics
     Accounting
     Business administration
     Computer science
     Information science
     Additional behavioral or experimental psychology courses

Other admission criteria include: minimum cumulative QPA of 2.50 (based on 4.00); minimum of a C- grade in all courses designated as prerequisite; volunteer or paid work experience in the field of health information management.

Program in Health Information Management Curriculum

	Fall Term: Junior Year
	HRS 1020	Introductory Anatomy and Physiology	3 cr.
	HRS 1021	Anatomy and Physiology Lab	1 cr.
	HRS 1027	Pathophysiology	4 cr.
	HIM 1405	Medical Terminology (independent study)	2 cr.
	HIM 1406	PC/Software Tools Lab	1 cr.
	HIM 1415	Introduction to Health Information and the Health Care System	3 cr.
	HIM 1416	Introduction to Health Information and the Health Care System Lab 1	1 cr.
	HIM 1420/ HRS 1009	Organization Theory and Concepts in Health Care Facilities	3 cr.
			-------
		TOTAL	18 cr.
	Spring Term: Junior Year
	HIM 1435	Classification Systems in Health Care	3 cr.
	HIM 1436	Classification Systems Lab 2	1 cr.
	HIM 1438	Cancer Registry Theory and Practice Lab	2 cr.
	HIM 1440	HIM Clinical Education 1	2 cr.
	HIM 1442	Statistical Understanding	3 cr.
	HIM 1455	Quality Care Assessment	2 cr.
	HIM 1456	Quality Care Assessment Lab 3	1 cr.
			-------
		TOTAL	14 cr.
	Summer Session I: Junior Year
	HIM 1445	Human Relations in the Health Care System	2 cr.
	HIM 1460	Clinical Education 2	1 cr.
	HIM 1462	Epidemiology	2 cr.
	HIM 1465	Reimbursement Seminar	1 cr.
			-------
		TOTAL	6 cr.
	Fall Term: Senior Year
	HIM 1470	Supervision of Human Resources in Health Care	3 cr.
	HIM 1475	Health Information Systems in the Community--Users and Providers of Data	3 cr.
	HIM 1480	HIM Clinical Education 3	2 cr.
	HIM 1482	Legal Aspects of Health Care	2 cr.
	HIM 1485	Systems Analysis in Health Care Setting	3 cr.
			-------
		TOTAL	13 cr.
	Spring Term: Senior Year
	HIM 1486	Financial Management for the Health Information Manager	2 cr.
	HIM 1490	Comparative Health Information Systems	3 cr.
	HIM 1495	HIM Clinical Education 4	4 cr.
	HIM 1496	Senior Project	3 cr.
			-------
		TOTAL	12 cr.
		TOTAL CREDITS	63 cr.

NOTE: For part-time and ART students, HIM Clinical Education 1440, 1460, 1480, 1495 and HIM 1496 (Senior Project) may be taken in any term with permission of adviser and the instructor after the appropriate prerequisite courses have been completed.

Suggested Electives

	Inorganic chemistry	Computer science
	Bacteriology	Information science
	Microbiology	Communication (Speech)
	Biostatistics and Research	Pharmacology
	Methodology	Human genetics
	HRS 1022 Human Anatomy	HRS 1023 Human Physiology
	Behavioral or Experimental Psychology	Accounting
	Management science	HRS 1006 Nutrition

Combined HIM/HRS Graduate Program
     The HIM Program in conjunction with the HRS graduate program offers a combined program that enables students to obtain a Master of Science degree in HRS with an emphasis in Health Information Systems plus a certificate of proficiency in health information management. The combined program qualifies the graduate as an entry-level health information manager with advanced preparation in health information systems. The program prepares professionals who are responsible for the development and management of health information systems consistent with the clinical, fiscal, administrative, ethical, and legal requirements of health care institutions.
     Applicants to this program must have (a) a baccalaureate degree and (b) all the prerequisites required for entry into the undergraduate program in health information management.
     The curriculum consists of 50 undergraduate credits and 39-40 graduate credits. Students are admitted in the Fall Term only, and six terms of full-time study are required to complete the program.
     Students will be admitted initially as undergraduate students and enroll in the health information management undergraduate program. At the end of the Spring Term, first year in SHRS, qualified students may, upon recommendation of the health information management program faculty, apply for admission to begin graduate studies in the Fall Term of the second year. Qualified students who do not wish to enroll or students who are not accepted in the program may at that time continue as undergraduates and complete a second baccalaureate degree with a major in health information management.
NOTE: All students must complete the entire program that they select (either the baccalaureate program with a major in health information management or the combined program) to be eligible to write both the American Health Information Management Association Registration Examination and the National Tumor Registrars' Association Certification Examination.

Combined Program Curriculum

	Fall Term: First Year
	Follow curriculum for HIM undergraduate program.
	Spring Term: First Year
	Follow curriculum for HIM undergraduate program.
	Students should apply for admission to the combined program prior to Summer Session I.
	Summer Session I: First Year
	HIM 1445	Human Relations in the Health Care System	2 cr.
	HIM 1460	HIM - Clinical Education 2	1 cr.
	HIM 1462	Epidemiology	2 cr.
	HIM 1465	Reimbursement Seminar	1 cr.
	*HRS 2910 OR *BIOST 2011	Statistical Applications Introduction to Statistics	2-3 cr.
	+*Elective		3 cr.
			-------
		TOTAL	11-12 cr.
	Fall Term: Second Year
	If accepted into the combined program, students begin graduate student status this semester.
	HIM 1475	Health Information Systems in the Community--Users and Providers of Data	3 cr.
	HIM 1480	HIM - Clinical Education 3	2 cr.
	HIM 1482	Legal Aspects of Health Care	2 cr.
	HIM 1485	Systems Analysis in Health Care Setting	3 cr.
	*HRS 2420	Introduction to Health Information Systems	3 cr.
	*HRS 2423	Information Technology in Health Systems	3 cr.
	*HRS 2903	Issues in the Health System	2 cr.
			-------
		TOTAL	18 cr.
	Spring Term: Second Year
	Students should take the Comprehensive Examination this semester.
	HIM 1486	Financial Management for the Health Information Manager	2 cr.
	*HRS 2424	Database Management in Health Care	3 cr.
	*TELECOM2000	Introduction to Telecommunications	3 cr.
	*HRS 2422	Object-Oriented and Web Programming	3 cr.
	*HRS 2445	Human Resource Management/Labor Relations	3 cr.
			-------
		TOTAL	14 cr.
	Summer Term: Second Year
	*HRS 2437	Implementing Information Technology	2 cr.
	*HRS 2428	HIS Implementation & Management	3 cr.
	*HRS 2921	Clinical Internship	4 cr.
	*HRS 2438	Research Methods & Data Analysis	2 cr.
	+*Elective		3 cr.
			-------
		TOTAL	14 cr.
	Total number of undergraduate credits		50
	Total number of graduate credits		39-40
			-------
	TOTAL CREDITS		89-90 cr.

     *Graduate Course
     +*Students choosing the thesis option would take research credits instead of electives.

The scheduling of graduate courses may vary; this is dependent upon the schedule of courses offered by each particular school each semester.

Coordinated-BS (HIM) in Preparation for the MHA (HSA-GSPH-KGSB)
Interschool Program
     The Health Information Management Program offers a coordinated program that provides an opportunity for students with upper-level management career objectives to receive intensive and more advanced management education. The program provides an excellent avenue for advancement within the management hierarchy of health care organizations by building on the management and other courses in the undergraduate health information management program.
     The coordinated program enables students to obtain both a Bachelor of Science degree in Health Information Management from the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences and prepares students to seek admission to the interschool program offered by the Graduate School of Public Health and the Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business, which awards the Master of Health Administration.
     Applicants to the coordinated program must have all the prerequisites required for entry into the undergraduate program in health and information management. Students will be admitted initially as undergraduates and then seek admission to the coordinated program.

Coordinated Program Curriculum
     Students will follow the same curriculum as outlined in the health information management undergraduate program.
     Students will be eligible to take both the American Health Information Management Association National Registration Examination and the National Registrars' Association Certification Examination at the completion of the fourth year.