As the Health Information Technology (HIT) industry rapidly expands through government emphasis and increased investment, so does the need for qualified HIM professionals with specialized skills in collecting, organizing and analyzing data. The industry needs experts with real-world experience who can understand and navigate complex health information systems and implement measures for better and safer patient care.
Students of the BS HIM program at the University of Illinois at Chicago are equipped with a robust set of skills to go out and influence the evolution of Health Information Management. They will study and learn to address actual case studies using current systems, the same used in hospitals and healthcare facilities around the world, to position them for immediate opportunities in leadership and implementation. The established history of the UIC HIM program, complemented with its award-winning faculty and real-world applicable curriculum lends itself to provide a unique education to its students.
Learning
UIC is steadfast in providing a robust and in-depth education in the Health Information Management sector. Students not only learn the technical understanding of health and medical records, but the theory behind them – why they exist and how they can be used. The program includes a comprehensive curriculum that is not only real world applicable but also designed to prepare students to sit for the RHIA certification exam.
Thinking
Beyond the curriculum, the online BS HIM program develops more than simply technicians. It creates professionals who are critical thinkers, able to effectively manage large systems and organizational transitions. It provides them with the practical skills to make important decisions with confidence, think through even the toughest challenges using experience and knowledge, and react with competence when the unexpected challenge arises. Equipped with the practical knowledge of the industry and healthcare systems, students become innovators, developing new ways to analyze, optimize, and use data.
Integrating
The UIC HIM program cultivates change managers, ensuring a speedy transition into a safe and secure information architecture that will have lasting effects throughout the healthcare industry. Our students are encouraged to innovate and develop systems that accelerate the evolution into new technology and help medical personnel better focus on patients, not paperwork.
Evolving
As technology and the healthcare industry continually evolve to overcome new challenges, so must the healthcare IT professional continue to learn and develop new skills and current management techniques. The transformative BS HIM curriculum at UIC nurtures forward thinking, allowing our students to facilitate standards and best practices which will redefine the future of the HIM industry.
The UIC Bachelor of Science in Health Information Management degree offers a two-year, full-time completion program or part-time program completed over three years. Both options have three start dates each year: fall, summer and spring. A Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) credential is not required for admission. Many students complete the program in only 63 credit hours, and if a student has earned an RHIT credential, they can graduate in as little as 31 credit hours (or 24 credit hours by passing coding proficiency).