Frequently Asked Questions
- Q: What is a health informatics and information management professional?
A: Health informatics and information management is the study of the principles and practices of acquiring, analyzing, and protecting digital and traditional medical information vital to providing quality patient care.
HIIM is the link to clinicians, technology designers, and information technology; and is the value-adding bridge between patients’ health information and payors, government, and regulating agencies. HIIM practitioners demonstrate leadership and management of health information in all formats (paper, scanned, or computerized forms), and are a critical component of the electronic health record (EHR) workforce.
Q: Where do health informatics and information management professionals work?
A: Some of the 40 work settings include:
· Hospitals
· Physician practices
· Rehabilitation clinics
· Information system/computer software vendors
· Pharmaceutical companies
· Insurance companies
· Medical research
· Accounting firms
· Consulting firms
· Law practices
· State/Federal health agencies
Q: What job titles do health informatics and information management professional hold?
A: Some of the 125 different job titles include:
· HIIM Department Director
· HIIM System Application Designer
· e-HIIM Project Manager
· Coding Professional
· Information Security Officer
· Clinical Data Analyst
· HIIM Faculty
· Consultant
· Healthcare Consumer Advocate
Q: What kind of salary can I expect to earn as a health informatics and information management professional?
A: The salary for health informatics and information management professionals can vary depending upon the type and size of the facility, whether it is in private industry or health care organization, location, job responsibilities, experience, and education. According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of HIIM professionals is expected to grow much faster than the average for all occupations. On top of strong job prospects, competitive salaries also await HIIM graduates. The median annual wage for medical and health services managers was $94,500. According to a recent salary survey, the average annual full-time HIIM salary across all work settings is $83,734 and an average salary for an HIM Director is $100,620. New HIIM graduates with a bachelor’s degree and the RHIA credential start with an average salary of $50,000.
Q: Are there jobs available in health informatics and information management?
A: YES! If you are willing to go where the jobs are, you will have no trouble finding a job. In fact, most students have jobs lined up before graduating because companies often come to the campus to recruit.
Q: Are there any credentials related to health informatics and information management?
A: Yes. Upon successful completion of the program, graduates are eligible to apply to take a national certification examination and successful completion allows one to become a Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA).
Q: What costs are associated with enrolling in the health informatics and information management program and is financial assistance available?
A: Costs to health informatics and information management students include, but are not limited to, the following: uniform and name tag; transportation to and from clinical sites; housing and meals during management affiliation; books and supplies; background check fees; professional association dues. Financial assistance is available to qualified students through campus employment, grants, loans, Florida Health Information Management Association scholarships, and the American Health Information Management Association FORE scholarships.
Q: Who should I contact for further information?
A: You may call Dr. Lon'tejuana Cooper (850) 599-3818 or, Email Lontejuana.cooper@famu.edu