Build your skillset and gain valuable professional practice experience with SNHU's Bachelor of Science (BS) in Health Information Management degree online. This program is ideal for someone just beginning their studies in health information and for professionals wanting a structured field experience as part of their online HIM curriculum.

"Health information management is the information hub for all patient data," said Darla Branda, clinical faculty of health professions at SNHU. "They house all of the information from the lab, surgery, insurance companies, registries, and more. Through specialized studies and professional practice experience (PPE), you'll learn the technology, terminology, and professional skills required for a career in health information management."

You'll also receive valuable exposure to a professional healthcare setting, helping position you for success in a competitive field. The bachelor's in health information management program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM). As a CAHIIM-accredited program, our curriculum is built to prepare you for real-world success.

"CAHIIM really sets the bar for academic programs in health information management," said Lynn Ward, associate dean of health professions at SNHU. "In addition to helping you develop practical skills and experiences employers want to see, the program also meets eligibility requirements to sit for the Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA) credential exam which can help you open up even more opportunities for advancement."

Learn how to:

- Apply health data structure, standards, and regulations to manage clinical classification systems and reimbursement

- Analyze the uses, risks, and management of health statistics and biomedical research data and support performance improvement programs

- Interpret and apply current laws regulations, policies, and healthcare ethics as they relate to decision-making in healthcare delivery and systems

- Implement and manage hardware and software technologies to ensure effective data collection, storage, analysis, and reporting of information

- Evaluate information system applications for their capacity to meet the needs of healthcare organizations

- Use current management principles to propose solutions and develop project management plans that solve organizational challenges

Use HIM certifications to earn your degree faster. At SNHU, you can get credit for having your Certified Coding Specialist (CCS) or Certified Coding Specialist Physician-based (CCS-P) certification from AHIMA. The credits you earn could save you up to $960 in tuition and 8 weeks of time on your HIM bachelor's program. Learn more about getting credit for HIM certifications. This program is not open to students living outside of the US or intending to relocate outside of the US, with the exception of students residing on US Military bases. Our health information management bachelor's program will combine the technology, health science, and business courses that you need to be prepared for a career in health information management.

Students will participate in a professional practice experience (PPE), which is an internship, at an organization that collects and manages patient health data. You can choose from a variety of organizations to complete your PPE (including, but not limited to): acute, ambulatory, behavioral health, chiropractic medicine, dental medicine, home health, hospice, and veterinary medicine. The PPE, which must be US-based, allows students to apply the theory and principles they learn throughout the program to real-world situations in the HIM workplace. As part of this experience, you'll observe and learn from a professional in the field who serves as your mentor. While professional practical experiences (PPE) are a big part of the online BS in Health Information Management, practical application is baked into every part of the program even the weekly coursework.

"This program exceeded my original expectations," said John Mann '21. "The assignments and course projects have real-world scenarios which pushed me to learn so many new things. In working with an Enterprise EHR, the classes really opened my eyes to the power of the relational database management behind the scenes."

Beyond the tools he used, Mann praises the instructors that helped him through his courses. "I am grateful for having been able to learn from all my SNHU instructors and professors," he said. "In every subject, they were able to build knowledge through the exploration of real-world scenarios. They also provided wonderful materials around IT, HIM, revenue cycle, coding rules, compliance, human resources, and inclusion."

Melissa Smith '21 agreed. "The instructors were amazing, they were always willing to push you further and made sure you knew they were there if you needed help," she said. "The resources they used and general knowledge made the entire experience worth it." And it wasn't just the instructors who had her back, either. "Choosing SNHU was easy for me between the dedicated advisors who were always there to help guide me and encouraged me to keep going," she said.

Kim Coffey, an internship administrator at Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU), said, "Essentially, we want our students to leave SNHU with a more tangible idea of what the career field is really like."

For Heidi Nolan '19, a graduate of the BS in Health Information Management program, that's exactly what happened. During her PPE, she worked with Nevada Health Centers to figure out why less than half of 25,000 Medicaid patients weren't receiving regular care. Combining research of high-risk populations in each sector, and drawing from a case study she learned about in her Health Information Concepts, Principles and Practices textbook, Nolan found a solution: As a way to incentivize visits, send buses to patients and offer free dental exams and mammograms. Not only did she get the opportunity to help craft the strategic plan for her idea she presented her findings to executive staff.

"What I did for my internship was a much higher level than working in medical records," Nolan said. "I've learned how to problem solve and basically assess what needs to be fixed."

In addition to hands-on learning, the health information management degree is designed to align with industry standards. Coursework is based on the curriculum principles established by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management (CAHIIM) and curriculum competencies identified by the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA). Learn more about AHIMA competencies. As a CAHIIM-accredited online program, SNHUs Bachelor of Science in Health Information Management prepares learners to meet the educational competencies required of a health information management (HIM) professional. Graduates of SNHUs BS in Health Information Management program meet the educational requirements to sit for the RHIA certification exam.

"(The CAHIIM accreditation) lends credibility to the quality of our curriculum and signifies that our program has the resources and support in place to deliver a high-quality learning experience for our students," said Darla Branda, clinical faculty of health professions, said. "One of the eligibility requirements to sit for the RHIA exam is that students must have graduated from a program accredited through CAHIIM."

"[The RHIA credential] is becoming more prevalent in the industry," said Lynn Ward, associate dean of health professions. "More and more employers are recognizing the RHIA credential, so it really helps [graduates] with the job search."

If your goals include a master's degree, SNHU offers the full pathway for HIM professionals with an online master's in health information management. The MS in HIM is the ideal next step for continued study of graduates of the bachelor's in health information management program or those looking to build on their skills and experience. Our Program Mission: Prepare students for a career in health information management, fostering creative problem-solving solutions using innovative technology and the guiding principles of managing patient health data. The program's mission and goals form the basis of program planning, and implementation and are compatible with the mission of the Nursing and Health Professions (NHP) department and the university as a whole. The program's mission and goals are outcome-focused and measurable to improve program health and address any disparity in the curriculum.

Expanding access to quality higher education means removing the barriers that may stand between you and your degree. That's why you can apply at any time and get a decision within days of submitting all required materials:

- Completed free undergraduate application

- Prior transcripts, which we can retrieve at no cost to you

- Test scores are not required as part of your application Acceptance decisions are made on a rolling basis throughout the year for our 6 (8-week) undergraduate terms.

$150 Graduation Fee, Course Materials ($ varies by course)