Health Information Management / Master of Science
The Master of Health Information Management prepares graduates with the knowledge, skills and abilities to pursue leadership positions in the field of health information management, health administration, education, and research. The HIM program focuses on the strategic and operational relevance and robustness of clinical information, resources, workflow, and connectivity within the healthcare industry and public health sectors.
HIM professionals manage medical information vital to providing quality patient care, sound fiscal management of medical resources, and data governance supporting confidentiality of patient records. Management of these data includes acquisition, analysis, and protection of digital and traditional types of information. Their work connects clinical, operational, and administrative functions in healthcare. Certified professionals work on the classification of disease and interventions to ensure their standardization for use in clinical, financial, and legal purposes. The profession has seen significant expansion in non-patient care settings, with careers in managed care and insurance companies, software vendors, consulting services, government agencies, education, and pharmaceutical companies.
The program is available 100% online and is designed to attract students with various educational backgrounds and disciplines who want an advanced career as a health information professional. Individuals with prior undergraduate degrees in health information management, nursing, information/computer technology, public health, and population health or business management are ideal students for the MS-HIM program. HIM Graduates will interact with clinical, financial, administrative, information technology and legal staff to interpret data for patient care, research, and statistical reporting, planning and database content development. An HIM education empowers graduates to impact health.
Admission Requirements
To be accepted for admission in the M.S. in Health Information Management program at Lewis University, candidates must meet the following criteria:
- Baccalaureate degree in any field from a regionally-accredited institution of higher education; common majors include health information administration, nursing, healthcare leadership, health sciences, psychology, exercise science, and biology
- Minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale)
- Prerequisite coursework with grade “C” or above completed in the following subjects: human anatomy & human physiology I & II, medical terminology, pharmacology, information systems, and statistics. Applicants can be accepted conditionally, with leveling courses required prior to beginning the program.
- Two letters of recommendation (one must be from a supervisor in a work, internship, or volunteer setting; the other should be from a professional and/or academic source)
- Application for graduate admission to Lewis University and paid application fee
Degree Offered: Master of Science
Total Credit Hours: 36
Degree Requirements
Program: MS-HIIM-5
I. Core Courses (36)
Students have the option to choose HIIM 68000 or 69000 for their final course, or they may choose to do both with additional course credit and associated costs. Only one of these courses is a requirement for completion of the program.