If somehow you did not hear the great news we shared on October 27, we learned that day that the HIM program was officially CAHIIM accredited! This was a huge day for us all. We can all rest assured now that you will be able to sit for the RHIA exam upon graduation. We have our first HIM graduate in just a couple of weeks, and she will be the first to sit for the RHIA exam. I am very excited to hear about her experience and share it with you all.
As the Fall Semester and 2015 are both coming to an end, it is a good time to reflect on your successes from 2015 and start setting goals for the New Year! Here is a list to ponder:
- Did you take all the courses you wanted to this year?
- Did you get the grades you had hoped for?
- Do you feel like have learned a lot about HIM?
- How many credits do you want to complete next year?
- If you are taking one course at a time, might you try two at a time?
- Do you want to be more engaged in your classes next year?
- Do you want to find an HIM-related job to get your foot in the door?
Another goal for you over the next week or two is to contact your advisor (Me or Frank Valier) and get cleared for registration and then register for January classes. Our personal goal is to get you all registered before January!!!
One more note: Be sure to SAVE all of your HIM textbooks. You will need them for HIM 499 Health Information Management Capstone and to study for the RHIA exam. Start a collection and build your own professional HIM library - you won't be sorry! Not only will you use them for the RHIA exam preparation, but you will also find yourself going back to them in your first year or two in the HIM profession.
Last but not least....have a wonderful break! You all deserve it, and I hope you are able to come back in January refreshed and full of renewed motivation.
Your Program Director,
Cindy Edgerton, RHIA
Health information management (HIM) is an allied health profession responsible for ensuring the availability, accuracy, and protection of the clinical information needed to provide healthcare-related decisions. Health information professionals work in a variety of settings, including hospitals, clinics, physician offices, and many other organizations. They play a key role in the effective management of health data and medical records needed to deliver quality healthcare to the public. The work HIM professionals do to ensure the integrity of health information is imperative to clinical and administrative decision making. Access to reliable information helps everyone make important decisions and leads to a healthy society.