When Kristi Hill chose to enroll in the St. Charles Community College Health Information Management (HIM) Program, life was still “normal.”

“I chose SCC because it's close to home, and I have always heard about their good reputation,” said Hill, a coding specialist and HIM program graduate. “The main thing I remember about SCC is that all my instructors wanted me to succeed and encouraged me to not give up.”

After graduation, she quickly found a job. Months later, the COVID-19 pandemic began. Though things began to change rapidly, Hill's employment situation didn't change.

“My workplace hasn't changed because I am already working remotely,” said Hill. “SCC taught me how to be resilient, adapt and overcome these difficult times.”  

“HIM has been at the forefront of telehealth for the last several years,” said Debby Schultze, HIM program chair associate professor. “As the medical field continues to grow, the need for trained HIM specialists grows with it.”

The HIM program at SCC prepares students in planning, collecting, aggregating, analyzing and distributing individual patient and clinical data. Graduates may work in traditional hospital settings, physician offices, health care agencies, government and legal offices and other related industries, but many graduates are able to work from home.

“HIM professionals are responsible for the majority of incoming revenue at most health care facilities,” added Schultze. “Without accurate analysis and coding, the facility will not be reimbursed appropriately for services rendered. They are extremely important, now more than ever.”

The St. Charles Community College HIM program recently received their accreditation through The Council on Accreditation of Health Informatics and Information Management programs (CAHIIM).

The Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM) is a 501(c)(3) not for profit organization that aims to provide quality standards for health informatics and health information management programs. According to its website, “When a program is accredited by CAHIIM, it means that it has voluntarily undergone a rigorous review process and has been determined to meet or exceed the Standards set by the Board of Directors.”

“Accreditation is necessary for graduates of the program to sit for their credentialing exam for Registered Health Information Technologist (RHIT),” said Schultze. “This is the credential required in industry to verify that program graduates have met entry level competencies in the field of Health Information Management. Most industry employment requires this credential for positions in the field.”

Schultze went on to stress that more duties are based on data analysis, security and various IT functions. “The field of HIM is expected to see growth over the next 10-20 years,” said Schultze. “It is a career that provides opportunity for advancement.”

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, medical and health services managers are projected to see an 18 percent growth in employment from 2018 to 2028.

For more information, visit stchas.edu/him.