Bachelor of Science in Health Information Management
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Description and Outcomes
The Bachelor of Science in Health Information Management supports the development of innovative and adaptive critical thinkers and problem solvers who are capable of using available services and technologies to support operations, management, and decision-making initiatives within the health information field. In addition, the curriculum encourages lifelong learning and addresses the evolving professional skills of baccalaureate degree students.
Upon graduation, you may pursue positions that require you to perform either technical or management duties within the health information field. Typical duties may include overall department management; generation and analysis of health care data; implementation of quality improvement processes, risk management techniques, compliance strategies, and reimbursement procedures; research; and evaluation of legal issues. Employment opportunities may exist within hospitals, long-term care facilities, physicians' offices, health maintenance organizations, insurance companies, home health care, consulting companies, computer software companies, and government agencies.
The program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM). Prior to completion of the program, you will submit an early registration testing form to the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) and will complete the Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA) exam at an approved testing site as part of the HI499 Bachelor's Capstone in Health Information Management course.
If you have already completed an associate’s or bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution (see Admissions Requirements below for additional restrictions), you may be eligible for degree requirements to be waived and replaced with advanced start credit. Refer to Advanced Start Credit in Bachelor’s Degrees for details.
Mission Statement
The mission of the Bachelor of Science in Health Information Management program is to prepare you with the knowledge, technical skills, and work habits to be an innovative and adaptable critical thinker and problem solver in order to pursue a career in the health care industry.
PPE/Externship Experience
This program blends online coursework with on-ground experience. You must complete an 80-hour professional practice experience (PPE)/externship in a hospital or other health care facility to complete the course of study. Refer to the General Policies section for criminal background check information.
Graduate Program Pathways
If you are interested in earning both a bachelor's and master's degree, consider a graduate program pathway.
Program Length
The Bachelor of Science in Health Information Management program consists of a minimum of 180 quarter credit hours. Upon successful completion of the program, you will receive a bachelor of science degree.
Program Outcomes
Discipline-Specific Outcomes
- Knowledge Base: Demonstrate foundational knowledge of the principles of planning, designing, managing, and evaluating electronic information systems.
- Research Methods and Critical Thinking Skills: Apply research skills and critical thinking to create solutions for health care issues.
- Health Care Administration: Demonstrate knowledge of the forces affecting health care delivery and health information systems.
- Operations: Apply best practices in decision making regarding the management of health information.
- Ethics and Professionalism: Employ the professional, ethical, and legal standards of health information management.
General Education Literacies and Professional Competencies
In addition to the discipline-specific outcomes, general education literacies and professional competencies are integrated throughout your academic program. You can review the general education literacies and professional competencies associated with your academic program in the General Education and Professional Competency Requirements section of this Catalog.
Program Availability
For program availability, please refer to the U.S. State and Other Approvals section and Program Availability Information.
Policies
Admissions Requirements
If you are enrolling in the Bachelor of Science in Health Information Management program, please refer to the school-specific policies and the Policy Information section for general Purdue Global policies.
To be eligible for advanced start credit in the Bachelor of Science in Health Information Management program, you must have successfully completed a Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM)-approved Associate of Applied Science in Health Information Technology program.
Progression Requirements
You will be withdrawn from the program if you are unable to successfully complete HI499 Bachelor's Capstone in Health Information Management on the second attempt.
As an online student, you must:
- Provide notice of intent to enroll in clinical courses and externships 3 months prior to the beginning of the term in which you wish to enroll. Notification must be submitted to the Health Sciences Clinical Placement Department using the appropriate application form.
- Complete a clinical orientation workshop and pass a criminal background check prior to placement at a clinical, practicum, or externship site.
- Submit completion of a COVID vaccine or an approved medical or religious exemption prior to starting the course that includes the externship experience.
Certification, State Board, and National Board Exams
Certification and licensure boards have state-specific educational requirements for programs that lead to a license or certification that is a precondition for employment. Prospective and current students must review Purdue Global’s State Licensure and Certifications site to view program and state-specific licensure information.
Licensure-track programs may limit enrollment to students in certain states; please see Purdue Global’s Program Availability Information to determine enrollment eligibility.
You are responsible for understanding the requirements of optional certification exams. Such requirements may change during the course of your program. You are not automatically certified in any way upon program completion. Although certain programs are designed to prepare you to take various optional certification exams, Purdue Global cannot guarantee you will be eligible to take these exams or become certified. Your eligibility may depend on your work experience, completion of education and/or degree requirements, not having a criminal record, and meeting other certification requirements.
Completion of the following course series in this program may qualify you to earn the digital health professional micro-credential and the CAHIIM Digital Health Professional (DHP) certificate. The Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM) is the accreditor of Purdue Global's DHP certificate program. The DHP program’s accreditation has been affirmed through 2030–2031. All inquiries about the program’s accreditation status should be directed by mail to CAHIIM, 200 East Randolph Street, Suite 5100, Chicago, IL, 60601; by phone at (312) 235-3255; or by email at info@cahiim.org.