May 10, 2024  
Undergraduate Catalog 2023-2024 
    
Undergraduate Catalog 2023-2024

Health Informatics and Information Management, B.S.


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The Health Informatics and Information Management program offers preparation for a professional area of service in hospitals, clinics, and related health facilities and agencies. Graduates are prepared to serve as entry level health information administrators. The health information administrator is responsible for the management of health information systems consistent with medical, administrative, ethical and legal requirements of the health care delivery system. The profession combines knowledge of health care systems and business administration.

The Health Informatics and Information Management program is designed to provide flexibility for the student. It consists of the Associate of Science in Health Informatics and Information Management program plus two years of prescribed work.  A progression policy has been developed to facilitate entry into the BS in HIIM Program. Students should consult their advisors for evaluation of possible credits earned through successful completion of the Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) exam or previous work experience.

The program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM). Following graduation, students may apply to write the registration examination administered by AHIMA. Individuals who pass the examination are entitled to use the designation RHIA (Registered Health Information Administrator). The Health Informatics and Information Management Programs Student Handbook supplements the information outlined herein the catalog and identifies additional program specific requirements.

Location(s): Madison Main Campus and Online

Articulation Agreements

Learning Outcomes

Plan of Study - HIIM (BS) 23-24  

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Admission to the Program

Formal application to the BS in HIIM major is made during the spring semester while completing the second year courses in the AS in HIIM major.  Timing will vary among transfer students without the AS in HIIM degree, but should coincide with the spring semester while completing the second year courses in the AS in HIIM major. Progression students (RHIT’s returning to complete the BS in HIIM degree) will apply during their first semester of enrollment. Those students who demonstrate a potential for achievement are admitted to the BS HIIM major. The application process requires the student to:

  1. Complete a questionnaire.
  2. Obtain one letter of reference from non-family members and non-AHIMA credentialed faculty.
  3. Be interviewed, during which time the applicant will be presented with a problem dealing with ethics, management or professional skills to which the student will respond verbally. For distance education students, this will be done by video conference interview. Students on campus will complete their interview in person at a scheduled time and site at Dakota State University.
  4. Complete a release form authorizing information to be reviewed by the BS in HIIM Admission Review Committee.
  5. Possess a current RHIT certification or a cumulative GPA of 2.7 in all HIM courses within the AS in HIIM program as well as an overall cumulative GPA of 2.25 or above. The academic summary will be used to calculate the HIM GPA. 

All documentation is to be emailed to the HIM Program Director. Forms are available from the HIM Program.  

The BS in HIIM Admission Review Committee will complete an assessment in which the student is expected to obtain an overall satisfactory rating of 30 points out of a maximum of 45 points.

Grade Requirement

All students enrolled in the HIIM programs must maintain a grade of at least a “C” in each HIM course.  (Please refer to the HIIM Admission Assessment Procedures for further details regarding GPA requirements through the spring semester of the sophomore year.  Students will notice that they will not meet the minimum HIM GPA with only “C” grades - it will be necessary to earn A and/or B grades in at least a portion of the HIM 100-200 level classes)
 

System-wide General Education Requirement (30 Credits)


Majors must take BIOL 101 /BIOL 101L or BIOL 151 /BIOL 151L; BIOL 106 /BIOL 106L; and MATH 114  or higher as part of the System-wide General Education Requirement.

Health Informatics and Information Management Courses (75 Credits)


Electives (15 Credits)


One of these electives are met when completing BIOL 151  as part of the system-wide general education. 

Recommended courses from the following programs: HIIM 4+1, Computer Information Systems Minor, Project Management Minor, Project Management Certificate, Cybersecurity Certificate, Data Analytics Certificate, IT Management Certificate, or Technology Database Systems Certificate.

Curriculum Notes:


Courses are sequenced so that each successive course builds on the information presented in the prerequisites. It is therefore mandatory that students observe course sequencing in preparation of their schedules.

BS in HIIM students spend time in various-sized organizations or facilities under the direction of a qualified site supervisor.  Students are required to complete 2 credit hours, 80 hours of HIM 285 - Supervised Professional Practice ; 2 credit hours, 80 hours of HIM 485 - Supervised Professional Practice .

FastTrack 4+1 Graduate Program allows qualified BS in HIIM students to take up to four graduate HIMS core courses from the MSHIIM program as four electives.

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