The Health Information Administration 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 information administration (HIA) program is designed to provide flexibility for the student. It consists of the Health Information Technology Program plus two years of prescribed work. The student is encouraged to read the Catalog requirements of the HIT program. A progression policy has been developed to facilitate entry into the HIA 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 Information Management Programs Student Handbook supplements the information outlined herein the catalog and identifies additional program specific requirements.
Learning Outcomes
Plan of Study
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Admission to the Program
Formal application to the HIA Program is made during the spring semester while completing the second year courses in the HIT program. Timing will vary among transfer students without the HIT degree, but should coincide with the spring semester while completing the second year courses in the HIT program. Progression students (RHIT’s returning to complete the HIA degree) will apply during their first semester of enrollment. Those students who demonstrate a potential for achievement are admitted to the HIA Program. The application process requires the student to:
- Complete a questionnaire.
- Obtain two letters of reference from non-family members and non-AHIMA credentialed faculty.
- 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 a telephone interview. Students on campus will complete their interview in person at a scheduled time and site at Dakota State University.
- Complete a release form authorizing information to be reviewed by the HIA Admission Review Committee.
- Possess a current RHIT certification or a cumulative GPA of 2.7 in all HIM courses within the HIT 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 provided to the HIM Program Director. Forms are available from the HIM Program. Transcripts, letters of recommendation, and questionnaires can be faxed to 605-256-5060.
The HIA 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 HIM programs must maintain a grade of at least a “C” in each HIM course. (Please refer to the HIA 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)
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