Health Information Management Technology (9345)

The Health Information Management Technology (HIMT) associate degree program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management (CAHIIM). Graduates of this program are eligible to sit for the Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) exam.

Lakeland's Health Information Management Technology (HIMT) degree program prepares students to function effectively as beginning health information technologists.

Health Information Management Technology is a profession that focuses on healthcare data and the management of healthcare information resources. It represents a continuum of practice concerned with health-related information and management systems to collect, store, process, retrieve, analyze, disseminate and communicate information related to the research, planning, provision, financing and evaluation of health services.

The Health Information Management Technology program teaches students to work with medical records and statistics, code medical data, maintain health record systems, and control the usage and release of health information.

Program Outcomes

  • Adhere to health information requirements and standards
  • Utilize clinical classifications
  • Support data collection and reimbursement systems
  • Abstract healthcare data for analysis and presentation
  • Adhere to security, privacy and confidentiality policies
  • Apply organizational management techniques
  • Use information technology systems to process health information
  • Model professional behavior, ethics, and appearance

All students enrolled in a nursing or allied health program/certificate must complete a criminal background check. In accordance with clinical site requirements, students with a criminal record may be ineligible to participate in a clinical course/rotation/practicum. Delays, for any reason, in obtaining background results may cause an interruption in the clinical rotation sequence or inability to complete program requirements.  Additional background screening may be required by individual facilities.

Drug testing may be requested in accordance with clinical affiliation requirements and/or for patient/student health and safety.

A minimum GPA of 2.0 and a "C" grade or higher is required in all health information management technology and general education courses as listed in the curriculum guide for the AAS degree in health information technology management. Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory grades may not be used to fulfill health program requirements.

Admission Procedures

Students must meet specific admission requirements for this program. Listed below are requirements for admission to the Health Information Management Technology (HIMT) Program:

Option1: High School Option

This option is for current high school seniors or high school graduates who apply to the program within two years of high school graduation.

  • Complete college application(s).
  • Composite score of 21 or higher on the American College Test (ACT) or combined score of 940 on the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT).
  • Place into MATH 1330 Statistics for the Health Sciences or higher or pass MATH 0850 Beginning Algebra.
  • Complete high school algebra, chemistry, and biology with a "C" grade or higher.
  • An overall high school GPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale or equivalent.
  • Meet with a counselor to review program prerequisites and requirements.

Upon successful completion of the above criteria, the applicant will be admitted into the program. Students must complete HLTH 1215 Medical Terminology for Health Professions with a "C" grade or higher prior to enrolling in their first health technology course.

Option 2: College Option

This option is for students who do not qualify for admission under Option 1.

  • Complete college application(s).
  • Submit high school transcript as well as any college transcript(s).
  • Meet with a counselor to review program prerequisites and requirements.
  • Students must have a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher in program applicable courses. The following courses, or equivalent courses from other regionally accredited colleges, must be completed with a combined minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher and a “C” grade or higher.

NOTE:  Students must meet one of these requirements to take BIOL 2210 Anatomy and Physiology I with a "C" or higher:

  1. High school biology within last five years and high school chemistry.
  2. High school biology within last five years and CHEM 1100 Elementary Chemistry I: Intro to Inorganic Chemistry
  3. BIOL 1200 Fundamentals of Biology for the Health Technologies

Students are required to take the Math Placement Test and be placed into MATH 1330 Statistics for the Health Sciences or complete MATH 0850 Beginning Algebra with a "C" grade or higher.

Option 3: Advanced Education Option

Students pursuing this option must have an Associate of Applied Science degree in Nursing or Allied Health, an Associate of Science degree, or a bachelor's degree to be waived from the pre-admission testing. All other Option 2 requirements apply.

NOTE: Students planning to transfer to a four-year college are encouraged to take ENGL 1120 English Composition II in addition to the following requirements.

Plan of Study Grid
First SemesterCredit Hours
BIOL 2210 Anatomy and Physiology I 4
ENGL 1110
or ENGL 1111
 English Composition I (A) 1
or English Composition I (B)
 3
FYEX 1000 First Year Experience 1
HIMT 1100 Introduction to Health Information Management 3
HLTH 1215 Medical Terminology for Health Professions 3
ITIS 1000 Basic Computer Skills 2 1
Select any Mathematics course from MATH 1330 or higher 3 3
 Credit Hours18
Second Semester
BIOL 2220 Anatomy and Physiology II 4
HIMT 1200 Healthcare Records and Documentation 3
HIMT 1225 Outpatient Procedure Coding 2
HIMT 1300 Healthcare Applied Information Systems and Services 3
ITIS 1520 Microsoft Office Excel: Skills and Techniques 3
 Credit Hours15
Summer
HLTH 2100 Pathophysiology 3
 Credit Hours3
Third Semester
BUSM 2000 Principles of Management 3
HIMT 2070 Inpatient and Outpatient Diagnostic Coding 3
HIMT 2080 Inpatient Procedure Coding 2
HIMT 2160 Analyzing Heathcare Data 3
HIMT 2350 Health Information Management: Ethics, Legal Issues, and Compliance 3
PSYC 1500
or SOCY 1150
 Introduction to Psychology
or Principles of Sociology
 3
 Credit Hours17
Fourth Semester
BUSM 2400
or COMM 1100
 Business Communication
or Effective Interpersonal Communications
 3
HIMT 2300 Performance Improvement and HIM Leadership 2
HIMT 2535 Reimbursement Methodologies 3
HIMT 2540 Advanced Coding 3
HIMT 2550 Clinical Practicum 3
HIMT 2600 Seminar 1
 Credit Hours15
 Total Credit Hours68
1

English course selection is based on placement test results (ENGL 1111 English Composition I (B) is 4 credits, only 3 credits apply to the degree).

2

Students may substitute ITIS 1005 Computer Essentials. This 3 credit TAG course may be required for students planning to transfer to a four-year college.

3

Students planning to transfer to a four-year college should take a sequence of math as advised by their counselor

Technical course
This course is designated as a technical course in the program. Students must earn a "C" grade or higher in the course to fulfill the college's graduation requirements policy.