Health Information Specialists

Duties and responsibilities

Most health information management specialists focus on patient security or privacy, coding or records administration. Many professionals are employed by hospitals, where they work with patient care data and ensure proper insurance payment reimbursement, the accuracy of data for public health records and the security of patients' electronic health records information. Other professionals may work for government agencies, insurance companies or other health care facilities.

Salary

$37,710 per year

Education

In order to find an entry-level position, aspiring health information management specialists need to be familiar with basic medical vocabulary and insurance coding techniques. Most employers hire candidates that have earned an associate's degree in health information management. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2008 there were over 200 schools in the United States accredited to offer such a program through the Commission for Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM). Courses in these programs focus on topics that include medical terminology, anatomy, medical coding, statistics and database security.

Reflection

Yes I would one day love to become health specialists because I love helping other people and what feels more satisfying then having the pleasure to help people in need for example if someone is sick or doesn’t feel right I’ll be there to help them.