What Does a Health Information Manager Do?

What does a health information manager do? What are this person’s roles and responsibilities for the health institution he is working for? Let us find out more in this article.

What Does a Health Information Manager Do?

A what does a health information manager do is a person that manages the affairs of the healthcare information management (HIM) department. An HIM department or unit is responsible for keeping records of patient information that are registered in the institution.

Consequently, he is also responsible for the following:

• ensures that the records of patient information are well documented and properly maintained.
• making sure that these records are readily accessible to the people concerned.
• takes care of the safety and security of all documents including reports, forms, charts, pictures, etc.
• assists patients and families by providing information on matters concerning their health condition.
• lastly, he is also entrusted with maintaining relationships with other departments within the hospital.

So what does a health information manager do? He is responsible for making sure that all patient documents are safely stored and immediately available when needed. This includes birth certificates, death certificates, health insurance records, medical histories, organ donor information, and much more. 

Another important task that this person is responsible for is to make sure that all personnel in the hospital have access to a variety of electronic resources including computers and printers. Further, he also takes care of various administrative duties such as ordering supplies and equipment for the department as well as managing the budget allocated to the HIM unit. 

In addition, he also makes sure that all employees in his department are working effectively and efficiently. To achieve this goal, he regularly monitors their performance rating as well as their attendance record.

What Skills Does a Health Information Manager Have?

So, what are the skills you need to be one? First off, you need to know how to work with computer software such as MS Word and other applications. Then, you need to be able to work with database management programs such as SQL and other applications.

Another key skill is to have excellent communication skills such as writing and oral. Of course, you will need to have a high school diploma or a GED. Then, have a college degree in medical administration, healthcare information systems, or nursing.

Then, to be more specific, the key skill you will need to have should be healthcare IT experience. What this means is you need to have at least 5 years of experience in the healthcare field and you should have a solid background in healthcare information systems.

Next, you should have an advanced degree such as a master’s degree or a Ph.D. in health sciences. Yes, this is not a requirement. But this can help you climb the ladder in this chosen field.

Last Words

So, if you are looking for a career that will let you help people, then perhaps this position is for you. You can find more information on health information managers on this website. So, go ahead and explore.