Students
Health Informatics and Information Management
Health Informatics and Information Management (HIIM) is a unique combination of business, science, and information technology. Our profession is an ideal fit for students who are excited by the evolving health information technology field, who are hands-on learners, and who want to have a direct and lasting impact on individual patient care and the healthcare system.
Our department offers students the flexibility to pursue their goals while balancing school with work and other demands. We support this balance by offering courses in a mix of delivery formats, recording all class sessions, and providing several unique pathways to enter - or continue in - the profession.
Overall, we offer:
- a Bachelor of Science (BS) in HIIM
- a fully online completion pathway to the BS in HIIM for individuals who hold an active RHIT® credential
- an accelerated BS in HIIM to the Master of Health Administration (MHA) program
- a minor in Healthcare Data Analytics
Students gain valuable experience through a state-of-the-art virtual practice environment and through completion of multiple professional practice experiences. Through these placements - many with our partners in the state's largest health system, WVU Medicine - they gain real-world experience utilizing electronic health records (EHR) systems and other key software platforms.
Get to know us.
Visit. Join us for a campus tour or prospective student day or take a virtual tour of the Health Sciences Center and the STEPS facility.
Apply. Join our community by applying online at apply.wvu.edu.
Who you are
Professionals enjoy flexible career opportunities that span diverse areas of specialization, from cybersecurity to healthcare data analytics to clinical research coordination, and more. Whether using health data to optimize patient outcomes or working to ensure patients’ information and records are accurate and protected, health information management professionals are vital members of the interprofessional healthcare team. Key areas of specialization include:
- Compliance and risk management
- Healthcare privacy and security
- Health informatics and data analysis
- Clinical documentation improvement
- Information governance
- Operations and medical records administration
- Revenue cycle management
Graduates find diverse opportunities in healthcare systems, hospitals, private practice offices, clinics, skilled- and long-term care facilities, and healthcare software companies.
Students who graduate with a Health Informatics and Information Management baccalaureate degree may be prepared for the following careers, among many other opportunities. Each of the following careers are projected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics to grow much faster than the average of other occupations:
- Medical and Health Services Managers (Median Salary [2023]: $110,680/year)
- Clinical Data Managers (Median Salary [2023]: $108,020/year)
- Health Informatics Specialists (Median Salary [2023]: $103,800/year)
Facts
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RHIT® to BSonline completion program for currently certified Registered Health Information Technicians®.
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Accelerated BS to MHApathway for well-qualified students pursuing careers in health administration.
Program Fast Facts
Academic Year 2019-2020
- Program Enrollment: 125
- 2020 Graduates (May, August, and December): 26
- Fall-to-Fall Program Retention Rate: 87.1%
- Student Satisfaction: 100%
- Employer Satisfaction: 100%
Academic Year 2020-2021
- Program Enrollment: 127
- 2021 Graduates (May): 26
- Fall-to-Fall Program Retention Rate: 87.8%
- Average Time to Completion of Program: 4.2 years
- Student Satisfaction: 100%
- Employer Satisfaction: 100%
Academic Year 2021-2022
- Program Enrollment: 93
- 2022 Graduates (May): 23
- Fall-to-Fall Program Retention Rate: 88.0%
- Average Time to Completion of Program: 4.2 years
- Student Satisfaction: Pending survey results
- Employer Satisfaction: Pending survey results
Hear from current Mountaineers
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Megan McDougal
Health Informatics and Information Management
“To watch my students be successful and continue in the medical field is an amazing feeling.”
Nicholas McCardle
Health Informatics and Information Management
“The staff and faculty here have been fundamental in helping us out. The program director, Sally Lucci, teaches a couple of classes, she gets us volunteering positions at the HIM department and takes us to conventions where there are numerous networking opportunities.”
Megan Holley
Health Informatics and Information Management
“It is really inspiring to be a part of the School of Medicine and meet people with all types of majors, backgrounds and interests, but have one thing in common and that’s health, healthcare and medicine. I made some great connections with my peers and professors.”
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Recent News
Accreditation
The Health Information Management accreditor of West Virginia University is the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM). The College’s accreditation for Baccalaureate degree in Health Informatics and Information Management has been reaffirmed through 2029-2030. All inquiries about the program’s accreditation status should be directed by mail to CAHIIM, 200 East Randolph Street, Suite 5100, Chicago, IL, 60601; by phone at (312) 235-3255; or by email at info@cahiim.org.