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About the Profession
The rapid pace of change occurring
in the health care system has heightened the need for quality
medical information. The
intricate nature of health information demands its expert management
by trained professionals.
Health information professionals are
responsible for processing, analyzing, distributing and protecting
the confidentiality of
health information. These individuals play central roles in
hospital administration of programs for reimbursement, quality
improvement,
and risk-management. Due to the critical nature of their work,
health information professionals must demonstrate competence
in areas that intersect with the health care system, including
information management, computer science, law, finance, and
business management.
Health information professionals are often
required to ensure the integrity of data for public health
initiatives and research
projects. They may also be called upon to educate consumers
or other health professionals regarding the appropriate management
of medical records. Health information management professionals
are particularly sensitive to privacy issues.
Health information
professionals may be credentialed as registered health information
administrators (RHIA), registered health
information technicians (RHIT), certified coding specialists
(CCS), or certified
coding specialists for the physician office (CCS-P). These
credentials are awarded to a candidate upon successful
completion of the
American Health Information Management Association's (AHIMA's)
national certification examinations. The RHIA and RHIT
credentials are maintained by meeting specific national continuing
education
requirements.
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