SAIT - Southern Alberta Institute of Technology

Diploma in Health Information Management

Train for a career managing personal health information and interpreting data to assist with patient care, research, education and resource allocation through action-based learning in computers and healthcare essentials.

Personal health information about Canadians is being collected, recorded, reviewed, and transmitted every day. Informed decisions affecting health services can only be achieved with the best information available.

The role of health information management goes beyond managing health records to managing the information contained in those records. Using computer skills and knowledge of healthcare fundamentals, critical medical information is translated from patient health records into data following national data standards. The health information management professional then interprets the data to provide comprehensive quality information for patient care, resource allocation, statistics, research, planning and education.

This program provides classroom instruction, laboratory practice with industry-specific software, and unpaid clinical practicum placements at established healthcare facilities to train students to become competent health information management professionals.

Note: There is a possibility of out-of-province placements due to a shortage of practicum sites within Alberta. It is also common for placements to be outside the city of Calgary.

Credentials and accreditation

After successfully completing this program, graduates will receive a SAIT Health Information Management diploma.

Graduates of the Health Information Management program will be eligible to write the national certification exam with the Canadian College of Health Information Management (CCHIM). After successful completion of the national exam, individuals will become certified Health Information Management Professionals (CHIM) recognized by the Canadian Health Information Management Association (CHIMA).

Accreditation

This program is a Learning Outcome for Health Information Management (LOHIM) accredited program by the Canadian Health Information Management Association.

Transfer Options

The opportunity to advance your education through transfer to, within or from SAIT is available with the following universities and colleges:

• Thompson Rivers University
• University of Lethbridge
• University of New Brunswick, Saint John
• University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT)