By Steven Krolak
(NEW ALBANY, Ind.)–IU Southeast’s health information management (HIM) program has earned initial accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM).
With nearly a century of developing record-keeping best practices in its DNA, CAHIIM accredits degree programs in health informatics and health information management.
“CAHIIM accreditation is the gold standard for health information management programs and is the benchmark by which students and employers determine the value of a health information management education,” said Holly Hoffman, lecturer in biology and allied health, and director of the HIM program at IU Southeast.
Accreditation is a voluntary review process that measures program curriculum against 26 current professional standards addressing competencies in program planning, evaluation of outcomes, leadership and faculty qualifications, governance, and curriculum, according to Hoffman.
“Adhering to CAHIIM accreditation standards ensures a quality program,” Hoffman said. “graduating from a CAHIIM-accredited program provides employers the assurance that you have the expected professional knowledge and skills that are relevant in today’s electronic health record environment.,”
With this milestone, IU Southeast now boasts the only CAHIIM-accredited HIM bachelor’s program in the Louisville metro area providing face-to-face instruction.
“I feel confident our students will be prepared to meet the needs of our local healthcare workforce,” Hoffman said.
That’s critical, given the expected trajectory of this occupation: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics considers medical records and health information technicians as one of the fastest growing sectors in the workforce, with a projected growth of eight percent over the next decade, according to Hoffman.
“I’m overjoyed with excitement about the future of our program and the ability to serve the needs of our students and local healthcare community,” Hoffman said.