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College of Health Professions Department of Health Information Management
Texas State College of Health Professions Department of Health Information Management About Chair's Message

Chair's Message

Dr. David Gibbs

Earn more than a degree by distinguishing yourself as a credentialed Health Information Professional!

The Department of Health Information Management (HIM) at Texas State University offers nationally accredited undergraduate and graduate programs for students seeking healthcare careers managing and applying health information and technology. HIM is a rapidly expanding field that enables and improves healthcare through application of health sciences, data analytics, health informatics, finance, compliance, management, and leadership. If you are interested in one or more of these areas, HIM might be the right field for you. 

The Bureau of Labor Statistics identifies HIM as one of the fastest growing occupations with competitive salaries, strong jobs outlook, and a wide range of employment opportunities. An HIM degree or minor is also an excellent complement to students planning degrees in other clinical and administrative healthcare disciplines. Many students find the undergraduate HIM degree an excellent foundation for continuing to graduate school. 

HIM professionals play a critical role in collecting, maintaining, protecting, analyzing, and securely sharing the data that physicians, nurses, clinicians, administrators, researchers, and other members of the healthcare team rely on to deliver quality patient care. A degree in HIM prepares students for job roles spanning many categories including health informatics, data analytics, medical coding, revenue cycle, information governance, and healthcare cybersecurity. HIM professionals work in a multitude of settings throughout the healthcare industry including hospitals, clinics, physician offices, long-term care facilities, software and technology vendors, consulting services, insurance companies, government agencies, research institutions, and home health providers.

The dedicated HIM faculty and staff members at Texas State maintain programs that prepare graduates to be immediately productive on healthcare teams and adapt to emerging opportunities as technology, best practices, and regulations evolve. HIM courses are taught by student-centered faculty with extensive professional experience supplemented with practitioners working in the field.

The Bachelor of Science in Health Information Management (BSHIM) degree is designed to be completed in a 2 + 2 format consisting of two years of general education and prerequisite coursework followed by two years of HIM profession-specific coursework including professional practice experience assignments at healthcare facilities. The BSHIM degree is available on the Round Rock Campus or entirely online, depending on the needs and preferences of the student. The on-campus option is recommended for fulltime students completing their first degree and entering the healthcare field.

The Master of Health Information Management (MHIM) degree is offered entirely online with several options available. Students may choose to complete the MHIM with a concentration in Health Informatics & Data Analytics or a concentration in Health Information Security. A thesis option is also available for MHIM students desiring to work with a research mentor. Beginning in Fall 2022, MHIM students living outside the State of Texas are charged a rate comparable to in-state tuition.

BSHIM and MHIM programs are accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Health Informatics and Information Management (CAHIIM). This accreditation enables graduates from the BSHIM or MHIM programs to qualify for and take the national exam for the prestigious Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA) credential from the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA).

The HIM Department is also proud to be affiliated with the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) as an Approved Education Provider and an Academic Organizational Affiliate. These professional organization connections provide benefits to students and help ensure our curriculum aligns with current and future healthcare workforce needs. 

Now is an exciting time in the health information management profession. We are proud of our dynamic curriculum and the accomplishments of our alumni, students, and faculty. Explore our website to learn more contact me if you have additional questions.
 
David Gibbs, PhD, CPHIMS, CPHI, CHPS, CISSP, FHIMSS
Department Chair and Associate Professor
dgibbs@txstate.edu