HIM Professional Roles in E-HIM®

Health information management (HIM) roles are evolving as we move into an electronic era. E-HIM® encompasses managing electronic health information in electronic health records (EHRs), personal health records (PHRs), and other health information technology (HIT) such as health information exchanges (HIEs). As the record evolves from a paper record to a hybrid record to a complete EHR, the role of the HIM professional must advance to meet the changing environment. Some of the HIM functions will continue as others disappear. However, many traditional HIM functions will be transformed.

In response to this changing environment, HIM professionals must improve work processes, implement new techniques, and redesign information management practices. HIM professionals must continue to learn and develop new skills and expertise to move forward in this changing environment.

To keep pace, HIM professionals must understand the principles of change management and transition management, and the impact of the EHR on core HIM practices. Some related references include:

• Forces of Change: The Growth of Data Drives Demand for Data Management
• Managing the Transition from Paper to EHR

New roles for HIM professionals may include for example, information security manager, data resource manager, or decision support specialist.

AHIMA Sample Job Descriptions

• Health Information Director
• Health Information System Administrator
• Data Analyst
• EHR Data Integrity Analyst
• Project Manager
• Health Information Management Supervisor

Find a Mentor

Connect with a mentor to advance and grow your skills. Experts with subject matter expertise in a variety of topics are available in the ACE Directory. Some e-HIM® topics, for example include:

• E-Health
• EHR Clinical Decision Support
• EHR CPOE
• EHR Data Standards
• EHR Implementation and Stages
• EHR Interoperability
• EHR Legal Issues
• Personal Health Records

The ACE (Action Community for Excellence) Director allows you to search members of ACE by name, job level, job setting, state, or by subject. Make yourself available to the HIM profession by taking the ACE Challenge