Health Information Management - A.A.S. Degree/Certificate

Launch Your Career in a Rapidly Growing Healthcare Field

Dive into the future of healthcare with Alvin Community College’s Health Information Management (HIM) Program. Designed for both the tech-savvy and the career-changing student, this online program equips you with the skills to manage and protect essential patient health information, a cornerstone of quality care. 

Whether pursuing an Associate of Applied Science degree in two years or a Level II Certificate in eighteen months, our flexible learning options cater to your schedule, allowing you to balance life’s demands while advancing your education. 

You’ll gain real-world experience in healthcare settings, preparing you to excel in various roles from hospitals to tech firms. By the end of the program, you'll be ready to take on the Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) exam and step into a career where information technology meets patient advocacy, ensuring a future as dynamic as the field itself.

Career Opportunities:

Our HIM graduates find diverse career paths in the healthcare ecosystem, from hospitals and clinics to private practices. They are vital in managing patient data, ensuring efficient healthcare delivery through their expertise in record management, information security, and compliance. 

Careers in HIM offer the potential for growth in areas such as medical coding, health information analysis, and electronic health record management. These roles are fundamental in the evolving landscape of healthcare information technology and provide a stable and rewarding career.

Career Data


Why ACC?

Alvin Community College’s HIM program values flexibility, support, and excellence. Our online courses accommodate any schedule, offering full and part-time options. The curriculum includes both hands-on professional practice experience and virtual lab applications, ensuring you're industry-ready. 

With our small, cohort-based classes, you'll receive personalized attention while building valuable connections. Our faculty are seasoned HIM experts, providing insights and networking opportunities that extend beyond the classroom. ACC offers a supportive academic environment, crucial industry connections, and an affordable pathway to a career in health information management.

How to Apply:

Admission Requirements

  1. Be a high school or GED graduate.
  2. Apply to ACC and fulfill the admission requirements.
  3. TSI (Texas Success Initiative) requirement satisfied as determined by ACC's testing and placement policies.
  4. Apply to the Health Information Management Program (online or in office).
  5. Complete the personal statement.
  6. Pass a drug screen and criminal background check.
  7. All students are required to make a "C" or greater for all Health Information Management (HITT) courses.
  8. Current immunizations required for clinical rotation.

The next application period is through June 15, 2025. To apply, complete the online application below during the application period. Applicants must be TSI complete.

HIM Information Packet

Apply Here

Information Session:

For more information about the Health Information Management Program, attend an information session and meet our staff. HIM information sessions will be held virtually.

October 15, 2024 12:00 pm
November 12, 2024 12:00 pm
January 21, 2025 12:00 pm
February 18, 2025 12:00 pm
March 11, 2025 12:00 pm
April 8, 2025 12:00 pm
April 22, 2025 12:00 pm
May 6, 2025 12:00 pm
June 3, 2025 12:00 pm
June 10, 2025 12:00 pm

Information Session 

Meeting Link 


Please click on the meeting link a few minutes before the scheduled time to join the meeting.


Health Information Management - A.A.S. Degree/Certificate

Health Information Management, A.A.S.

(CIP 51.0707)

281-756-5659

Purpose: A degree in Health Information Management (HIM) will prepare the successful student for a technologically advancing career in Medical Coding and Health Information Management. The HIM field is entwined in every aspect of health care and includes acquiring, organizing and analyzing patient medical information. It encompasses knowledge of information technology, science, and business. HIM professionals play a significant role in ensuring patient records are accurate, complete, and protected. Health Information Management Technicians work for hospitals, physician's offices, urgent care facilities, vendors, insurance companies, Electronic Health Records (EHR) software companies, and more.

Program Overview: Alvin Community College offers a Health Information Management (HIM) program, which includes a Certificate II in Medical Coding and an AAS in Health Information Management. Instruction for the Certificate II and AAS HIM courses are offered online. Upon completion of the Coding Certificate students may sit for a coding credential sponsored by the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC) or the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA). HIM students completing the AAS Degree will sit for the Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) credential sponsored by AHIMA.

Accreditation:

The Health Information Management accreditor of Alvin Community College is the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM). The College's accreditation for Associate degree in Health Information Management has been reaffirmed through 2029-2030.

All inquiries about the program's accreditation status should be directed by mail to CAHIIM, 200 East Randolph Street, Suite 5100, Chicago, IL, 60601; by phone at (312) 235-3255; or by email at info@cahiim.org.  

CAHIIMCAHIIM Logo

233 N. Michigan Ave 
21st Floor
Chicago, IL 60601-5800
Phone: (312) 233-1134
Email: info@cahiim.org

Admission Requirements

  1. Be a high school or GED graduate.
  2. Apply to ACC and fulfill the admission requirements.
  3. TSI (Texas Success Initiative) requirement satisfied as determined by ACC's testing and placement policies.
  4. Apply to the Health Information Management Program (online or in office).
  5. Complete the personal statement.
  6. Pass a drug screen and criminal background check.
  7. All students are required to make a "C" or greater for all Health Information Management (HITT) courses.
  8. Current immunizations required for clinical rotation.

Transfer of HIM Credits  

HIM courses completed at another college or university will be considered for credit if the course contains similar content, comparable hours (classroom and clinical), and a grade of "C" or better.   

Students transferring the Coding and Classification Systems course (HITT 1341) must have completed the current medical coding system for credit.  If the current medical coding system was not instructed (ICD-10- CM and ICD-10-PCS), students have the option to retake the course or take it as an "audit course". Students enrolled in "audit" courses must complete all required coursework and maintain a 70% or better grade.  Audit courses will not be reflected on the student's ACC transcript.    

Program Progression/ Dismissal   

Students will abide by the admission and curriculum requirements of Alvin Community College and the HIM Department at the time they are admitted or re-admitted to the program.  

  1. Once a student has enrolled in the HIM Program, all courses must be completed in the proper sequence as shown in the catalog degree plan or must have the approval of the Program Director.  
  2. No grade below a C will be acceptable for progression.  
  3. All students must demonstrate competencies associated with the program curriculum within the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) domains as required by accreditation standards outlined by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM).   
  4. Students may be dismissed from the program in the event they are asked to leave a professional practice experience (PPE).  The student may not be allowed to continue in the program depending on the severity of the issue. 
  5. Only two (2) attempts in any HIM course will be permitted. If a student does not obtain a C or better in the HIM core courses with two attempts, they can no longer continue in the program and are not eligible to return.  
  6. Students must complete the program within five (5) years after initial acceptance.  If a student returns to complete the program after five years, they must start over at the very beginning and repeat the entire program.  

Total Credits Required for Health Information Management Degree: 60

+ Denotes core requirement. Speak with Department Chair or Pathways Advisor for proper course selection.

* Capstone Course

Statutory law (Texas Occupations Code, Chapter 53) requires the Alvin Community College nursing and allied health programs to notify prospective applicants and future healthcare professionals a licensing/credentialing authority may suspend or revoke a license/credential, disqualify a person from receiving a license/credential, or deny to a person the opportunity to take a licensing/credentialing examination on the grounds that the person has been convicted of certain criminal behavior.

    Health Information Management-Medical Coding Certificate, CERT2

    (CIP 51.0707)

    281-756-5659

    Total Credits Required for Medical Coding Certificate: 38

    + Denotes core requirement. Speak with Department Chair or Pathways Advisor for proper course selection.

     

    Statutory law (Texas Occupations Code, Chapter 53) requires the Alvin Community College nursing and allied health programs to notify prospective applicants and future healthcare professionals a licensing/credentialing authority may suspend or revoke a license/ credential, disqualify a person from receiving a license/credential, or deny to a person the opportunity to take a licensing/credentialing examination on the grounds that the person has been convicted of certain criminal behavior.


      *How Much Will the Program Cost?

      The Health Information Management A.A.S. degree program costs approximately $5174 per year for in-district students and $8224 per year for those out-of-district. This includes tuition and fees. Additional fees for books and supplies may vary.

      The Medical Coding Level II Certificate program costs approximately $3476 per year for in-district students and $5404 per year for those out-of-district. This includes tuition and fees. Additional fees for books and supplies may vary.

      For more information on education costs, payment options, payment plans, deadlines and more, visit our Tuition and Fees section.

      Financial assistance is available for those who qualify.  For more information, visit our Financial Aid section.

      *Alvin Community College may change tuition rates and other fees without notice or when so directed by the Board of Regents.

      The mission of the Alvin Community College Health Information Management Program is to offer quality education to prepare students to become competent entry-level health information management professionals with the knowledge and skills to ensure accessibility, accuracy, integrity, and security of health information, so that they may become gainfully employed.

      The Health Information Management accreditor of Alvin Community College is the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM). The College's accreditation for Associate degree in Health Information Management has been reaffirmed through 2029-2030.

      All inquiries about the program's accreditation status should be directed by mail to CAHIIM, 200 East Randolph Street, Suite 5100, Chicago, IL, 60601; by phone at (312) 235-3255; or by email at info@cahiim.org.  CAHIIM Logo

      CAHIIM

      200 East Randolph Street 
      Suite 5100
      Chicago, IL 60601-5800
      Phone: (312) 235-3255
      Email: info@cahiim.org

      Students seeking the Coding Certificate can sit for the coding credential from the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC) or American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA)

      Year Pass Rate Employment Rate Student Satisfaction Rate

      2022 -

      2023

      100% 95% 100%
      Year Graduate Rate Employment Rate Retention Rate

      Student Satisfaction

      Rate

      2021-2022 100% 100% 77% 100%
      Year Graduate Rate

      Employer/Student

      Satisfaction Rate

      Retention Rate Attrition Rate
      2020-2021 100% 100% 57% 50%
      2019-2020

      Program began

      2019, no data 

      to report

      Program began

      2019, no data

      to report

      33% 50%

      Pathways logo

      COLLEGE & CAREER PATHWAYS

      Health Information Management is part of our Health Career Pathway. Click the box below to see other Health programs that may interest you.

      Health Career Pathway


       

      back to top