New baccalaureate program offered in the rapidly growing field of Health Information Management
As our society continuously evolves with the accessibility and functionality of technology, our healthcare field develops further too. The field of Health Information Management is rapidly growing and becoming a viable career option for the future with a 20% increase in job opportunities by the year 2026, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Best College Reviews advises that the most promising college majors for potential students to enroll in are based in computer information systems, medical technology, and a handful of other healthcare related fields. A baccalaureate program in Health Information Management (HIM) encompasses computer sciences, healthcare, and even business skills in one degree for students looking to build a variety of skills and open doors for a multitude of future career opportunities.
In addition to entering some of the fastest growing fields, earning a bachelor’s degree has some advantages as well. The Bureau of Labor Statistics found that in 2016, 21% of jobs were looking for candidates with a bachelor’s degree. They also found that on average, professionals with bachelor’s degrees earned at least $10, 000 more per year than those who did not. Northeastern University also cites that 86% of professionals with bachelor’s degrees were more satisfied with their jobs and felt that they were leading them on the path to something better in their lives.
Attaining a bachelor’s degree can be enticing, but difficult in the modern world. Time commitments, expenses, and opportunity are not always realistic for everyone’s lives. Beal College has a strong understanding of the barriers that can come between a student and their educational goals. Beal has worked diligently to design a baccalaureate program accessible to a wider range of students, even those considered non-traditional, seeking a rewarding career in the healthcare field. Beal offers modular scheduling for a more flexible education, financial aid and veteran’s benefits (for those who qualify) for more affordable access to higher learning, real world integration of on the job skills at externship sites in the Bangor area, and they even extend their education to international students.
Accelerated Bachelor’s Degree
Beal’s accelerated HIM bachelor’s degree is a 120 credit program which students can complete in only 32 months. Coursework includes critical thinking, computer concepts and coding, pharmacology, healthcare management, financial management, and more to create a well-rounded educational experience for their students. Beal is now preparing students with the skills to work in a professional setting with healthcare agencies, government offices, medical offices, academic institutions, consulting firms and law offices, and even software companies specializing in healthcare. Beal has also designed their new program to prepare students to sit for three certification exams through the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) including Registered Health Information Technician, Registered Health Information Administrator, and Certified Coding Specialist certifications.
Our healthcare systems are in continuous need of caring individuals who are business minded, tech savvy, and interested in healthcare. We live in an incredible time where our society knows more about our own health than ever before. There is a whole industry devoted to monitoring and learning about our own health in order to live more fulfilling, longer, and healthier lives. Health Information Management has become accessible to the public with smart phone applications, websites, and programs to monitor our preventative healthcare. These initiatives wouldn’t be possible without the professionals dedicated to the Health Information Management field. In both the patient and professional situation, knowledge is power.
Knowledge and preventative health aren’t the only positives to this increase in access to technology based health information. As our population grows older, the management of their healthcare is essential to their lives and their family’s lives. Having well trained and passionate professionals in the Health Management field can aide this growing elderly population into their later life.
Just as technology has evolved drastically, so has the healthcare field. Individuals who have multiple skills or passions, but want to help others in their career pursuits have options to join the healthcare field in the crucial and more business-sided role of Health Information Management. Having compassionate, responsible, and well-educated professionals in roles as health information managers, data analysts, risk management officers, clinical documentation improvement specialists, or even patient access associates, makes the field of HIM even stronger for the future of healthcare.
Potential students who are interested in taking the next steps into this important field of interest should check out all that Beal College has to offer in their new Health Information Management bachelor’s program. Earning a bachelor’s degree in HIM can help those who are naturally motivated, empathetic, organized, and analytical to use their effective communication and diligence in a rewarding career with endless possibilities for change and advancement — just like the Health Information Management field.
Beal College is accepting applications for their competitive new program. The next set of classes will begin September 3, 2019 at Beal’s convenient Bangor, Maine Campus. This could be the right time, the right school, and the right path for you to start a career in the healthcare and technology field.
By: M. Kidder