A health information manager is a healthcare professional who is specially trained to handle confidential medical and health records of patients. He’s in charge of keeping all of these records safe and secure, as well as updating and documenting new events into patient records as needed. In addition to managing the information contained in patient files, the health information manager is responsible for storing all records in an electronic and hard copy format for easy access other healthcare professionals such as doctors, nurses, and medical billing professionals.
The management of healthcare data is an important aspect of the healthcare system. Failure to manage sensitive medical records can result in severe penalties, legal ramifications, and financial consequences for any healthcare or hospital provider. Patient wrongful death cases resulting from haphazard healthcare record management are one example.
In most cases, a standardized form of special training or education is required to become a health information manager. This can take a variety of forms, including in-house training at medical facilities, online certificate programs, and college degree requirements. It is often enough to have an interest in information technology in relation to healthcare or patient data rather than a background in healthcare.
Many health information managers complete a degree or certificate program and are permitted to work in areas other than clinical settings, so they may never have direct contact with patients or the healthcare environment. The health information manager is responsible for securely handling all medical records, health records, and insurance records in order to process patients who have received care in a medical or acute care hospital setting after receiving proper training. These records can be in either paper or electronic format. They could be notes or codes documented in special medical reports, or they could be audio files recorded the attending physicians. Health information managers should be able to interpret these records and transfer them to permanent patient files, which could be stored on or off site or within the healthcare informatics system.
Overall, the health information manager is critical to the proper handling and management of all patient information. This ensures that patients receive high-quality care and that their medical records are kept up-to-date for future care. Many serious issues can be avoided, as well as legal and financial damage to the healthcare facility. Health information managers’ work also ensures that medical reports are processed in a timely and accurate manner for insurance billing purposes, ensuring that the patient is properly billed and the healthcare facility is properly reimbursed.