Flexibility is a central focus of East Central College’s Health Information Management (HIM) program.

The program’s appeal lies in its flexible schedule and online coursework, and flexibility for graduates to choose a variety of career paths, spanning various employment fields.

Kim Scheel, the HIM Program Director, highlights HIM’s broad scope, which encompasses administrative, operational, and clinical aspects of healthcare. HIM specialists play a crucial role in ensuring quality patient care. They are responsible for managing information at every stage of healthcare delivery.

Graduates of the HIM program can work in diverse settings, including hospitals, clinics, insurance companies, and government agencies. Additionally, ECC now offers an exciting new Healthcare Security Certificate of Specialization within the HIM program.

ECC students in the HIM program can also start the program at any time, lending the additional flexibility, Scheel added.

For more information about ECC and the HIM program, visit here or contact Scheel at kim.daman-scheel@eastcentral.edu or 636-584-6662.

ECC Student Testimonials

The American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) acknowledges the contributions of HIM professionals during the annual Health Information Professionals (HIP) Week, April 15-19, and HIM ECC students like Madeline Baird and Rodney Grouns.

Baird, from Marthasville, a stay-at-home mom, found the HIM program ideal for her situation. She sought a career that would allow her to work remotely while caring for her children.

“I waited a while to find something that fit my lifestyle perfectly and the HIM program did just that,” Baird said. “I knew I wanted to do something medical but also administrative, so I think it is a great happy medium.”

Grouns, on the other hand, transitioned to HIM after a family tragedy prompted him to reconsider his career path.

“After obtaining success in the retail sales sector, my wife unexpectedly passed leaving me to raise our daughter alone,” he commented. “I soon recognized that if I was to remain in my current field, I would not be able to be present in my daughter’s life.”

Grouns was pointed to the HIM program by those already in the health information sector.

“I realized that the occupation, hours and the time frame to obtain a two-year degree from ECC fit in with my time frame and budget.”

Baird, who will graduate in May with an Associate of Arts, an Associate of Applied Science, and a Certificate of Achievement in Health Information Management, plans to work from home while her children are young.

“In the long run, I would love to be a manager of a healthcare facility,” she added. “Hopefully a pediatric setting.”

Grouns plans to complete the HIM program in the Spring to Summer 2025 and then work at a local hospital.

“I plan on gaining experience and explore further education, if necessary, to scale into a leadership position,” he commented.

Students’ Recommendation

Both students recommend ECC’s HIM program to those uncertain about their career paths. They highlight the program’s flexibility and the multitude of career opportunities it offers.

“The schedule is very flexible, and there are so many directions you can take your career,” Baird said. “If you want to do medical billing or coding you can, or if you eventually want to take your career into managing a facility and employees that is also an option.”

“If you are unsure of what type of degree you want to pursue, I recommend this HIM program for sure,” Grouns noted. “You will obtain a degree that qualifies you for higher compensation than most other two-year degrees.”

“The Health Information field is in high demand right now,” he added. “ECC has very affordable classes, so you won’t be left with a bunch of student debt, making it easier to start you post-college life.”

Grouns further added that the courses are challenging, but manageable, and worth it for the education students receive.

“I have been out of school for over a decade, but the teachers are very organized, dedicated and willing to help,” he said. “The classes are online for the most part, which is very convenient for someone like me who has a young child to care for as well and a part time job.”

RHIT Exam

The HIM program at ECC prepares students for the Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) exam, paving the way for professional certification. Accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management (CAHIIM), ECC’s HIM program meets industry standards.

Every year, ECC students outperform the national average score on the RHIT exam. In 2022-2023, ECC students’ pass rate was 83 percent, higher than the national pass rater of 80 percent. While those numbers may not seem high, achieving an 83 percent pass rate is excellent, especially considering the difficulty of the exam.