The mission of the Health Information Management (HIM) program at Spokane Community College is to prepare students to be self-motivated, critically thinking, and problem-solving learners and future HIM professionals. HIM students will be offered the education and skills necessary to prepare them to work in all areas of the HIM profession. HIM students will understand the importance of contributing to and being ethical members of the profession, while meeting the needs of an ever-changing profession. Students will be encouraged to become lifelong learners to prepare themselves for the continued growth and evolution of the HIM profession. This mission statement is located in the HIM Handbook and is posted in every class in the program. This AAS degree program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (www.cahiim.org) and prepares students for employment in maintaining and processing health information in hospitals, nursing facilities, ambulatory care clinics and health insurance agencies. Training in a realistic work environment include managing computer databases, coding and abstracting clinical data, quality control management of information, health-related legal principles and policies, and knowledge of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and HITECH Act regulations. Upon completion of the program, students are eligible to take the Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) certification exam offered by the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA). A 2.5 grade is required for all HIM prefix courses and a 2.0 grade or better must be maintained in all other courses required for a degree. All HIM courses must be completed within five years. There are options for advanced degrees in Health Information Management. Contact the program director for more information.