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What is a health information management director and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

A Health Information Management Director, abbreviated as HIM Director, is an individual responsible for the oversight of integrity, security, and privacy of all financial and clinical data. He/she handles the business aspect of a healthcare entity. Health information management involves the collection, analysis, storage, and protection of patient records either digitally, physically, or both.

The recent increased popularity of electronic health record-keeping has led to an increased demand for health information management professionals. HIM Directors often work in hospitals, insurance companies, physician offices, government agencies, and even consulting firms.

Depending on the institution they work in, HIM Directors are responsible for the review of patient records for accuracy, oversight of clinical coding for insurance purposes, management of junior staff members in the HIM department, and ensuring compliance with legislation, especially data laws.

HIM Directors usually work full-time 40 hours a week from 9 to 5 and in an office setting. An HIM Director's role has grown to be one of the most important ones in a healthcare institution. They make sure that patients get a seamless experience right from start to end.

ScoreHealth Information Management DirectorUS Average
Salary
8.5

Avg. Salary $132,896

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
4.8

Growth rate 11%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
6.1
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.25%

Asian 8.56%

Black or African American 8.86%

Hispanic or Latino 16.94%

Unknown 4.19%

White 60.21%

Gender

female 83.45%

male 16.55%

Age - 46
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 46
Stress level
4.8

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level
6.0

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance
8.6

Work life balance is excellent

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a health information management director

  1. Explore health information management director education requirements

    Most common health information management director degrees

    Associate

    38.4 %

    Bachelor's

    35.1 %

    Master's

    8.2 %
  2. Start to develop specific health information management director skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Patients21.30%
    Oversight7.74%
    Medical Terminology6.78%
    ICD-106.00%
    Transcription5.89%
  3. Complete relevant health information management director training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New health information management directors learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a health information management director based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real health information management director resumes.
  4. Gain additional health information management director certifications

    Health information management director certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific health information management director certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

    The most common certifications for health information management directors include Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) and Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA).

    More About Certifications
  5. Research health information management director duties and responsibilities

    • Manage EMR image title, deficiency table, physician table, ROI table.
    • Implement and manage projects with complex HL7 interfaces between multiple clinical systems including writing project plans.
    • Achieve this goal by providing clear policies/justification for initiatives which impact designated FTE's.
    • Provide physician education on documentation improvement initiatives for ICD-9 and ICD-10.
  6. Prepare your health information management director resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your health information management director resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a health information management director resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable health information management director resume templates

    Build a professional health information management director resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your health information management director resume.
    Health Information Management Director Resume
    Health Information Management Director Resume
    Health Information Management Director Resume
    Health Information Management Director Resume
    Health Information Management Director Resume
    Health Information Management Director Resume
    Health Information Management Director Resume
    Health Information Management Director Resume
    Health Information Management Director Resume
  7. Apply for health information management director jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a health information management director job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first health information management director job

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Average health information management director salary

The average health information management director salary in the United States is $132,896 per year or $64 per hour. Health information management director salaries range between $95,000 and $185,000 per year.

Average health information management director salary
$132,896 Yearly
$63.89 hourly

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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