Blessing-Rieman program earns national accreditation

QUINCY — The associate of science in Health Information Management program at Blessing-Rieman College of Nursing and Health Sciences recently earned a seven-year accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education.

Accreditation is a voluntary process. It demonstrates a program has been determined to meet or exceed standards set by CAHIIM.  Students who graduate from a CAHIIM-accredited program are eligible to take the Registered Health Information Technologist certification examination, offered through the American Health Information Management Association.

Professionals holding the RHIT credential are health information technicians who ensure the quality of medical records by verifying their completeness, accuracy, and proper entry into computer systems. They also may use computer applications to assemble and analyze patient data to improve patient care or control costs. RHITs often specialize in coding diagnoses and procedures in patient records for reimbursement and research. 

“RHIT-certified professionals serve in a variety of roles within healthcare. Whether it is assisting patients to access their own personal health records or assigning the proper diagnosis codes, which impacts everything from research to registries to revenue, being a well-educated HIM professional puts a person in position to make a difference in any healthcare organization,” said Kim Pitcher, RHIA and program director, Blessing-Rieman College of Nursing & Health Sciences.

Blessing-Rieman’s HIM degree program is completely online, and is designed for both first-time college students as well as those seeking a career change through a second degree. For more information go to brcn.edu/programs/associate-science-health-information-management, or call the college at 217-228-5520.