Pre-Health Information Management
“Every time health care personnel treat a patient, they record what they observed and how the patient was treated medically.
This record includes information the patient provides concerning his or her symptoms and medical history, as well as the results
of examinations, reports of X-rays and laboratory tests, diagnoses and treatment plans. Increasingly, this information is
maintained electronically in healthcare information systems.
Health information technicians organize, analyze and manage this health information. They ensure its quality, accuracy,
accessibility and security and ensure appropriate disclosure of information in both paper and electronic systems. Technicians
use various vocabularies and classification systems to analyze, code and categorize patient information for quality reporting and
support clinical and business decision making at both the individual and population levels as well as for insurance
reimbursement purposes, databases and registries. In addition, the health information technician is also involved in information
technology and data management activities that include, but are not limited to, maintaining patients’ medical record and
treatment information.
Medical and health services managers, also called healthcare executives or healthcare administrators, plan, direct and coordinate
medical and health services. They might manage an entire facility; specialize in managing a specific clinical, ancillary or
administrative area or department; or manage a medical practice for a group of physicians. Medical and health services
managers must be able to adapt to changes in healthcare service delivery models, payment, laws, regulations and technology.
Health information managers typically earn a salary of $32,000 to $84,000 per year with increases commensurate with higher
education and experience.
The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics has projected a 21 percent growth in the number of health
information management workers between 2010 and 2020, making it one of the nation’s fastest-growing health occupations.
Nearly 75 percent of respondents to a 2002 study reported that there are not enough qualified applicants to fill open positions in
their organizations.” Taken from http://explorehealthcareers.org/en/Career/33/Health_Information_Manager
To gain the best first-hand knowledge about health information management, students should contact health information
managers (medical record administrators), visit their facilities, and talk to them directly. Working in an office of health
information management on a paid or volunteer basis is also highly recommended. The Pre-Health Information Management
program on the next page is specifically recommended for students interested in the Entry Level Master’s Degree program at
the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis. It is a Pre Requisite Program only, which means that
students do not earn a Bachelor’s Degree from MTSU. Students interested in the Bachelor’s Degree program at Tennessee State
University should contact TSU directly for more information.
For more information please see your Advisor in the Pre Professional Health Science Advising Center in KUC 316 or email preprof@mtsu.edu. Eric Miller Advising Manager 615-­‐494-­‐8894 ericb.miller@mtsu.edu Last Names A-­‐D http://ericbmiller.setmore.com Douglas Adams Advisor 615-­‐898-­‐2316 douglas.adams@mtsu.edu Last Names E-­‐M http://douglasgadams.setmore.com Jon Buchalski Advisor 615-­‐898-­‐5465 jon.buchalski@mtsu.edu Last Names N-­‐Z http://tinyurl.com/nelvlsn Pre-Health Information Management
Suggested Curriculum
3 hrs 4 hrs 4 hrs 3 hrs 3 hrs 17 hrs First Year Spring ENGL 1020 Research and Argumentative Writing BIOL 2020/2021 Anatomy and Physiology II PSY 1410 General Psychology COMM 2200 Fundamentals o f Communication INFS 2200 Introduction to Microcomputing 3 hrs 4 hrs 3 hrs 3 hrs 3 hrs 16 hrs Second Year Fall HLTH 2 600 Intro to the Health Professions HIT 1010 Medical Terminology Literature General Education Elective INFS 2600 Intro to Software Dev. and Prog. ACTG 2110 Principles of Accounting I 3 hrs 3 hrs 3 hrs 3 hrs 3 hrs 15 hrs Second Year Spring INFS 3700 Systems Analysis and Design HUM General Education Elective ECON 2410 Principles of Macroeconomics US History General Education Elective ACTG 2120 Principles of Accounting II vsv 3 hrs 3 hrs 3 hrs 3 hrs 3 hrs 15 hrs Third Year Fall MGMT 3610 Principles of Management MGMT 3810 Human Resources Management INFS 3100 Principles of Management Info Syst BCEN 3510 Business Communication INFS 3200 Business Application Development 3 hrs 3 hrs 3 hrs 3 hrs 3 hrs 15 hrs Third Year Spring INFS 4790 Database Design and Development BCEN 3010 Office Management BLAW 3400 Legal Environment of Business MGMT 4680 Organization Behavior US History General Education Elective 3 hrs 3 hrs 3 hrs 3 hrs 3 hrs 15 hrs First Year Fall ENGL 1010 Expository W riting CHEM 1010/1011 Intro to General Chem I BIOL 2010/2011 Anatomy and Physiology I HUM General Education Elective MATH 1530 Applied Statistics