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Technical Standards

Learn about the technical standards that all students pursuing a bachelor's degree in Health Information Management at the University of Kansas School of Health Professions must meet.

Upon successful completion of the health information management (HIM) degree program, the student receives a bachelor's degree in health information management (HIM) and is then eligible to sit for the Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA) certification exam. These professionals work in various capacities throughout the health care delivery system in roles which are technical, administrative, and/or managerial in nature.

The following technical standards must be met by all students with or without accommodations:

1. Observational
Students in health information management must be able to learn from experiences and understand content in didactic and clinical settings. This includes, but is not limited to the following:

  • medical record content, including discernment and use of clinical and administrative data displayed within the medical record
  • statistical, financial, and reimbursement data, including utilizing spreadsheets, software, databases, and performing mathematical calculations
  • management and leadership techniques and styles
  • information systems and technology
  • clinical concepts

2. Communication
Students in health information management must be able to communicate effectively and efficiently in English, including in electronic formats, with other students, faculty, staff, researchers, and the public. Effective communication includes the following capabilities:

  • understand assigned readings, lectures, and technical and professional materials
  • analyze information
  • present results of such analyses
  • independently prepare papers and presentations
  • follow instructions

The use of computers and other modern technology is imperative to this communication for manipulating medical records, assimilating information, producing documentation, and interpreting data.

3. Sensorimotor
Students in health information management must have gross motor, fine motor and equilibrium functions reasonably required to access information from or use the following:

  • a computer, keyboard, touchscreen, or mouse
  • a phone
  • other office equipment (i.e., printers, scanners, copy machines, etc.)

Students must be able to physically manipulate medical records (i.e. turning pages, assembling, sorting, carrying, lifting, filing, etc.). Students are required to travel to a variety of traditional and nontraditional facilities for professional practical experiences.

4. Intellectual, Conceptual, Integrative, Quantitative, and Problem-Solving
Students in health information management must be able to make decisions, including understanding the rationale for their decisions and how to justify decisions. This includes performing the following:

  • measurements and calculations
  • reasoning and comprehension
  • performing and analyzing needs assessments
  • synthesizing information from a variety of sources

5. Behavioral and Social
Students in health information management are expected to exhibit professional behavior and attitude during their participation in the classroom and clinical situations. This includes, but is not limited to the following:

  • using appropriate language
  • demonstrating competency in stressful situations
  • accepting responsibility for one’s own actions
  • establishing and maintaining healthy relationships with faculty, peers, supervisors, patients, and other stakeholders
  • completing tasks and assignments as required by faculty or supervisors

All students are expected to demonstrate professional characteristics indicative of success in the profession of health information management. This includes, but is not limited to the following:

  • being honest and ethical
  • demonstrating empathy when appropriate
  • demonstrating responsibility for oneself
  • working effectively in teams

NOTE: Reasonable accommodations will be considered and may be made to qualified students who disclose a disability, so long as such accommodation does not significantly alter the essential requirements of the curriculum and the training program, or significantly affect the safety of patient care. Students who disclose that they have a disability are considered for the program if they are otherwise qualified. Qualified students with a disability who wish to request accommodations should provide the appropriate documentation of disability and submit a request for accommodation to the University’s Office for Academic Accommodations. Students may submit this request by contacting 913-945-7035 (711 TTY) or cukoko@kumc.edu.

KU School of Health Professions

University of Kansas Medical Center
Health Information Management
3901 Rainbow Boulevard
Mailstop 2008
Kansas City, KS 66160
913-588-2423 • 711 TTY