Bachelor of Health Information Management

On successful completion you will be able to:

1. Apply coherent and theoretical knowledge and skills with depth in health information management and its sub-domain of health classification to real-world discipline-related scenarios across the whole of health.
2. Exhibit well-developed cognitive, technical, analytical and evaluative skills in specialist health informatics technology  applications, with the capacity for generating solutions to complex problems.
3. Identify, analyse, interpret, and communicate health data and information using a variety of forms and media.
4. Work effectively independently or as part of a team, in a variety of multidisciplinary professional and social contexts.
5. Resolve ethical dilemmas appropriately in accordance with professional values and ethics as they pertain to the discipline of health information management and its subdomains.

When you graduate, you’ll be well-placed to find employment in a range of healthcare industries, including hospitals, community health centres and specialist disease registries.

Possible roles include:

• Health information manager
  • Manage and secure patient records while meeting the medical, legal, ethical, and administrative requirements of healthcare delivery. 
• Clinical coder
  • Record healthcare data by translating descriptions of medical diagnoses and procedures into codes.
• Healthcare data analyst
  • Acquire, analyse, and translate healthcare data, and provide actionable insights to physicians, clinical researchers, and decision-makers.
• Medical research officer
  • Lead research projects, analyse and interpret data, and liaise with clinical collaborators.

Professional recognition

The Bachelor of Health Information Management is accredited by the Health Information Management Association of Australia (HIMAA). Professional membership may require an application to the professional body and may have additional or ongoing requirements beyond completion of the degree. Please contact the relevant professional body for details.

Higher education via OUA

Successful completion of the following four Open Access Pathway subjects with minimum weighted average mark (WAM) of 70%:

• HBS1HBA Human Biosciences A
• STM1001 Making Sense of Data
• HIM1HAU Healthcare in Australia
• HIM1UDH Understanding Digital Health

Secondary education

Demonstrate proficiency equivalent to Year 12 prerequisites.

Work and Life

Satisfy the academic requirements by completing the STAT multiple choice if you:

• are not currently studying an Australian Year 12 (or equivalent)
• have no prior secondary school (Year 12), VET studies, HE studies or relevant work experience that can be considered for entry, or
• do not meet the minimum academic requirements for the program.

Refer to the La Trobe University STAT page for further information.

Practicum placement

Students are required to undertake 55 days of supervised professional placement.

La Trobe University will consider applications for advanced standing, or credit for prior study. Credit may be applied to a current degree if you have undertaken previous tertiary study and completed and passed subjects similar in content and standard to those offered at La Trobe, from either another recognised tertiary institution or a different La Trobe course.

Note: Applications for credit will not be considered until you have successfully been admitted to a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) in a La Trobe course offered through OUA.

Assessing whether you should apply for credit for subjects in your course:

Credit may be granted for relevant subjects. The following steps will help you to decide which subjects you wish to apply for:

1. Identify subjects within your course that you think align with subjects you have already studied and have completed within 8 years of your La Trobe University course commencement year.
2. Provide subject outlines with detailed information for each subject that you wish to submit for assessment for credit, identifying which subject within your course that you have identified as a match. Include subject learning outcomes/objectives and subject content for each subject.
3. Provide your academic transcript for your previous studies.

*Note that a subject studied can only be used once for credit

La Trobe’s Bachelor of Health Information Management combines the clinical and business sides of healthcare to prepare you for a career as a health information expert. You’ll develop a comprehensive skillset covering areas like clinical classification, data analytics, health informatics and health systems management.

Build the foundation of your skills in health information management in your first year of study. Then deepen your technical and professional expertise throughout the rest of your degree, including 55 days of supervised professional placement.

With the perfect blend of expertise and experience, you’ll graduate ready to work in all areas of healthcare – from hospitals and community health centres to specialist disease registries.

You'll learn:

• Anatomy and physiology
  • Understand the fundamental internal and external structures of the body and how they function. Learn the language of medicine.
• Health informatics and data analysis
  • Discover how to apply Health Information Technology (HIT) into a healthcare setting to aid the delivery of care. Build the skills to analyse health data and disseminate health information insights at local, state, national and international levels.
• Health classification and clinical coding
  • Learn how to encode patient record information using a health classification system. Understand the international and local standards for recording and communicating health data.
• Management of electronic health information systems
  • Gain the skills to manage electronic health information systems, such as understanding security, access and integration requirements.
• Health information ethics and law
  • Investigate the ethical challenges and legal requirements of working with health data, including ways to ensure patients can control their health information.

Recommended Study Pattern

Students who wish to enrol in a part time load are recommended to enrol in one subject per term. Please refer to the La Trobe University Handbook to review the full structure.

Students who are studying and want to take a break (minimum one study period) must submit a leave of absence covering the relevant dates.

Students who have been accepted in a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) are required to complete the following 2 modules in their first term as a CSP student:

LTU0AIM Academic Integrity Module

ABS0WOM Wominjeka La Trobe: Indigenous Cultural Literacy for Higher Education

Award Requirements

To qualify for the award of Bachelor of Information Technology, students must complete 24 subjects (360 credit points) as follows:

• 24 core subjects

Students who have been accepted in a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) are required to complete the following 2 modules in their first term as a CSP student:

LTU0AIM Academic Integrity Module

ABS0WOM Wominjeka La Trobe: Indigenous Cultural Literacy for Higher Education