An Exploratory Study Demonstrating the Health Information Management Profession as a STEM Discipline

Area of Science:

• Health Informatics
• Data Science
• Educational Policy

Background:

• Health Information Management (HIM) is crucial for managing healthcare data.
• The integration of HIM into STEM fields is not yet widely recognized.
• Existing HIM competencies offer a unique perspective on data management and analysis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish a strong case for incorporating Health Information Management (HIM) into Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) educational curricula.
• To demonstrate the alignment between HIM competencies and core STEM disciplines.
• To analyze AHIMA membership data for evidence of overlap between HIM and STEM employment sectors.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive review of the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) HIM competency domains.
• Analysis of HIM competency subdomains for alignment with STEM content areas (science, math, technology).
• Evaluation of AHIMA membership data to identify employment overlaps between HIM and STEM fields.

Main Results:

• HIM competency subdomains directly align with STEM disciplines, particularly in informatics, data analytics, and data utilization.
• Specific HIM competencies and tasks clearly map to content found in science, math, and technology.
• AHIMA membership data indicates that HIM professionals are frequently employed in roles and settings common to both HIM and STEM.

Conclusions:

• Health Information Management (HIM) possesses significant overlap with STEM disciplines.
• HIM should be formally recognized and integrated into STEM education to enhance workforce development.
• This integration can foster a more robust understanding of data science and informatics within healthcare.