Revised 08/2025
HIM 252 - Clinical Practice II (3 CR.)
Course Description
Prepares the Health Information Management student to perform all functions commonly allocated to health record services. Gives practice in various settings under the supervision of a clinical practice supervisor. Clinical practice at various facilities 6 hours per week.
General Course Purpose
The purposes of the clinical experiences provided in the course are to expose the student to the workplace setting and to permit the student to demonstrate entry-level competencies in various health record services settings.
Course Prerequisites/Corequisites
Prerequisites/corequisites are BIO 142, HIM 110, HIM 130, HIM 141, HIM 142, HIM 220, HIM 226, HIM 250, HIM 260, HIM 229, HIM 230, HIM 249, HIM 251, HIM 233 or permission of instructor. The course will be offered to any student who meets the prerequisites/co-requisites and is program placed in the Health Information Management (HIM) program.
Course Objectives
Upon successful completion of the course, the student will demonstrate entry-level competencies in the following areas:
- Analyze the structure and function of patient databases within health information systems.
- Apply data governance principles to ensure the accuracy, integrity, and security of patient records.
- Demonstrate the ability to manage patient scheduling systems to optimize clinical workflow.
- Evaluate scheduling data to identify trends and improve patient access and resource utilization.
- Monitor and manage incomplete health records to ensure timely documentation.
- Collaborate with clinical staff to support compliance with record completion policies.
- Apply legal and ethical standards to the release of health information.
- Manage requests for information using secure communication and documentation protocols.
- Assign diagnostic and procedural codes using ICD-10-CM, CPT, and other classification systems.
- Analyze case mix data to support reimbursement, compliance, and quality reporting.
- Prepare agendas, reports, and minutes for HIM-related committees.
- Participate in committee meetings to support information governance and performance improvement.
- Collect and analyze health data to identify opportunities for quality improvement.
- Develop and implement performance improvement initiatives based on data-driven insights.
- Conduct utilization reviews to assess the appropriateness of care.
- Monitor adherence to clinical pathways and support care coordination efforts.
- Describe the structure and function of peer review organizations (PROs) in healthcare.
- Evaluate the role of PROs in promoting quality and accountability in clinical practice.
- Analyze current initiatives and technologies used in peer review processes.
- Assess the impact of peer review data on clinical outcomes and healthcare policy.
- Design and implement quality improvement strategies specific to acute care settings.
- Use benchmarking and performance metrics to evaluate clinical effectiveness.
- Identify educational programs provided by PROs to support provider performance.
- Evaluate the effectiveness of training initiatives in improving clinical documentation and care quality.
- Apply best practices for accurate patient identification and registration.
- Coordinate referral and admission processes to ensure continuity of care and data integrity.
Major Topics to Be Included
- Health information systems & data governance
- Patient access & scheduling
- Record completion & documentation integrity
- Release of information & correspondence management
- Medical coding & case mix management
- Committee operations & governance support
- Quality & performance improvement
- Utilization review & clinical pathways
- Peer Review Organizations (PROs)
- Peer review projects & health policy
- Acute care quality improvement
- Educational services in Health Information
- Patient identification, referral & admission