Overview
Personal health information about Canadians is being collected, recorded, reviewed and transmitted daily.
Informed decisions affecting health services can only be achieved with the best information available. The role of health information management goes beyond managing health records to managing the information contained in those records.
Using computer skills and knowledge of healthcare fundamentals, critical medical information is translated from patient health records into data following national data standards. The health information management professional then interprets the data to provide comprehensive quality information for patient care, resource allocation, statistics, research, planning and education.
The Health Information Management program provides classroom instruction, laboratory practice with industry-specific software, and clinical practicum placements at established healthcare facilities. You will be trained to become a competent health information management professional with these resources and support.
This program includes a practicum placement. Based on the availability of the practicum sites, you may have to relocate to anywhere in Alberta and, in some circumstances, outside the province.
Is this the right fit for me?
You'll experience success in this program and profession by developing the following traits, skills and aptitudes:
- critical thinking
- effective communication skills (speaking, reading, writing, and listening)
- ability to work independently or work well with others
- ability to participate in classroom, lab, and practicum activities as scheduled by the program
- ability to use technology
- attention to detail
- ability to maintain professional behaviour and emotionally self-regulate
- sit for long periods of time (3-4 hours)
- ability to type at 30wpm with high accuracy.
Applicants are strongly encouraged to refer to the ALIS website for career, learning, and employment information for Health Information Management Professionals as well as the governing body’s competency profile for the profession to ensure you understand the skills required to achieve all the competency-based objectives for the program and profession.
Accreditation
This program is accredited by the Canadian Health Information Management Association (CHIMA) and meets the Learning Outcomes for Health Information Management (LOHIM).
Credential
Upon successfully completing the program, graduates will be awarded a SAIT Health Information Management diploma.
Graduates can also write the national certification exam with the Canadian College of Health Information Management (CCHIM). If passed, you will become a certified Health Information Management Professional (CHIM) recognized by the Canadian Health Information Management Association (CHIMA).
Get important updates about our health and medical programs
Career opportunities
Graduates can pursue job opportunities as a(n):
- health record administrator
- release of information specialist
- access and disclosure specialist
Related careers include:
- administrative assistant
- health information technology specialist
Tuition and fees
Estimated cost per year:
Domestic total 2023/24
- Year 1: $7,354
- Year 2: $7,093
International total 2023/24
- Year 1: $20,745.91
- Year 2: $19,847.20
Final costs are dependent on the number of courses a student takes per semester.
Requirements
You will be offered admission to this program through direct entry if you meet the admission requirements and space is available.
Health Information Management
Train for a career in interpreting data in the medical field. Learn how to provide comprehensive quality information for patient care, resource allocation, statistics, research, planning and education.
Admission requirements
Program requirements
Completion of the following courses or equivalents:
- At least 60% in Math 30-1, or Math 30-2,
- At least 60% in English Language Arts 30-1 or English Language Arts 30-2,
- At least 60% in Biology 30
All applicants must demonstrate English language proficiency prior to admission, including students educated in Canada.
SAIT accepts high school course equivalents for admission. If you don't meet the requirements, consider Academic Upgrading.
SAIT evaluates international documents for admissions. After applying, consider our international document assessment service if your education is from outside Canada. SAIT may also accept courses completed at certain international post-secondary institutions.
Practicum requirements
The School of Health and Public Safety has many practica partners located within Alberta and across Canada. Practicum placements in Calgary are limited, and you may be required to travel or relocate outside of the city.
Successful applicants will be assigned their practicum placement. While we'll strive to assign your practicum location based on your preference, it is not guaranteed. Special considerations will not be given. You will be responsible for fees associated with the practicum, such as entrance requirements, relocation and travel costs.
In compliance with the practica agreements with our clinical partners, you will be requested to provide proof of the following requirements:
- Immunization records
- Police Information Check, including Vulnerable Sector Check
Learn more about practicum requirements
When should you apply?
Visit our Apply page to see when applications open and close for upcoming semesters.
To see which semesters this program has intakes for, look at the Available Intakes information at the top of this page.
Direct entry: four-step process
Step 1: Read the program information to see the qualities needed for student success.
Step 2: Ensure that you meet all of the admission requirements listed above.
Step 3: Apply to the program and submit your transcripts.
Admission will be extended on a first-qualified, first-offered basis until the program is full.
Step 4: Continue to monitor your application status through mySAIT.ca.
You must submit final transcripts/grades to show you have completed the courses and met the minimum admission requirements by the transcript deadline or your seat will be rescinded.
This program meets the eligibility criteria for the Post-Graduation Work Permit program for international students as long as the student is enrolled in the on-campus delivery mode or completes more than 50% of the courses on campus (for the blended option). International students attending all classes online will NOT be eligible for a Post-Graduate Work Permit. International students are responsible for maintaining their eligibility throughout their studies.
Communication during admission
Email is the primary source of communication during the admission process. Ensure your personal email account is managed appropriately to receive our emails, files and communications.
We recommend you add hps.info@sait.ca domain to your safe senders' list or you risk missing critical email messages.
When do classes start?
Classes for this program adhere to the following year start and end dates based on the semester the student begins their program.
| Classes begin | Year start date | Year-end date |
|---|---|---|
| Fall 2022 | Sept. 6, 2022 | June 30, 2023 |
| Fall 2023 | Sept. 5, 2023 | June 28, 2024 |
Program outline
Program outline
Looking for course descriptions and requisites? Visit the course catalogue
Open Studies courses available
Some courses in this program are available through Open Studies.
Open Studies is a great way to explore a certain subject before diving into the full program. See what courses are offered by finding this program on the Open Studies courses tab.
First year
Semester 1
| Course Code | Course Name | Credit |
|---|---|---|
| ANPH-220 | Anatomy and Applied Terminology | 3.0 |
| CDAB-210 | Data Classification I | 3.0 |
| COMP-264* | Introduction to Digital Productivity Applications | 1.5 |
| HILA-200* | Health Information Law I | 1.5 |
| HRSC-210 | Health Information Management I | 3.0 |
| PATH-242* | Pathophysiology I | 3.0 |
| Semester 1 total | 15.0 | |
Semester 2
| Course Code | Course Name | Credit |
|---|---|---|
| CDAB-260 | Data Classification II | 3.0 |
| HCPP-260 | Healthcare Information Technology | 3.0 |
| HILA-250 | Health Information Law II | 1.5 |
| MEDT-250 | Medical Terminology II | 1.5 |
| PATH-252* | Pathophysiology II | 3.0 |
| PROF-240* | Healthcare Professionalism | 1.5 |
| Semester 2 total | 13.5 | |
Semester 3
| Course Code | Course Name | Credit |
|---|---|---|
| PRAC-264 | Practicum I | 3.0 |
| Semester 3 total | 3.0 | |
| First year total | 31.5 | |
Second year
Semester 4
| Course Code | Course Name | Credit |
|---|---|---|
| ANPR-300 | Analysis & Presentation | 1.5 |
| CDAB-310 | Data Classification III | 3.0 |
| HCPP-300 | Healthcare Database Design | 3.0 |
| HRSC-320 | Health Information Management II | 3.0 |
| STAT-220 | Statistics | 3.0 |
| Semester 4 total | 13.5 | |
Semester 5
| Course Code | Course Name | Credit |
|---|---|---|
| CDAB-360 | Data Classification IV | 3.0 |
| HCPP-350 | MS Access Database Design | 1.5 |
| HCPP-370 | Healthcare Data Queries | 1.5 |
| HCPP-380 | Healthcare Project Management | 1.5 |
| QUAL-350 | Quality Management | 1.5 |
| RSCH-355 | Epidemiology & Research Design | 1.5 |
| Semester 5 total | 10.5 | |
Semester 6
| Course Code | Course Name | Credit |
|---|---|---|
| PRAC-394 | Practicum II | 6.0 |
| Semester 6 total | 6.0 | |
| Second year total | 30.0 | |
| Program total | 61.5 | |
| * Available by correspondence and/or online learning. The courses must be completed within the time frame shown in the program outline. Please contact the Academic Chair prior to enrolling in any online or correspondence courses. | ||
Progression
Students must attain a PGPA and/or a CGPA of 2.0 or better in each semester and pass the necessary prerequisite courses to progress through the program. To qualify for graduation, students must pass all courses, attain a CGPA of 2.0 or better and complete course requirements within the prescribed timelines.
Review our grading and progression procedure >
Transfer options
The opportunity to advance your education by transferring in, within or on from SAIT is available.
Learn more about program and institution partnership agreements.
Costs 2023/24
Tuition and fees
The following costs are effective as of July 1, 2023. They are an estimate of tuition and fees based on the recommended course load per year. *
Domestic students
| Year | Number of semesters | Tuition fees | SAIT fees | Saitsa fees | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2.5** | $5,481 | $1,105 | $768 | $7,354 |
| 2 | 2.5** | $5,220 | $1,105 | $768 | $7,093 |
International students
| Year | Number of semesters | Tuition fees | SAIT fees | Saitsa fees | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2.5** | $18,872.91 | $1,105 | $768 | $20,745.91 |
| 2 | 2.5** | $17,974.20 | $1,105 | $768 | $19,847.20 |
*For a detailed breakdown of tuition costs per course, visit the domestic and international fee tables.
**.5 indicates a combination of full-time semester(s) and part-time semester(s) in the same academic year. In many cases, students are completing a practicum during their part-time semester. Part-time students are those taking less than nine (9) course credits in a semester.
Fees
Your fees are calculated based on the number of course credits you take per semester (approximately 16 weeks of study). In most cases, your fee is determined based on whether you're taking more or less than nine (9) course credits (more than nine credits in a semester are considered full-time studies.)
Fees are adjusted for programs with start dates outside of the typical 15-week program.
Learn more about what your fees are for
Fees are subject to change without notice.
| Fees | < 9 credits per semester | > 9 credits per semester |
| SAIT fees | ||
| Campus athletic and recreation | $51.50 | $103 |
| Student support fee | $52.75 | $105.50 |
| Student technology fee | $52.75 | $105.50 |
| UPass* | N/A | $160 |
| Total | $157 | $474 |
| Saitsa fees | ||
| Student association fee** | $16.22/credit | $146 |
| Health plan*** | N/A | $86 ($172 annually) |
| Dental plan*** | N/A | $79 ($158 annually) |
| Total | $311 maximum | $476 |
*Additional eligibility requirements apply for students to obtain a UPass. To check your eligibility, visit our Upass page.
**Saitsa fees are paid per credit to a maximum amount of $146 per semester.
***Health and dental fees are charged per semester to an annual maximum amount of $172 for health and $158 for dental. In most cases, program fees quoted are based on students paying for a full year of health and dental coverage. International students are charged these fees regardless of course load. Domestic students with existing health and/or dental plans can opt-out. Learn more at saitsa.com/benefits.
Books and supplies*
Books, software, and supplies are approximately $1,600 each year.
Students are responsible for any additional expenses related to their practicum, including pre-practicum requirements as outlined by the program, and relocation costs to practicum sites outside of Calgary.
For an estimate of the costs associated with purchasing a computer that meets the program's hardware and software requirements, see our computers and laptops page.
Next steps for incoming students
Have you been accepted to this program? Here's what you'll need for your first day of classes.
✅ Plan ahead ❗️
You are required to complete several health, confidentiality and consent forms before starting your program. All completed and signed paperwork is needed on orientation day.
Get started on practicum requirements
Orientation
Your program orientation (ORNT 118) will be held on campus on Sept. 1. Check your schedule in mySAIT for the time and location details.
Learn more about your orientation.
How to register for classes
Course registration opens on March 1 through March 15 for Spring 2023.
You’ll receive an email from us indicating what registration process you’ll use to enroll in your classes.
Learn more about how to register and the different registration methods used at SAIT.
Computers and laptops
This is a bring your own device program with a standard hardware and software requirement. See the specific requirements on our computers and laptops page.
PC Computers are preferred over Mac for this program.
Required personal protective equipment (PPE)
The industry-approved PPE you'll need will be discussed during your first few days of classes.
Other requirements
- Police Information Clearance with Vulnerable Sector Check Associated
- Immunizations record
- Health and Wellness Status
Preparation courses
To support your success, short courses are available to you to help prepare you for the academic year:
PERS 050: Student Rights and Responsibilities
This course is designed to introduce you to student rights and responsibilities at SAIT. You will learn about SAIT's rich and diverse community, become familiar with guidelines and procedures that create a safe, respectful learning experience for you, and gain practical tips for how you can engage in the SAIT community in a positive and responsible way. PRES-050 must be completed within 30 days from the start of the semester.
PREP 100: The SAIT Experience
Get tips and insider information on time management, exam preparation, effective notetaking and more through this free, online short course for new students. Plus, learn about discussion boards, online communication and submitting assignments online. Course completion is recommended by the end of your first semester.
Both courses can be accessed through Brightspace (D2L) before the first day of classes.
Students taking a full-time course load, or more than nine (9) credits per semester, will be automatically enrolled in these courses.
They are optional for students taking a part-time course load (9 or fewer credits per semester). Part-time students can register by emailing academic.coaching@sait.ca.
Required textbooks
Find your booklist on the SAIT Bookstore's website. The booklist will be available closer to the program start date.
Can’t find your program or course? The bookstore didn't receive a textbook list. Contact your program directly to determine if they’re still refining course details or if you're in luck, no textbook purchase required this term.
Contact
Phone: 403.284.8481
Email: hps.info@sait.ca
Next steps for all students
Here's what else you'll need to do to get ready!
Next steps for accepted students
Important dates and deadlines
Find important dates applicable to all students, including your transcript and tuition payment deadlines on our Important Dates page.
Your journey starts here
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