What is the primary focus of health information management?

The primary focus of health information management is managing and protecting patient information. This field encompasses a range of tasks aimed at ensuring that health data is accurate, secure, and accessible to authorized users. Professionals in health information management work to implement systems that safeguard patient privacy and confidentiality while also ensuring compliance with regulations such as HIPAA. They handle data governance, data integrity, and electronic health record management, which are essential for both patient care and organizational efficiency.

By maintaining high-quality health data, health information managers enable healthcare providers to make informed decisions, ultimately leading to improved patient outcomes. Ensuring that the information is protected is critical, as health data can be sensitive and is subject to legal and ethical standards. Thus, the act of managing and safeguarding this data is paramount in the healthcare landscape.