Global Utilities

La Trobe University
University Handbook 2010

Health Information Management

Bachelor of Health Information Management/Bachelor of Health Sciences – Melbourne (Bundoora) (HZHIHS)

This course is only available for continuing students who commenced pre-2009. Those wishing to study health information management should refer to the Bachelor of Health Sciences and Master of Health Information Management entry double degree (HZHHIM).

Division of Health Studies: (03) 9479 1750

Duration: 4.5 years

This 4.5-year double-degree enables students to acquire a strong background in health sciences, with a focus on human anatomy and physiology or public health, together with a career-specific qualification in the professional field of health information management. The double degree provides professional skills and education for a range of career directions associated with the delivery of health services and the management of patient health information.

The combination of studies offered by the double degree gives graduates significant career flexibility: they are equipped to work in all sectors of the health care industry ranging from hospitals to community health centres, disease research centres, rehabilitation and community-based health services, and government health departments.

Major subjects include: health and human behaviour, health of Australians, human biosciences, management of health information systems, medical terminology, health classification, and health informatics. The human biosciences elective subjects enhance the skills of those students who wish to develop a career focus in clinical classification, which is an area of specialisation in health information management with high employer demand. There are compulsory professional practice components in each year of the course. From second year, students can specialise in major studies in human biosciences or public health. From third year, there are opportunities for further specialisation in health classification, health informatics, or analysis of health data, which are selected according to students’ future career interests.

Programs of study

The course requires a total of 585 credit points taken over 4.5 years. Students must complete a minimum number of credit points from each course at each year level, as shown in the table below. The degree can be completed in 4 years where students undertake summer studies in third or fourth year. Students make a decision at the end of teaching period 1, first year, regarding which stream of the Bachelor of Health Sciences they will take (i.e. Human Anatomy and Physiology or Public Health). Streaming commences in teaching period 2.

In certain circumstances it may be necessary for students to substitute certain subjects or alter their pattern of enrolment in the double-degree depending on their rate of progression and per academic advice. Some listed year 3 (2010) subjects may be substituted in individual Study Plans.. This requires written approval by the course coordinator.

Course Credit points To Be Completed First Year Second Year Third Year Fourth Year Total
Bachelor of Health Information Management 90 105 90 30 315
Bachelor of Health Sciences 100 80 90 0 270

Course structure: BHlthInfoMan/BHlthSc (Public Health stream)

First year (no new intake in 2010)
Teaching period Subject code Subject title Credit points
TE-SEM-1 HBS1API Introduction to the Human Body 15
TE-SEM-1 HIM1HIA Health Informatics A 15
TE-SEM-1 HIM1MHA Management of Health Information Systems A 15
TE-SEM-1 PHE1PHA Introduction to Public Health A 15
TE-SEM-2 HBS1HBF Human Body Function 10
TE-SEM-2 HBS1HRB Regulation of Human Body Function 15
TE-SEM-2 HIM1HIB Health Informatics B 15
TE-SEM-2 HIM1MHB Management of Health Information Systems B 15
TE-SEM-2 PHE1PHB Introduction to Public Health B 15
Second year (no longer offered)
Teaching period Subject code Subject title Credit points
TE-SEM-1 HBS2PAG General Pathology 5
TE-SEM-1 HIM1MTA Medical Terminology 15
TE-SEM-1 PHE1HOA Health of Australians 15
TE-SEM-1 PHE2EBD Environmental and Social Determinants of Health 20
TE-SEM-1 PHE2HSD Health Skills Development 20
TE-SEM-2 HBS2PAS Systemic Pathology 5
TE-SEM-2 HIM1HCA Health Classification A 15
TE-SEM-2 HIM2LAE Health Information Law and Ethics 10
TE-SEM-2 PHE2LCI Living with Chronic Illness and Disability 20
Third year (continuing students only)
Teaching period Subject code Subject title Credit points
TE-SEM-1 HIM2HCB Health Classification B 10
TE-SEM-1 HIM2HIC Health Informatics C 10
TE-SEM-1 HIM2MTC Advanced Medical Terminology 5
TE-SEM-1 HIM1MHC Management of Health Information Systems C 10
TE-SEM-1 PHE3PHP Public Health Programs 30
TE-SEM-2 HIM2AHA Analysis of Health Data 10
TE-SEM-2 HIM2HCC Health Classification C 10
TE-SEM-2 HIM2HID Health Informatics D 10
TE-SEM-2 PHE1AHS Australia’s Health Care System 15
TE-SEM-2 PHE2ARM Applied Research Methods in Health 20
Fourth and fifth years (three teaching periods) (continuing students only)
Teaching period Subject code Subject title Credit points
TE-SEM-1 HIM4MHF Management of Health Information Systems F 15
TE-SEM-1 HIM3HIP Health Information Professional Practice 35
TE-SEM-1 PHE3PFA Participatory Field Study A 30
TE-SEM-2 Elective/s Elective studies in Health Sciences subjects 30
TE-SEM-2 HIM3AHB Analysis of Health Data B 15
TE-SEM-2 HIM2MHD Management of Health Information Systems D 15
TE-SEM-1 and
TE-SEM-2
Elective/s Elective studies in approved BHIM subjects1 45
TE-SEM-2 HIM3MHE Management of Health Information Systems E 15

Key: 1. As part of the specialisation offered in the BHlthInfoMan, students may elect, during fourth and fifth years, to enrol in any of the following subjects (minimum of 50cps): HIM3HCD Health Classification D, HIM4HCE Health Classification E, HIM3HIE Health Informatics E, HIM4HIF Health Informatics F, HIM3HSI Health Systems Implementation, or an elective subject in medical statistics or analysis of health data.

Course structure: BHlthInfoMan/BHlthSc (Anatomy and Physiology stream)

First year (no new intake in 2010)
Teaching period Subject code Subject title Credit points
TE-SEM-1 HBS1API Introduction to the Human Body 15
TE-SEM-1 HIM1HIA Health Informatics A 15
TE-SEM-1 HIM1MHA Management of Health Information Systems A 15
TE-SEM-1 PHE1PHA Introduction to Public Health A 15
TE-SEM-2 HBS1HRB Regulation of Human Body Function 15
TE-SEM-2 HIM1HIB Health Informatics B 15
TE-SEM-2 HIM1MHB Management of Health Information Systems B 15
TE-SEM-2 PHE1PHB Introduction to Public Health B 15
Second year (continuing students only)
Teaching period Subject code Subject title Credit points
TE-SEM-1 HBS2ALL Anatomy: Lower Limb 20
TE-SEM-1 HBS2HPA Human Physiology A 20
TE-SEM-1 HIM1MTA Medical Terminology 15
TE-SEM-1 PHE1HOA Health of Australians 15
TE-SEM-2 HBS2ATL Anatomy: Trunk and Lower Limb 20
TE-SEM-2 HBS2HPB Human Physiology B 20
TE-SEM-2 HIM1HCA Health Classification A 15
TE-SEM-2 HIM2LAE Health Information Law and Ethics 10
Third year (continuing students only)
Teaching period Subject code Subject title Credit points
TE-SEM-1 HBS3APA Advanced Physiology A 30
TE-SEM-1 HIM2HIC Health Informatics C 10
TE-SEM-1 HIM2MTC Advanced Medical Terminology 5
TE-SEM-1 HIM2MHC Management of Health Information Systems C 15
TE-SEM-1 HIM2HCB Health Classification B 10
TE-SEM-2 HBS3APB Advanced Physiology B 30
TE-SEM-2 HIM2AHA Analysis of Health Data 10
TE-SEM-2 HIM2HCC Health Classification C 10
TE-SEM-2 HIM2HID Health Informatics D 10
TE-SEM-2 PHE1AHS Australia’s Health Care System 15
Fourth and fifth years (three teaching periods) (continuing students only)
Teaching period Subject code Subject title Credit points
TE-SEM-1 Elective Electives in Human Biosciences subjects 20
TE-SEM-1 HIM4MHF Management of Health Information Systems F 15
TE-SEM-1 HIM3HIP Health Information for Professional Practice 35
TE-SEM-1 and
TE-SEM-2
Elective/s Elective studies in approved BHIM subjects1 45
TE-SEM-2 HIM3MHE Management of Health Information Systems E 15
TE-SEM-2 HIM3AHB Analysis of Health Data B 15
TE-SEM-2 HIM2MHD Management of Health Information Systems D 15
TE-SEM-2 PHE2ARM Applied Research Methods in Health 20

Key: 1. As part of the specialisation offered in the BHlthInfoMan, students may elect, during the fourth and fifth years, to enrol in any of the following subjects (minimum of 55cps): HIM3HCD Health Classification D, HIM4HCE Health Classification E, HIM3HIE Health Informatics E, HIM4HIF Health Informatics F, HIM3HSI Health Systems Implementation, or an elective subject in medical statistics or analysis of health data.