This department supplies medical records to authorized users. 

Scope of Patient Care
The HIM department has four sections that provide service in accordance with the philosophy, objectives, and policies of Salem Hospital. 

Coding/Abstracting
Responsible for assigning ICD-9-CM, CPT, and CPT-4 codes to medical records for reimbursement and clinical data collection.
Record Completion
Identify incomplete documentation, and assist physicians with accurate record completion.
Registry
Collect and report detailed data, and conduct patient follow-up for reporting purposes.
Transcription
Transcribe reports daily (i.e. Emergency Department (ED) visits, history and physical examinations)

Department Duties

• Maintain complete and accurate records.
• Assure that records are accessible and retrievable.
• Assure confidentiality of health information.
• Assign ICD-9-CM, CPT, and CPT-4 codes to records in order to collect reimbursement in a timely manner, as well as to develop/maintain diagnosis- and procedure-specific databases.
• Provide data retrieval of clinical information.
• Assure compliance with Joint Commission information management standards and government regulations regarding medical records.
• Effectively interact with users of the medical record.

Department Professionals

• Health Information Management Operations Manager
• Manager, Health Information Management Program
• Clerk I
• Billing Representative
• Medical Records Clerk
• Coder

Educational/Skill Requirements

• Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA) Certification
• Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) Certification

More information
You can also go to the Professional Information link to see what training is needed, the current job opportunities, salary ranges, etc.  You may also want to look at the national employment picture for these careers from the U.S.Department of Labor.