What Is the Difference Between Health Information Management and Health Information Technology?

Healthcare organizations generate significant amounts of healthcare data every day, from patient medical records and treatment documentation to insurance records and administrative health information. Managing this information carefully supports quality patient care, coordination among health care professionals, and maintaining accurate patient health records throughout the healthcare process.¹

Two fields commonly associated with healthcare data are Health Information Management (HIM) and Health Information Technology (HIT). Although these terms are sometimes used interchangeably, they refer to different aspects of how health information is handled within organizations.^1,2

Understanding the distinction between these areas may help individuals researching healthcare education or training options better understand the roles data management and technology can play in healthcare environments.³

Rasmussen University offers a Health Information Management Bachelor’s degree program. Rasmussen University does not offer any programs in Health Information Technology.

Understanding Health Information Management (HIM)

Health Information Management (HIM) is typically the practice of acquiring, analyzing, and protecting digital and traditional medical information that supports patient care. The field combines elements of business, science, and information technology to support the organization and stewardship of healthcare data.¹

HIM typically focuses on how health information is collected, maintained, and protected throughout its lifecycle within healthcare systems.¹

What Does a Health Information Professional Do?

Health information professionals, or HIM professionals, are typically trained to manage health data, ensure accurate patient health records, and maintain electronic health records across clinical and administrative workflows. Their work may support the daily operations involved in managing health information and electronic health records (EHRs).¹

A key part of their role may involve helping ensure that patient health information remains:¹

• Complete
• Accurate
• Properly protected

Health information professionals often act as a connection point between multiple groups within healthcare environments. They may interact with clinicians, administrators, technology designers, operations teams, and information technology professionals to support the effective management of healthcare data.¹

These professionals may also work on the classification of diseases and treatments, helping ensure that information is standardized for clinical, financial, and legal uses within healthcare systems.¹

Overall, HIM focuses on maintaining the quality, integrity, security, and protection of patient health information. By managing medical data carefully, these professionals contribute to how healthcare information is organized and maintained throughout the care delivery cycle.¹

What Is Health Information Technology?

Health Information Technology (HIT) refers to the systems, tools, and digital infrastructure used to collect, store, access, and share healthcare information. Unlike HIM, which focuses on managing the quality and integrity of data, HIT emphasizes the technical platforms that make electronic health information usable across different healthcare settings.²

HIT systems often connect hospitals, clinics, laboratories, and patients, enabling information to flow where and when it is needed. Common components of HIT may include:²

• Electronic health records (EHRs) and clinical software
• Data storage and analytics platforms
• Medical devices that capture and store patient data
• Information and communication technologies such as computers, tablets, and mobile devices
• Security measures and technical standards to ensure data integrity and privacy

Emerging technologies are increasingly part of HIT, including:²

• Telehealth, which uses video calls, mobile applications, and remote monitoring tools to deliver care outside traditional clinical settings
• Artificial intelligence (AI), which can assist with analyzing medical images, supporting diagnosis, or helping with treatment planning

Together, these systems and technologies illustrate how HIT can provide the digital backbone that allows healthcare information to be used efficiently, safely, and in real time.²

Integrating HIM and HIT

As healthcare organizations increasingly adopt digital systems, the work of Health Information Management (HIM) and Health Information Technology (HIT) may become more closely connected. HIT systems provide the technological infrastructure used to create, store, and share electronic health information, while HIM practices help ensure that the information within those systems remains accurate, standardized, and properly protected.³

Research on electronic healthcare environments suggests that these fields often intersect in areas such as maintaining the confidentiality and security of patient information, managing the quality and usability of health data, and supporting consistent medical terminology and documentation standards. In many healthcare settings, professionals working in HIM and HIT may collaborate to help ensure that health information systems function effectively while maintaining the integrity and accessibility of patient data.³

Key Differences Between HIM and HIT

Although Health Information Management (HIM) and Health Information Technology (HIT) both focus on healthcare information, they generally approach that information from different perspectives. HIM primarily centers on managing and governing health data, while HIT focuses on the technology systems used to process and exchange that data.³

Health Information Management involves the acquisition, analysis, protection, and stewardship of medical information across healthcare organizations. HIM professionals may focus on ensuring that patient information is complete, accurate, standardized, and secure throughout its lifecycle. Their work often includes managing documentation practices, supporting the classification of diseases and treatments for clinical and administrative use, and helping maintain the integrity and confidentiality of health records.¹

Health Information Technology, by contrast, focuses on the technical infrastructure that enables healthcare data to be captured, stored, and shared electronically. This area typically involves the application of computer hardware and software to process healthcare information for communication and decision-making. HIT systems may include electronic health records, data storage platforms, communication technologies, and connected medical devices that collect or transmit patient information.²

Another key difference lies in how each field contributes to healthcare operations. HIM practices often emphasize data governance, information quality, and regulatory compliance, while HIT focuses on building, implementing, and maintaining the digital systems that support healthcare workflows.³ In practical terms, HIT systems provide the technological tools that make electronic health information possible,² while HIM practices help ensure that the information within those systems remains reliable, secure, and usable across the healthcare delivery process.¹

Why Understanding HIM and HIT Matters

Healthcare organizations depend on both careful management of health information and the technology that enables its use.^1,2 Health Information Management (HIM) focuses on ensuring that patient data is accurate, complete, and secure, supporting workflows, coding, and compliance with privacy standards.¹ Health Information Technology (HIT), on the other hand, provides the systems and tools such as electronic health records, telehealth platforms, and analytics software that allow healthcare information to be stored, shared, and used effectively.²

Understanding the distinction between HIM and HIT can offer insight into how healthcare information flows through clinical and administrative processes. While HIM addresses the quality, accessibility, and protection of information, HIT addresses the infrastructure and tools that make that information usable in real time.^1,2 Together, these fields shape the digital and operational environment of modern healthcare, influencing how information supports care delivery, decision-making, and communication across organizations.^1,2

¹American Health Information Management Association, “Health Information 101,” https://www.ahima.org/certification-careers/certifications-overview/career-tools/career-pages/health-information-101/ (accessed March 10, 2026).
²International Trade Administration, “Health Information Technology,” https://www.trade.gov/health-information-technology-0 (accessed March 10, 2026).
³Zeng, X., Reynolds, R., and Sharp, M., “Redefining the Roles of Health Information Management Professionals in Health Information Technology,” Perspectives in Health Information Management, https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2781729/ (accessed March 10, 2026).