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The Health Information Management bachelor’s degree program at the ������Ƶ at Lafayette is one of only 12 in the country to earn accreditation based on its adoption of a progressive new education model.
 
The Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education is the preeminent national accrediting organization for higher education HIM programs. CAHIIM’s competency-based Future Education Model is built around enhanced curriculum requirements and standards that address shifts in an evolving health care industry.

As part of its recent, seven-year accreditation, UL Lafayette’s was also named a Program of Distinction, the commission’s highest level of recognition. The ’ program, which is coordinated by the college’s , has long been accredited by CAHIIM. 

The latest accreditation, however, places the University “among the pioneering institutions to undergo and successfully secure accreditation under CAHIlM's Future Education Model,” Dr. Angela Kennedy, the commission’s chief executive officer, wrote in a letter of commendation.

Kennedy continued: “The (UL Lafayette HIM) program's success serves as an inspiring example for other programs looking to evolve their educational models to meet the demands of the future and ensure graduates are workforce ready.”

CAHIIM accredits over 340 higher education programs in areas such as health informatics, health information management and digital health. Accreditation involves a rigorous evaluation process that includes assessment of curriculums, student resources and training opportunities, faculty competency and development, and student and graduate outcomes.

Dr. Anita Hazelwood, who leads UL Lafayette’s Department of Health Sciences, said the HIM program became one of the early adopters of CAHIIM’s Future Education Model – and earned the Program of Distinction designation – after meeting dozens of benchmarks and standards. 

“Among them are faculty and academic excellence, research capabilities, and the ability to identify evidence-based practices and to develop student outcome measures,” Hazelwood explained. “It’s a testament to our capacity to provide our graduates with the skills and expertise they will need to thrive in ever changing and complex health care environments.” 

Said Lisa Delhomme, director of the HIM program: “Being one of only a handful of HIM programs in the country to adopt CAHIIM’s Future Education Model – and the first in Louisiana – affirms that our role as one of the top contributors to the state’s health care workforce will continue to remain strong and grow.” 

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Caption: UL Lafayette’s Health Information Management bachelor’s degree program is one of 12 in the nation to earn accreditation based on adoption of a progressive education model to address evolving health care industry needs. Lisa Delhomme, left, and Dr. Anita Hazelwood, lead the program. Credit: ������Ƶ at Lafayette