| This nonexperimental quantitative descriptive-correlative research study was used to describe the source or sources with the greatest influence on the participant's decision to enroll in a postsecondary educational program with the intent of working toward a career in health information management. Participants were asked, "Which sources have the greatest influence on an individual's decision to enroll in a postsecondary educational program with the intent of working toward a career in HIM?" The study population was comprised of those matriculated students enrolled in an accredited postsecondary school offering an undergraduate medical billing and coding program at a brick-and-mortar campus located in a two-county area of a South Atlantic state. The study found that an environmental source, specifically career job opportunities, were statistically significant as the greatest influencing source for these participants. This research hopes to support efforts to provide the health care industry's subsector of health information management with a sufficient number of trained professionals to fill the need identified for trained health information management professionals, particularly medical coding specialists. |
