Although doctors may still walk around with patients’ charts and files, that information is also stored inside a computer system. Making sure the information is accurately entered, managed, and kept safe and confidential is what makes up the bulk of a Health Information Technologist’s job.
Health information technology is a wide ranging and growing field. As the population ages and computers increasingly become part of everyday life, health information technology is vital to the care of patients at hospitals and doctors’ offices around the country. Storing and updating files is an easy but detailed and time consuming job, while the databases these files are stored on and the networks that are used to access them are crucial to the smooth operation of these facilities. If a database or network is allowed to fail or even crash, the files could be lost or corrupted so badly that important, lifesaving information could be lost.
Health information technology careers will require a strong background in computer sciences, database security and management and network repair and maintenance. Additionally, people wishing to become health information technologists will need to either have a working knowledge of or be able to quickly learn and understand medical terminology (including anatomy and physiology), the legal issues surrounding healthcare, data requirements and standards for the healthcare field, and the privacy considerations of health information.
What can someone entering the health information technology field expect to earn? The entry-level pay scale for health information technologists who are working in large hospitals ranges from around $26,000 a year up to $32,000 a year. Once working in this field, opportunities for advancement will depend on experience, education and motivation.
A person looking at becoming a health information technologist will typically have at least an Associate’s degree. A health information technology degree can be obtained at many community colleges these days. An additional option for those with busy lives is online courses. Many schools are offering online degree programs in the IT and medical fields – including Associate’s or Bachelor’s degrees and continuing education classes in health information technology. This is a great option as it allows the prospective technologist the opportunity to study at her own pace, yet still work at a full-time job.
Most people do not have the luxury of quitting their jobs in order to go back to school. Although they may wish to increase their earning power and future job options, they can’t afford to take any time off work. An online IT degree program is an attractive choice for many people who want to enter the exciting field of health IT. It offers them the flexibility and security that simply going to school will not provide. Since many schools have reasonable tuition and fees and coursework can be spread out to meet the students’ needs, online degrees also prevent students from having to take out sizable student loans which can take many years to pay off.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the health information technology field will continue to grow, at a much faster than average rate of 20 percent, for the next 10 years at least. Entering into this exciting and challenging field now will help ensure future job opportunities and employment. Although not entirely recession proof, the health care field is continually expanding. Health information technologists can help grow and shape the future and security of health care.