Health information technology refers to the management and organization of patients’ medical records. Most medical records are now Electronic Medical Records (EMR) and a health information technologist is trained to manage these computer files. In health information technology jobs you may also be required to do coding for billing to insurance companies. This field is a relatively new one, but health information technology is a growing field. The emergence of health information technology jobs is due to more and more hospitals and private physicians storing their records in computers, and because of government efforts toward centralized and more systematic e-health records.
You'll increase your chances of landing a good job in this field if you have a good ability to work with computers and a health information technology degree from an accredited school; if you're interested in distance learning options, you can enroll in an online college and earn your degree from home. Here is some helpful information about healthcare information technology:
Education Requirements
Education requirements for a career in healthcare information technology include courses in information technology, statistics, database management and healthcare law. Subjects that will help you prepare for these careers include medical and healthcare terminology, software applications, classification and coding systems, and healthcare information. Some institutions require a two-year associate's degree in relevant courses for entry as a health information technician. However, further education is required for promotion to higher positions. Apart from the direct application of Health Information Technology courses, a degree in the fields of food science, environmental science, biochemistry, physiology or psychology may be relevant.
The American Health Information Management Association offers credentials as Registered Health Information Technicians (RHIT) or Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA) to qualified individuals. Certification for these careers can increase your salary and your chances of landing a good position in this field.
For full-time professionals who want to change careers, intensive but short-term online courses are available. Some community colleges may also offer weekend or night classes to help you start your health information technology career.
Job Responsibilities
In general, a health care technician is responsible for entering and maintaining accurate and up-to-date medical records, as well as medical, financial and administrative data, through the use of specialized computer systems. Health care technicians regularly communicate with health care professionals to maintain clear and accurate records. This is a health-related profession that does not deal with hands-on patient care. Additional responsibilities may include medical transcription, coding and billing. Technicians may also be called upon to improve the EMR’s (Electronic Medical Records) for quality and usability.
Some of the job titles associated with this field includes the following: database manager or administrator; billing, coding, informatics technician; professional trainer for software programs; manager or administrator of the health informatics department and insurance claims adjuster.
The usual hours for healthcare information technologists vary from place to place, but they usually work a 40 hour week. Hospital settings may require day, evening or nightshift work. There is a potential for overtime.
Wages and Job Outlook
There are currently about 172,500 health information technology jobs held in the U.S., with almost 40% of those at hospitals. The average median salary for this career is $30,610. The salary can range from $24,290 to $39,490 and can be as high as $42,760 for executive positions. Demand for health information technicians is expected to rise by about 20% through 2018. This makes the health information technology job outlook better than average.
The typical workplace setting for this field can include hospitals, nursing care facilities, clinics, insurance firms and public health departments.
Health information technology is an exciting and rewarding field. If you love the healthcare field, working with computers and have an eye for detail, then being a health information technologist might be a great career for you.