Health Information Technician

Health Information Technicians Manage Electronic Medical Records.

There's never been a better time to become a health information technician. Large-scale federal funding and aggressive regulatory deadlines for medical practices to adopt electronic health records have made healthcare the leading growth-sector for new IT jobs through 2020, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Health information technicians use specialized computer programs and record-keeping techniques to ensure that patients' electronic health records (EHRs) are complete, accurate, accessible and secure. If you're intrigued by medicine, possess strong organizational skills, and seek to enter a fast-growing field with high potential for upward mobility, health information technician is the career for you.

Learning a specialty is the quickest way to advance your health information technician career. The hottest specialties are:

• Medical Coding: Medical coders translate diagnostic and procedural phrases in health records into alphanumeric codes to ensure record accuracy, simplify the EHR review process, and improve patient care.
• Medical Billing: Medical billers enter patient and clinical data into specialized bill processing software so the medical practice can get properly reimbursed by insurance companies and government health care agencies.
• Cancer Registry: Cancer registrars analyze patient records for cancer disease patterns, treatments, and test results, and maintain the aggregated data in national cancer registry databases.

Entry-level health information technician jobs typically require an associate degree in health IT (HIT), health information management (HIM) or health informatics (HI). Bachelor's programs generally include health IT administrator training, and are designed to prepare graduates for health information technician management roles. Many positions only accept CAHIIM accredited degrees, while some health IT jobs require specific certifications, like the RHIT from AHIMA. Learn more about health information technician education requirements and compare the top-ranked health IT training programs in the U.S., Canada and online.

a.k.a. Medical Record Technician | Health Information Manager | Medical Coder | Medical Biller | Healthcare IT Technician

Healthcare IT Training

Health Information Technician Skills & Responsibilities

Typical day-to-day activities and in-demand skill sets for health information technicians include:

• Health information technicians manage patients' medical information in electronic health records.
• Health information technicians review paper forms & documents for accuracy before entry into EHRs.
• Health information technicians transfer existing paper medical records into electronic health records.
• Health information technicians use record management software to secure EHRs from unauthorized access.
• Health information technicians understand the regulatory rules of health record retention, disposal and archiving.
• Health information technicians understand EHR classification systems, healthcare IT terminology and acronyms.
• Health information technicians are responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of the e-health records database.
• Health record technicians can analyze electronic data and provide insight into disease patterns & treatment outcomes.
• Specialized health information technicians perform medical billing, health record coding, and cancer registry updates.

[Top]

Health Information Technician Salary

• Health Information Technician salary: $46,000

Average starting salaries for health information technicians and related professionals:

• Medical Records Technician salary: $43,000
• Medical Records Field Technician salary: $44,000
• Health Information Technician salary: $46,000
• Registered Health Information Technician salary: $50,000 (RHIT)
• Cancer Registrar salary: $51,000
• Certified Coding Associate salary: $51,000
• Medical Records Coder salary: $52,000
• Clinical Outcomes Coordinator salary: $63,000
• Medical Coding Consultant salary: $65,000
• Registered Health Information Administrator salary: $70,000 (RHIA)
• Health IT Instructor salary: $75,000
• Coding Auditor Supervisor salary: $77,000
• Supervisory Medical Records Administrator salary: $81,000
• Director of Health Information Management salary: $90,000

The salary range for health information technician jobs paying hourly is $14 to over $35 per hour.

[Top]

Health Information Technician Education Requirements

The most important thing to look for when evaluating Health Information Management and Health Informatics education programs is CAHIIM Accreditation; this is critical for 2 reasons:

• You must attend a CAHIIM accredited degree program in order to be eligible for the in-demand professional health information management certifications from AHIMA.
• CAHIIM accredited degrees are guaranteed by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM) to deliver the knowledge, skills and job marketability you need to succeed in HIM.

For entry-level health information technician jobs, hiring managers typically require an Associates degree in health information management (HIM), healthcare IT, or health informatics. Some entry-level health IT positions require certification, typically the AHIMA Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) certificate. Advanced HIM degrees, i.e., Bachelor's and Master's, typically prepare students for supervisory health information technician roles.

Online training programs are viable at all health information technician degree levels, as there is no direct hands-on patient care involved, and software & hardware training is easily simulated in an online learning platform. Some online degree programs for health information technicians offer unique advantages over physical classrooms, such as full-time access to virtual EHR labs so you can practice your EHR coding & billing skills 24/7.

Research and compare the top-rated CAHIIM-accredited healthcare IT training programs in the U.S., Canada and online.

[Top]

Health Information Technician Training & Degrees

Browse the top-rated health IT degrees, professional certificates, self-paced online training courses matching the health information technician education requirements and career path.

Accredited School	Health IT Training Program	Course Highlights & Certifications
Request More Info	Associate Degree in Health IT Method: Online or On-Campus Degree Level: Associate CAHIIM-Accredited: Yes Financial Aid Available: Yes	Includes Certification Prep & Exam for: AHIMA Registered Health Information Technician Certification (RHIT) CAHIIM-Accredited Associate Degree ICD-9-CM Medical Coding Training Health Ins. & Reimbursement Training Health Information Regulatory Issues Healthcare Terminology & Acronyms Online, Classroom or Blended Learning 24/7 Access to Electronic Health Record (EHR) Management Labs for Self-Study
Request More Info	B.S. in Health Information Management Method: Online or On-Campus Degree Level: Bachelor CAHIIM-Accredited: Yes Financial Aid Available: Yes	CAHIIM-Accredited Bachelor's Degree Learn Diagnosis & Procedural Coding CIS & Database Administration Training Health Care Information Laws & Ethics Electronic Medical Record Management Health IT Budget Prep & Management Healthcare Terminology and Acronyms Healthcare IT Team Leadership Practices HIM Business & Management Concepts Qualifies for AHIMA Registered Health Information Administrator Certificate (RHIA)
Request More Info	Bachelor's Degree in Health Informatics Method: Online Degree Degree Level: Bachelor CAHIIM-Accredited: Yes Financial Aid Available: Yes	Includes Certification Prep & Exams for: AHIMA Certified Coding Associate (CCA) CompTIA A+ and Project+ Certificates MTA Database Admin. Fundamentals CIW Web Foundations Associate CAHIIM-Accredited Bachelor's Degree Courses Align with AHIMA Curriculum Advanced Health Informatics Training Coding & Reimbursement Methodologies Human Anatomy and Physiology Training Healthcare Legal & Ethical Considerations Healthcare Statistics & Research Training Health IT Systems Design & Management Learn Project Management & Leadership Qualifies for AHIMA Registered Health Information Administrator Certification (RHIA)
Request More Info	Master's Degree in Health Informatics Method: Online Degree Degree Level: Master CAHIIM-Accredited: Yes Financial Aid Available: Yes Prerequisite: Bachelor's Degree	CAHIIM-Accredited Master's Degree Advanced Education in Health Care Communication Systems Management Study Relevant Interpersonal, Organizational and Mass Communication Theories Health Informatics Team Leadership and Professional Development Training Health Care Information Security, Risk Assessment, and Pre-Emptive Actions Learn how to Successfully Manage Health Care IT Vendors and Suppliers Healthcare Social & Organizational Issues
Request More Info	Health IT Degrees and Diplomas Method: Online Training Degree Level: Varies Accredited Programs: Yes Financial Aid Available: Yes	Ultimate Medical Academy Offers a Range of Marketable Health IT Education Programs: A.S. Medical Billing and Coding A.S. Health Sciences - Admin Asst Medical Billing and Coding Diploma Medical Administrative Asst Diploma Medical Office and Billing Specialist Curriculum Designed for Learning Online Quick Career-Focused Health IT Programs Open Enrollment - Start at your own Schedule No Set Class Times - Work at your own Pace Comprehensive Career Placement Service

Find Health IT Schools

Choose a Subject:
Health IT Training Healthcare Informatics Health Information Management Medical Insurance Billing and Coding Medical Records and Health IT Administration Medical Transcription Bioinformatics Training Information Technology Database Administration and Development Network Administration and Management Mobile App Development Computer Programming Information Security IT Help Desk Support Computer Systems Analyst Project Management Technology Management Graphic Design Web Development Web Design Training Computer Applications Computer Science Degrees Computer and Systems Engineering Computers and Technology Basic Computer Skills Business Administration Accounting Programs Communications and Media Criminal Justice and Legal Culinary Arts Education and Teaching Entrepreneurship Finance Training Healthcare and Nursing High School and GED Programs Liberal Arts Programs Marketing and Advertising Math and Science Project Management Psychology Programs Vocational and Trade

Degree:
All Levels Certificate Programs Diploma Programs Undergraduate Degrees Associate Degrees Bachelor Degrees Graduate Degrees Master Degrees Post-Graduate Degrees Doctoral Degrees

Zip Code:

Learning Format:
Campus or Online Online Campus

[Top]

Health Information Technician Certifications

Established in 1928, the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) is the premier certifying body in health information management. AHIMA offers a wide range of respected credentials for electronic medical record professionals and healthcare technicians across various experience levels and career specializations. Highly desirable AHIMA certifications for Health Information Technicians include the following:

• RHIT: Registered Health Information Technician
• RHIA: Registered Health Information Administrator
• CCA: Certified Coding Associate
• CCS: Certified Coding Specialist
• CHDA: Certified Health Data Analyst
• CHPS: Certification In Healthcare Privacy and Security

Find AHIMA Degrees

CompTIA's Healthcare IT Technician Certificate is a little different as it concentrates more on the overall computer technician job-role in a healthcare practice, and less on the electronic health records. The CompTIA Healthcare IT Technician certificate is ideal for existing IT and help desk professionals who want to add healthcare and specialized IT skills to their resume to find work in the red-hot healthcare IT domain.

[Top]

Health Information Technician Jobs

Your specialized health information technician training, experience and certifications qualify you for a range of jobs:

• Health Information Technician: Browse and apply to Health Information Technician Jobs
• Health Information Management (HIM) Jobs: Browse and apply to HIM Jobs
• Electronic Health Record Jobs: Browse and apply to Electronic Health Record Jobs
• Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT): Browse and apply to RHIT Jobs
• Medical Biller: Browse and apply to Medical Billing Jobs
• Medical Coder: Browse and apply to Medical Coding Jobs
• Cancer Registrar: Browse and apply to Cancer Registry Jobs
• AHIMA Certified Jobs: Browse and apply to AHIMA Certified Jobs
• Clinical Systems Analyst: Apply to Clinical Systems Analyst Jobs
• Clinical Analyst: Browse and apply to Clinical Analyst Jobs
• Medical Informatics Jobs: Browse and apply to Medical Informatics Jobs
• Businesses and Hiring Managers: Post jobs and find candidates at a discount

Search Jobs

[Top]

Health Information Technician Job Outlook

Significant federal funding and aggressive government mandates for healthcare practices to adopt and maintain electronic medical records (EMR) are driving unprecedented growth in the Health IT sector. According to the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics, healthcare will produce more new IT jobs through 2020 than any other single industry. The health information technician job market is projected to grow by 21% from 2010 through 2020, "much faster than the average for all occupations." Candidates that start health information technician training now will be well-positioned for supervisory roles as the healthcare IT market continues its rapid ascension over the next decade and beyond.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' 2012-2013 Occupational Outlook Handbook

Government funding and regulations play a large role in the positive job outlook for health information technicians:

[Top]

Health Information Technician Related Careers

• Big Data Scientist
• Database Administrator
• Network Administrator
• IT Help Desk Technician
• IT Security Specialist

[Top]