Health Information Technology Schools
The Health Information Technology career field is considered to be one of the fastest growing occupations within the medical field. Health Information Technology combines the knowledge of anatomy and common medical conditions with the ability to learn software and process computerized data quickly and efficiently. Health Information Technology majors may be employed at hospitals, doctors' offices, clinics, insurance companies, billing agencies or through the government. Individuals working in Health Information Technology may fill a wide variety of positions, however all individuals in this field work with medical information from patients, most commonly in a digital form. This field requires a high degree of skill with computers and medical software, as well as organizing skills and thorough communication abilities.
Health Information Officers or Technicians are the most common positions for those studying in this field. These individuals may integrate patient records digitally for offices moving away from paper records among other tasks. Technicians and officers will often be responsible for filling requests for records and documentation or, especially for those employed by an insurance company, monitor records and claim forms to ensure the quality of data and the applicability of the pursued treatment.
Certified Medical Coders, a specialized type of Health Information Technician, assist medical facilities with proper billing and this position requires knowledge of medical coding classification. This is a common entry level position for Health Information majors. Cancer Registrants specialize in cancer registries and documenting and tracking information for cancer patients, whom often require multi-faceted care. Chief Information Officers are responsible for the security of medical files and are responsible to ensure a facility's practices comply with state and federal laws.
Many universities offer training programs for individuals seeking to enter the Health Information Technology field. Options exist from the short-term training required for a certification to a Master's Degree or beyond, depending on the specific field. Many technicians and registrants can complete training for their position is under a year. Those with a Master's Degree can often command high salaries, especially individuals employed at regional hospitals or those employed in the Health Information Security sub-field. This field is expected to grow substantially with the aging population and offers a wide variety of specializations. |