THE WORLD IS CHANGING RAPIDLY, SO ARE HEALTH CARE CAREERS

Home About Us Our Sponsors Careers Education Employers Labor Market Info Important Links Downloads Contact Us		Health Information Administrator and Health Information Technician  (Health Information Services) DID YOU KNOW?   (click for more) DID YOU KNOW?   (click to hide) Health Information Administrator and Health Information Technician - Did-You-Know: 1. The entire field of health informatics and information management is based on the use of technology in healthcare for purposes of providing higher quality, safer healthcare to patients. 2. Health information managers are highly involved in the implementation of electronic health records in a wide variety of healthcare facilities. 3. The curriculum for health information management students includes courses covering data analysis, systems analysis, database querying and data mining as well as confidentiality and security of electronic health information. How is technology impacting any of the following areas in the Health Information field? 1. Education: Course management systems such as Blackboard and WebCT are widely used in HIM education. There are also a number of HIIM degrees provided totally through distance education including the Master of Health Informatics and Information Management at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center. 2. Research: Since the field of health informatics is entirely about technology, all research in this field is about technology in healthcare. As the National Institutes of Health encourage more translational research from the lab to the bedside, health informatics provides an important role in enabling this transfer. 3. Direct patient care: Although professionals in health informatics and information management do not provide direct patient care, their education and research are directed toward providing workable technology tools for direct care providers. 4. Administrative issues: Health information management departments have long used technology to collect, track and maintain paper health records. As the electronic health record is used more extensive in healthcare, the role of health information managers are changing. The types of positions that HIM professionals manage are particularly changing – fewer file clerks and more scanners, for example. The electronic health record also allows patient data to be more easily collected and analyzed, so there is a greater emphasis on data analysis. DESCRIPTION OF WORK: The health information management profession (HIM) is concerned primarily with the management of patient records and involves medical, administrative, ethical, and legal requirements in the storage and safekeeping of physical records. Patient records include medical histories, the results of physical examinations, reports of x-ray and laboratory tests, diagnosis and treatment plans, physicians` orders and notes, and other sources of information. Although the record is primarily used for the medical care of the patient, the information is also used for legal, financial, research, and other purposes. The field has undergone significant change in recent years due to stricter reimbursement requirements, an expanded regulatory scope, new technologies, greater demand for information, and cost-containment mandates. In 1991, members of the American Medical Record Association adopted new nomenclature and became the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA). The health information management field consists of baccalaureate-degreed Health Information Administrators (HIA), also referred to as Health Information Managers, and associate-degreed Health Information Technicians (HIT). These professions were previously known as medical records administrators and medical records technicians accordingly. There are currently eight certifications in the field of HIM – Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA), Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT), Certified Coding Associate (CCA), Certified Coding Specialist (CCS), Certified Coding Specialist-Physician (CCS-P), Certified in Health care Privacy (CHP), Certified in Health care Security (CHS), and Certified in Health care Privacy and Security (CHPS). HIAs are trained in data collection, interpretation, and analysis. They often serve as managers and participate in staffing, budgetary, and evaluation procedures. Some of the most common positions for these professionals are system manager, data quality manager, information security officer, college instructor, and consultant. As more facilities integrate patient records into the national health information infrastructure, HIAs will increasingly have roles that contribute to the computer based system of record keeping, data vital for patient care. HITs ensure the quality of medical records by verifying their completeness, accuracy, and proper entry into the computer systems. They often specialize in coding 59 diagnoses for reimbursement and research. Common position titles for these professionals are health information managers, health data analyst, insurance claims analyst, records technician specialist, clinical coding specialist, and patient information coordinator. For HIAs, salaries range from $59,959 (according to Salary.com) to $69,830 (reported by Bureau of Labor Statistics). Mean annual salary for HITs is $25,190. WHERE EMPLOYED: While hospitals are still one of the primary employers of health information professionals, HMOs, ambulatory care facilities, nursing homes, group practices, insurance agencies, accounting companies, and law firms also employ these personnel. Organizations not involved in direct care such as insurance companies and health insurance agencies employ medical records specialists to help set policy, analyze data, and evaluate provider performance. Other employers, such as contract agencies and consulting firms, supply medical records personnel to these institutions and organizations, usually on a temporary and intermittent basis. PERSONAL QUALIFICATIONS: HIA and HITS should have good data collection, interpretation, and analysis skills. They may serve as managers and participate in staffing, budgetary, and evaluation procedures, so management skills may also be important. Computer skills within this field are vital. ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS: An associate’s degree and certificate are required for entry in the HIM field as a health information technician. A bachelor’s in health information technology and/or health information administration is needed for entry as a health information administrator. A master’s degree in health information management or a related field, where available, may also lead to further career opportunities. EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS: Programs lead to either an associate’s degree or certificate for those entering a health information technician program, while a bachelor’s or master’s degree is received for those participating in programs for health information administrators. Courses in general allied health, computer science or other technology courses, management, accounting, finance, and other business courses are typical for degree programs in health information management. Some schools require volunteer hours in a health information management role prior to entry into the educational program. Educational program types for this career. EMPLOYERS: Potential employers for this career. LAST UPDATED: 9/9/2007 - Update Current status - Active
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