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Health Information Technician - Career Profile |
Career OverviewMaintaining records of all patients is a major responsibility of health care facilities; a primary concern is the maintenance of accurate records, particularly in large facilities, such as hospitals, that may deal with hundreds or even thousands of patients in a relatively short time frame.
Accurate and complete medical records are essential for insurance payments and many doctors rely upon patient histories to validate diagnoses and manage treatments.
Health information technicians, or medical record technicians, as they are sometimes called, determine whether patient records are, in fact, complete. They ensure that important information is featured, including the physician’s name, the dates of admission, their medical history given at the time; symptoms, physical examination records, test results, diagnoses, physician notes, and discharge dates. All of this information must feature in a medical record, properly prepared and completed, with appropriate medical coding to indicate the diseases and procedures.
Under current hospital policy, health information technicians are responsible for maintaining records and keeping them in an organized fashion so that information can be easily retrieved.
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Career RequirementsMost positions for health information technicians require a college degree in a related field. All college applicants must have a high school degree or equivalent for entry, but desirable personal attributes for health information technicians include good computer skills, good communication skills, and a demonstrated interest in sciences and health care.
The vast majority of health information technicians complete two year courses in medical record technology to earn an associate degree in the field. Others graduate from one of the independent study programs offered by the American Medical Record Association.
More information about the field is available from the following organization:
The American Health Information Management Association
233, N. Michigan Ave.,
Ste. 2150, Chicago, IL 60611
www.ahima.org
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Job OutlookThe job outlook for health information technicians is considered highly favorable. This is primarily due to the growing number of elderly people in the United States, which is creating a rise in the workload of health information technicians.
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Career TrackMost health information technicians work in hospitals, interacting with doctors, administrators, insurance companies, lawyers, administrators, and patients to fulfill their duties. Some HMOs, nursing homes, health clinics, and physician’s offices also hire health information technologists to oversee their patient records.
With experience and education, most health information technicians are eligible to advance to supervisory or management positions.
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CompensationStandard compensation for health information technicians is between $20,000 and $35,000 per year. Benefits are generally included, such as medical and dental insurance, paid vacations, and sick leave.
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