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Associate of Applied Science in Health Information Technology
Today, society depends on information. Advances in technology make the ever-increasing flow of information more available,
more comprehensible and more useful. Advances in medical science, legislative reforms, computerization and the need to manage
health care delivery systems and health care costs, have created a growing demand for information professionals with the knowledge
and skills to process, analyze and distribute health care information.
Career Opportunities
A career as a health information professional offers a unique opportunity to combine an interest in medicine with the multifaceted
information management challenges of tomorrow.
Medical and health records are used in every aspect of health care planning and delivery. Their primary purpose is to serve
as a basis for planning patient care. Such documentation assists in ensuring continuity of care and protects the financial
and legal interests of the patient, the health care facility and the responsible practitioner who is caring for the patient.
Data from medical records helps health care facilities evaluate the types of services they should offer and project future
patient volume and treatment needs.
Nationally, about 50 percent of credentialed registered health information technicians work in the hospital setting, where
they are responsible as coders, billing professionals, compliance coordinators, managers, supervisors and reimbursement coordinators.
As the importance of health information expands, particularly in the reimbursement function of all types of health care facilities,
positions are opening up in ambulatory care settings such as physician offices, clinics and outpatient surgery centers. Long
term care facilities, hospice and home health care facilities, as well as prison settings and state and federal health agencies
present yet other challenging settings for employment.
Graduates have traditionally experienced high job placement and many students obtain positions on a part-time basis during
their second year of study. Graduates are eligible to write the national examination to become a Registered Health Information
Technician (RHIT) by the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA).
Curriculum
The curriculum for accredited health information technician programs includes courses in anatomy and physiology, pathophysiology,
health record management, health information systems, management information systems, medicolegal aspects, quality assessment,
statistics, research methods, and coding and reimbursement methods. Students complete supervised professional practice experiences
in the health information management departments of approved health care facilities. All health information technology courses
have laboratory assignment requirements which accompany the lecture presentations to enhance and stimulate the learning process.
Online distance education is available for much of the required health information technology coursework.
Scholarships
Scholarships are available through the American Health Information Management Association. Low interest loans and scholarships
are also available from the Foundation for Record Education.
Program Requirements
Students pursuing the associate of applied science degree in health information technology must complete a minimum of 62 hours
in the following areas with a GPA of 2.5 or better in all related coursework to be eligible for clinical education.
Communications (6 hours minimum)
Varieties of Writing (3)
Speech Communication (3)
Basic Courses (18 hours minimum)
Introduction to Statistics (3) or
Using Statistics (3)
Management Information Systems (3)
Management/Supervision (3)
Research in the Electronic Library (1)
Basic Human Anatomy and Physiology for Allied Health (5)
General Studies (7-10 hours minimum)
General Psychology (4)
Electives (3-6)
Technical Courses (35 hours)
Introduction to Health Information Technology (3)
Medical Terminology (2)
Survey of Pharmacology (1)
Medicolegal Aspects of Health Information (3)
Coding & Classification Systems:ICD-9-CM (3)
Information Systems for HIT (3)
Laboratory Simulation (2)
Coding & Classification Systems:HCPCS & CPT (2)
Pathophysiology (4)
Reimbursement Methodologies (2)
Organization & Supervision of Health Information (1)
Health Statistics and Data Literacy (3)
Advanced Coding (2)
Clinical Quality Assessment & Performance Improvement (1)
Directed Practice (3)
Comparative Health Records (1)
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