Careers in Health Information Technology and Medical Records

Learn what it takes to forge a career in the exciting—and growing—field of health information technology.

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By Sarah Stevenson

Are you comfortable with computers, interested in new technologies—and looking for a career in the health care industry? Health information technology, also called health information management or health informatics depending on the area of emphasis, is a burgeoning field, and with good reason.

Though HIT covers a wide range of occupations from medical coding to insurance claims analysis, what all these careers have in common is that they address the need for efficient and accurate handling of health information.

Health information technology professionals collect, analyze and maintain critical medical information that health care providers need in order to deliver quality care to patients. The effective use of IT in the healthcare industry leads to improved security of individual patient information, reduced numbers of errors, and increased cost savings to hospitals and other facilities providing medical care. Perhaps most importantly, it has the potential to help health care providers such as doctors, nurses and caregivers more easily locate the information they need for diagnosis and treatment, thus enabling them to spend less time on administrative tasks and more time with patients.

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Health Information Technology Job Opportunities

Careers in health information technology are available in a variety of health care settings, including hospitals, doctors' offices, inpatient and outpatient care facilities, federal government agencies and insurance companies. Professions like health information technician, medical coder, insurance claims analyst, and health information manager are increasingly valued in the health care industry, with the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicting very good job prospects through 2018.

Health information technicians, sometimes called medical records technicians or health information specialists, work with patient health information such as medical history, treatments and exam results. They relay information to doctors and other providers, and increasingly make use of electronic health records software to maintain and analyze data.
Medical coders and Certified Professional Coders know the ins and outs of CPT (Current Procedural Terminology) codes. Each health care service, from office visits to x-rays, has a CPT code—and so do diagnoses, medical supplies and certain types of facilities. Medical coders record the appropriate codes on a patient's chart to ensure that a provider is accurately reimbursed for their services.
Insurance claims analysts or claims examiners usually work for health insurance companies. They use general guidelines on diagnosis and treatment to determine whether the cost of a particular health-related claim is reasonable; they make sure claim applications are accurate and complete; and in the end, they authorize payment, deny claims or flag claims for further investigation.
Health information managers oversee the maintenance and security of all of a facility's patient records, in compliance with federal health recordkeeping regulations. As a result, they must keep up with current legislative requirements in addition to hardware and software developments in the field of health information technology.

Degrees in Health Information Technology

Many HIT careers require at least an associate's degree in health information technology or a specific area within the field, such as medical records management. Claims examiners and medical coders do not necessarily require a specific degree, though training is widely offered by community colleges and online schools. In order to become a Certified Professional Coder, you need to pass a standardized exam covering your knowledge of coding—a CPC designation assures employers of your skill in the field and can even earn you a higher salary.

An additional credential may also be required depending on your HIT career. These are usually offered by community colleges or specific professional organizations such as the American Health Information Management Association, and include Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) and Certified Tumor Registrar (CTR). Those interested in health information management need at least a bachelor's degree in health information technology or a related field like health services administration.

Whether your interests lie in management or in working directly with data and technology, health information technology is a rewarding career that has a tangible effect on the quality of health care.