Health Information Technician

Health information technicians perform the vital function of organizing patients’ medical records and any other relevant health information. Health information technicians analyze data with an eye toward improving services, keeping costs down, and completing medical research. Their duties shift according to the size of the facility; in some of the smaller ones they manage an entire department, in larger facilities health information technicians typically specialized or supervise various clerks, transcriptionists and data entry specialists.

Health information technicians need to have excellent attention to detail. They follow instructions well and are able to work in a group environment. Additionally, they need strong mechanical ability and manual dexterity. Proficiency with computers is also extremely useful.

Education and Credentials Required
Entry-level health information technicians are expected to have an associate degree from a community or junior college. Hospitals sometimes promote health information clerks to be health information technicians. If they have two to four years service and have trained on the job, this may be tend to become less and less prevalent, as employers favor properly credentialed candidates. The Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) can help prospective health information technicians get hired. One earns the designation by graduating from one of 182 accredited associate degree programs, and passing an exam.

Future Prospects
Employment opportunities for Health information technicians are expected to rise a lot faster than average. This growth will be driven by the need for courts, consumers and others to access and interpret medical records. The area of fastest job creation growth will be in MDs’ offices.

Salary Range
The median salary, as of 2002, for health information technicians was $23,890. Experience, location, skill, reputation, hours worked and other factors impact income. Health information technicians rarely pay for their own health benefits and retirement benefits, as they are rarely self-employed.