Job Description for a Registered Health Information Technician
Accord to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), health information technicians are responsible for assembling and maintaining patients' health care information. Health information technicians who graduate from an accredited and approved two-year associate's degree program and pass the prescribed written examination may qualify for certification as a registered health information technician.
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Function
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Registered health information technicians assemble and organize health information data, which may include patients' medical history, diagnostic test results, reported and observed symptoms, examination results and treatments. They are also responsible for checking the data for accuracy, quality and security. They may consult with health care providers to ensure all data is clear and understandable and to update information as needed.
Features
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The health care community is transitioning from paper health care records to electronic health records. Registered health information technicians are increasingly called upon to be proficient with computer technology and electronic health record software.
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Training
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According to the BLS, most health care organizations prefer to hire health information technicians who are credentialed. The Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) credential is awarded by the American Health Information Management Association. Candidates for the RHIT credential must first earn an associate's degree through an accredited community college program that includes coursework in medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, computer science, database management and other fields of study.
Considerations
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Employment opportunities for registered health information technicians are expected to expand rapidly along with the entire health care industry. According to the BLS, employment in the field should increase by 20 percent between 2008 and 2018, which is much faster than the average for all other occupations. Job prospects are anticipated to be best for registered health information technicians who have training and experience with computer technology.
Benefits
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The median salary for a health information technician as of May 2008 was $30,610, according to the BLS. Those technicians who worked for the federal executive branch averaged more than $42,000, while those employed in private physicians' offices earned just more than $26,000 per year. PayScale.com puts the estimated average wage for registered health information technicians with less than ten years of experience at between $11.50 and $17.50 per hour as of March 2010.
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References
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