Health information systems organize and enable management of health information by ensuring its quality, accuracy, accessibility and security. Health information technicians must communicate regularly with physicians and other healthcare professionals to clarify health information. The use of electronic health records (EHR) will broaden and continue to change the responsibilities of health information technicians.
Health information technicians can specialize in different areas of health information such as coding or cancer registry.
Success
You should possess good oral and written communications skills. Health information professionals often serve as liaisons between healthcare facilities, insurance companies and other healthcare providers. They must be proficient with computers, medical terminology, coding, quantitative analysis, quality management and technology.
Career
You may expect work in a number of settings including acute care hospitals, physician’s offices and clinics, long term care facilities, home health agencies, and managed care organizations. Representative job titles include clinical coder, coding manager, clinical data collections, and reporting specialist or reimbursement specialist.
The most recent Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that employment for medical records and health information technicians is expected to grow much faster than average. Employment is projected to increase 20 percent or more per year. In addition, the Region 5 Job Outlook for 2012 for Southwest Ohio Economic Development specifically predicts a 26.4 percent increase in job openings.
