Health Information Technology--More About the Program

Moraine Valley Community College’s Health Information Technology Program prepares you for a career that places you right where the expanding arena of health care meets the cutting edge of technology. Health information technicians ensure the quality of medical records by verifying their completeness, accuracy, and proper entry into computer systems. They also may use computer applications to analyze patient data for the purpose of improving patient care or controlling costs. 

Health Information Technicians (RHITs) often specialize in coding diagnoses and procedures in patient records for reimbursement and research. Health Information Technology is a two-year associate's degree program that integrates medical science, ICD-9 and CPT coding systems, computer technology, and health care management. Upon completion of the HIT Program, graduates will be eligible to write the national registration exam given by the American Health Information Management Association. Successfully completing this exam allows the graduate to earn the credential RHIT (Registered Health Information Technician).

This program is intended to lead to employment. If you are considering transferring to a four-year college or university to obtain a bachelor’s degree using the courses from the program, make an appointment with an academic advisor to review your options.  

Nature of Work   
Although most RHITs work in hospitals, you also will find them in a variety of other healthcare settings including office-based physician practices, long-term care facilities, home health agencies, mental health facilities, and public health agencies. In fact, employment opportunities exist for RHITs in any organization that uses patient data or health information, such as pharmaceutical companies, law and insurance firms, and health product vendors. 

Related Programs 

• Coding Specialist Certificate (22 credit hours)

• Medical Transcription Certificate (19 hours)

• Medical Assistant (39 hours)

Related Job Titles: 

• Clinical Coding Specialists 

• Physician Practice Managers 

• Long Term Care Consultants 

• Tumor Registrars 

• Trauma Registrars 

• Privacy Officer 

• Compliance Officer 

• Health Information Department Supervisor 

• Performance Improvement Coordinators

Job prospects should be very good. Employment of medical records and health information technicians is expected to grow much faster than average for all occupations through 2014 because of rapid growth in the number of medical tests, treatments and procedures that will be increasingly scrutinized by health insurance companies, regulators, courts and consumers.

New jobs are expected in physician offices as a result of increasing demand for detailed records, especially in large group practices. Rapid growth also is expected in home health care services, outpatient care centers, and nursing and residential care facilities. Additional job openings will result from the need to replace technicians who retire or leave the occupation permanently. For salary information, visit the American Health Information Management Association (www.ahima.org). Resource: Bureau of Labor Statistics.

A basic salary report, based on broad national data, reported exclusively by human resources departments of employers from all sizes, industries and locations (www.salary.com), showed the median salary for medical record technicians in the Chicago area to be $37,777. The 25th percentile was $33,158 and the 75th percentile was $41,411.

Criminal Background Checks
In order to comply with certain state statutes and/or clinical affiliation agreements, students are asked to complete a criminal background check. Application forms for criminal background checks may be obtained through the Career Programs Subdivision Office, B150, and fees paid to the Bursar’s Office. For information on criminal background application procedures, contact the Career Programs Subdivision Office at (708) 974-5708. Deadline dates for completion of criminal background checks will be announced by Program Coordinators.