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Where do you want to work?
Mostly Sitting
Repetitive
$47,580
Average Salary
Health information technicians typically need a postsecondary certificate to enter the occupation, although some may need an associate’s degree. Certification is often required.
EducationPostsecondary certificate and associate’s degree programs in health information technology typically include courses in medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, health data requirements and standards, classification and coding systems, healthcare reimbursement methods, healthcare statistics, and computer systems. Applicants to health information technology programs may increase their chances of admission by taking high school courses in health, computer science, math, and biology.
A high school diploma or equivalent and previous experience in a healthcare setting are enough to qualify for some positions, but most jobs for health information technicians require postsecondary education.
Important QualitiesAnalytical skills. Health information technicians must be able to understand and follow medical records and diagnoses, and then decide how best to code them in a patient’s medical records.
Detail oriented. Health information technicians must be accurate when recording and coding patient information.
Integrity. Health information technicians work with patient data that are required, by law, to be kept confidential. They must exercise caution and a strong sense of ethics when working with this information in order to protect patient confidentiality.
Interpersonal skills. Health information technicians need to be able to discuss patient information, discrepancies, and data requirements with other professionals such as physicians and finance personnel.
Technical skills. Health information technicians must be able to use coding and classification software and the electronic health record (EHR) system that their healthcare organization or physician practice has adopted.
Licenses, Certifications, and RegistrationsMost employers prefer to hire health information technicians who have certification, or they may expect applicants to earn certification shortly after being hired. A health information technician can earn certification from several organizations. Certifications include the Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) and the Certified Tumor Registrar (CTR), among others.
Some organizations base certification on passing an exam. Others require graduation from an accredited program. Many coding certifications also require coding experience in a work setting. Once certified, technicians typically must renew their certification regularly and take continuing education courses.
A few states and facilities require cancer registrars to be licensed. Licensure requires the completion of a formal education program and the Certified Tumor Registrar (CTR) certification.
AdvancementHealth information technicians may advance to other health information positions by receiving additional education and certifications. Technicians may be able to advance to a position as a medical or health services manager after completing a bachelor’s or master’s degree program and taking the required certification courses. Requirements vary by facility.
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Average Length of Employment
Top Careers Before Medical Coder
Top Careers After Medical Coder
Gender
Female
86.5%Male
12.2%Unknown
1.4%Ethnicity
White
79.8%Hispanic or Latino
10.2%Asian
7.7%Unknown
1.6%Black or African American
0.7%Languages Spoken
Spanish
54.3%French
9.0%Carrier
5.9%German
5.3%Hindi
3.2%Russian
3.2%Gujarati
2.1%Portuguese
2.1%Tagalog
1.6%Chinese
1.6%Japanese
1.6%Arabic
1.6%Mandarin
1.6%Swedish
1.1%Hmong
1.1%Korean
1.1%Italian
1.1%Urdu
1.1%Polish
1.1%Deseret
0.5%Medical Coder
Unfortunately we don’t have enough data for this section.
Schools
University of Phoenix
17.5%The Academy
10.7%Rasmussen College
6.5%Ultimate Medical Academy - Clearwater
6.1%Kaplan University
6.1%Baker College
4.9%Louisiana Tech University
4.5%Bryant and Stratton College
4.3%Ferris State University
4.1%Davenport University
4.0%Santa Barbara City College
3.7%Strayer University
3.5%U.S. Career Institute
3.3%Ashford University
3.2%Trident Technical College
3.0%University of Central Florida
3.0%Branford Hall Career Institute - Branford Campus
3.0%College of Saint Scholastica
2.9%Hutchinson Community College
2.9%Houston Community College
2.9%Majors
Degrees
Other
30.2%Associate
24.9%Bachelors
20.3%Certificate
12.7%Masters
6.1%Diploma
4.6%Doctorate
0.8%License
0.4%Medical Coder
Unfortunately we don’t have enough data for this section.
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Peak Health Solutions
Verisk Health
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Medical Coder, Career Video from drkit.org
Medical Coder, Career Video from drkit.org
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