1. Health Information Systems
2. Health Information Systems Management
3. Health Information System Management Study Guide

Learn chapter 1 health information management with free interactive flashcards. Information Management Chapter 1 Health Care Delivery system - Key terms.

What Up Everyone, I just wanted announce that I successfully passed my RHIA exam on March 1 with a 309. I want to thank everyone who commented on this post. I start studying with JB but I prefer using the Latour and the CD behind the book as my bible. I also use AHIMA RHIA prep book and study the question and understand what is the question talking about.I know i barely pass it.

But my strongest domain was Informatics Technology, O/M and Privacy and security and fail the rest of the domain:) but my mentor told me, that it's way to pass the RHIA and you can not remember very time so the best is to pick three highest the domain that weight the most. But O/M have to be one of them. Please study your calculation (FTE's,productivity,salary, budget variance and shelving) and Know your graph because some of the graph is apart of O/M. If yall need calculation, I got a whole worksheet that my teacher hand out to me. It will be in the RHIA.

Any additional question please contact me at Wildym18@gmail.com thank you. Im sorry if any of my advise is not helpful because I barely pass it but I try. I passed the RHIA exam March 8, 2013 with a score of 346.

I graduated in May '12, so I was pretty familiar with the content of the exam. I gave myself 3 weeks to study and studied approximately 4 hours a night. The only book I used was the RHIA Prep book with the CD that I purchased from the AHIMA website. What I did was go out and buy a couple hundred notecards. For every practice question or practice exam question I got wrong, I wrote out the question & answer on a notecard. Although it is quite time consuming I believe it helped me absorb the content and further learn the information. I also kept retaking the practice examinations.

I reviewed the notecards I wrote up every night.I even wrote out some common laws, types of graphs/charts, and key vocabulary on additional notecards. So basically, I studied for it by first going through and taking the practice questions and exams,and writing up note cards for each answer I got wrong. Then each night following that, I would continue to retake the exams as well as study the notecard questions I originally got wrong.

Focus on knowing variances as well, because I know I spent a lot of my time during the exam doing calculations. I had not studied variances much previously, so I ended up spending unnecessary time on the questions that required calculations. Anyway, just wanted to share what I did to study in case it will be helpful to anyone!

& yes, I was extremely nervous the night before and only got a couple hours of sleep. I even studied for an hour in the morning before my exam. If I could offer advice, it would be to try to stay calm, get enough sleep, and focus on the exam one question at a time!

AshLamb in Joliet, Illinois said: I passed the RHIA exam March 8, 2013 with a score of 346. I graduated in May '12, so I was pretty familiar with the content of the exam. I gave myself 3 weeks to study and studied approximately 4 hours a night. The only book I used was the RHIA Prep book with the CD that I purchased from the AHIMA website. What I did was go out and buy a couple hundred notecards. For every practice question or practice exam question I got wrong, I wrote out the question & answer on a notecard. Although it is quite time consuming I believe it helped me absorb the content and further learn the information.

I also kept retaking the practice examinations. I reviewed the notecards I wrote up every night.I even wrote out some common laws, types of graphs/charts, and key vocabulary on additional notecards. So basically, I studied for it by first going through and taking the practice questions and exams,and writing up note cards for each answer I got wrong.

Then each night following that, I would continue to retake the exams as well as study the notecard questions I originally got wrong. Focus on knowing variances as well, because I know I spent a lot of my time during the exam doing calculations. I had not studied variances much previously, so I ended up spending unnecessary time on the questions that required calculations. Anyway, just wanted to share what I did to study in case it will be helpful to anyone!

& yes, I was extremely nervous the night before and only got a couple hours of sleep. I even studied for an hour in the morning before my exam. If I could offer advice, it would be to try to stay calm, get enough sleep, and focus on the exam one question at a time! I will be taking my soon. Gonna use your study techniques and hopefully I will pass!!!!!!! Hi all, i am taking the exam this Saturday.i felt confident, now Im super nervous after reading everyones posts lol.ive only been studying the RHIA review book and CD from AHIMA.ive gone over all 3 practice exams three times and did the 460 review questions twice.the things i really struggle with are leadership theories (Tichy, Kotter, ect.) and some of the abbreviations, laws, and responsibilities of different Agencies (there are soooo many).when you refer to questions about variance, is that like rate of return, return on, current ratio, debt ratio, acid test?? Ben, I honestly didn't stress out about the different agencies or leadership theories.

They were quite overwhelming in the practice RHIA review book, but I don't remember any of that specific of stuff on the exam. As far as variances, I am referring to actual vs. Budgeted costs and finding the percentage of differences between them. I personally only used the RHIA exam book to study and did go through one of my textbooks from just to get more explanations of things I did not understand so well. Hope that helps!

AshLamb in Joliet, Illinois said: Ben, I honestly didn't stress out about the different agencies or leadership theories. They were quite overwhelming in the practice RHIA review book, but I don't remember any of that specific of stuff on the exam. As far as variances, I am referring to actual vs. Budgeted costs and finding the percentage of differences between them.

I personally only used the RHIA exam book to study and did go through one of my textbooks from just to get more explanations of things I did not understand so well. Hope that helps! Ashley Thanks Ashley,that actually helps alot.i feel a little better now.will post back here Saturday. By the Grace of God, I passed the exam today with a 352. Like Ashley and Dawn, I only used AHIMA review book and LaTour/Maki. The exam felt like a math test, aloottttt of calculations, a few clinical questions, some coding guideline questions, CPT questions, privacy, confidentiality.i went through practice questions twice, practice exams 3 times, took notes on everything i didnt undertand, looked up references, looked up stuff online, and found a website that has flashcards ( RHIA exam flashcards).

I studied for about a month a few days a week for a few hours a night. But i graduated last May so everything was relatively fresh. Good luck to all those studying and preparing.

Ben in Elmhurst, New York said: By the Grace of God, I passed the exam today with a 352. Like Ashley and Dawn, I only used AHIMA review book and LaTour/Maki. The exam felt like a math test, aloottttt of calculations, a few clinical questions, some coding guideline questions, CPT questions, privacy, confidentiality.i went through practice questions twice, practice exams 3 times, took notes on everything i didnt undertand, looked up references, looked up stuff online, and found a website that has flashcards ( RHIA exam flashcards).

I studied for about a month a few days a week for a few hours a night. But i graduated last May so everything was relatively fresh. Good luck to all those studying and preparing.

Ben, RHIA Congrats!! I'm sure it's such a relief. I know I was so happy after I saw my score. I agree, SO many calculations. I felt like I was taking a math exam. I, too, just graduated in May- so that definitely helped me with some of the questions. Great job on passing though!

Ashley, I took the test as early as I could. I stayed up until midnight studying and woke up at 6am to continue studying (turns out I did NOT have to study before the exam, because I already spent 3 weeks studying- so early morning studying was not going to make a significant difference). I took my exam at 8am. This may not be desirable to some people, but I had coffee & was more alert at this time. I was also extremely anxious and just wanted to take the test.

I wanted to get it over with finally. I felt that in the morning I was more focused. I was overwhelmed by the exam when I first sat down, but just try to relax, read each question a couple times- choose the best answer, then read over the question and answer again to make sure it is the best choice. I spent a lot of my time on the calculations, so keep a close eye on the time. If you are getting frustrated and spending too much time on the math questions, just move forward and keep answering the other ones.

That's what I did with some and came back at the end when I was less overwhelmed. At the end I also ran through most of the questions again, but didn't look into them TOO much because that's when people double guess themselves and change all their answers.

I focused my extra time on checking my math on the chart/calculation questions. I am positive if I didn't go back, I still would have passed though. So just maintain a good pace- keep an eye on time-& read each question slowly and thoroughly.:). Ashley in Sebring, Florida said: Good job Ben and Ashley. I am really gettinf alot of feedback from you guys. I will be taking my exam in 2 weeks. Im a little nervous for the simple fact that i have taken it before and missed it by 9 points.

I have studied alot. Would u guys recommend taking the test in the morning or afternoon and did you guys study before your exam. I know the material well i just have bad test anxiety. Also do u guys have any other good test taking tips for me.

Thanks, Ashley Hi Ashely, I took my exam at 8am Saturday. I stopped studying at 10pm Friday cause I wanted to get a goodnight sleep. Of course I ended falling asleep after 1130pm, and woke up 645, took a shower, ate a good breakfast, and went about my way. I didnt review before the exam because I was worried about confusing myself while in the panic mode of studying lol. But everyone is different, thats what worked for me. You want to be as calm as possible.

I was surprisingly calm and not anxious, because I had the mindset that I was going to pass (positive thinking!!). Think about what questions you had difficulties with the last time you took the exam and focus on that. After I was done with the test I briefly went over my flagged questions, and only checked my calculation questions.

Good luck on your re-take!! Ben in Hicksville, New York said: Hi Ashely, I took my exam at 8am Saturday. I stopped studying at 10pm Friday cause I wanted to get a goodnight sleep. Of course I ended falling asleep after 1130pm, and woke up 645, took a shower, ate a good breakfast, and went about my way. I didnt review before the exam because I was worried about confusing myself while in the panic mode of studying lol.

But everyone is different, thats what worked for me. You want to be as calm as possible. I was surprisingly calm and not anxious, because I had the mindset that I was going to pass (positive thinking!!).

Think about what questions you had difficulties with the last time you took the exam and focus on that. After I was done with the test I briefly went over my flagged questions, and only checked my calculation questions. Good luck on your re-take!! Ben, Thanks for you advise. I was thinking about taking my test early in the morning also because I think my mind would be more clear.

Im going to try to keep a positive attitude. With your advise and the others from this forum I should do a great job. Thanks for you help. Best regards, Ashley.

I graduated with a a Bachelor's of Science in H.I.M. I didn't fully grasp the importance of having my credentials at that point. I waited a year or more to take the RHIA exam and failed. I was dissapointed and waited another year or more to re-take the exam only to fail AGAIN. I am about to take the exam for a third time before this year is over, targeting for October or November. I just bought my 3rd set of study books/material to use. I had to buy new books each time as I waited so long in between.

I had no real trend in my scores but I feel like I should put my focus on the 3 highest domains this time and focus REALLY hard on those. Does anyone have pointers? I feel like test anxiety stands in my way tremendously as well, does anyone have advice on that?

Any advice is greatly appreciated. Kris in Raleigh, North Carolina said: Hi all! I graduated with a a Bachelor's of Science in H.I.M.

I didn't fully grasp the importance of having my credentials at that point. I waited a year or more to take the RHIA exam and failed. I was dissapointed and waited another year or more to re-take the exam only to fail AGAIN.

Health Information Systems

I am about to take the exam for a third time before this year is over, targeting for October or November. I just bought my 3rd set of study books/material to use. I had to buy new books each time as I waited so long in between.

I had no real trend in my scores but I feel like I should put my focus on the 3 highest domains this time and focus REALLY hard on those. Does anyone have pointers? I feel like test anxiety stands in my way tremendously as well, does anyone have advice on that? Any advice is greatly appreciated. Hi, Don't feel bad at all. It was a struggle for me as well. I graduated in 2007 from FAMU and just received my RHIA in April.

I too, had also took it a couple of times, missing only by a few points. I think that the best study tool that I had was the J.B Review Comprehensive Review guide for RHIA. It helped me to understand so many things that I missed. The last time I took it, I scored a 315. My recommendations for studying will be too: Study at least 6-8 weeks before you take the test. If you study to early you may forget the information.

Don't stress yourself about it and definitely don't study when you are over whelmed because you wont retain any of the information. Study at least 2-3 hours a day. There were days I didn't study because I was too tired. While taking the test, I took four breaks. This gave me a change to clear my mind then get back to the test. Sometimes all of the information was looking the same. Practice the areas with the highest percentage.

Trust me it helps!!! Hope this helped you.

First off, congrats to everyone who passed the exam!!! I graduated in 2009 from UW with a BS in HIHIM and I took the test 1 time and failed. I’m debating whether I should or shouldn’t take the exam again since it’s been so long I been out of school. The first time I took it, other students told me to use the 2010 AHIMA RHIA Prep book and use just the CD to prep. When I was going to take the exam again, a co-worker of mine gave me the 2008 PRG book without a CD. These are the only 2 prep books that I have so far, plus some of my old textbook from.

I am planning to start studying again soon. I would like some advice on which books to use to help me start preparing again since I been out for so long. I know that the exam has probably already changed since I last took it and some of the textbooks I have may be outdated. Did anyone pass with using the books that I have or are they out of date now??

Is there any methods people used to help them study and pass?? Any advice at this point would be very helpful. Does anyone know if they still provide the formulas for the statistical questions on the RHIA exam?

I was looking at older posts on this forum and it looked like someone said they no longer supply those? Does anyone have information on this? Melinda A in Tacoma, Washington said: First off, congrats to everyone who passed the exam!!! I graduated in 2009 from UW with a BS in HIHIM and I took the test 1 time and failed.

I’m debating whether I should or shouldn’t take the exam again since it’s been so long I been out of school. The first time I took it, other students told me to use the 2010 AHIMA RHIA Prep book and use just the CD to prep. When I was going to take the exam again, a co-worker of mine gave me the 2008 PRG book without a CD. These are the only 2 prep books that I have so far, plus some of my old textbook from.

I am planning to start studying again soon. I would like some advice on which books to use to help me start preparing again since I been out for so long. I know that the exam has probably already changed since I last took it and some of the textbooks I have may be outdated. Did anyone pass with using the books that I have or are they out of date now?? Is there any methods people used to help them study and pass?? Any advice at this point would be very helpful. I passed my RHIA this past Sunday with a 311!

It wasn't a high score but I am now an RHIA and I am so happy to have that behind me after being out of for 6 years now! I used the AHIMA RHIA study guide and the Information Management Principles by La Tour.

That book is simply AMAZING as it covers EVERYTHING. The sections that appeared to be my weakest points in the AHIMA study book, I would read the corresponding chapters in La Tour and I think that was the ticket!

Both books are fabulous and I highly recommend them for anyone studying for RHIA. Good Luck to all! It's a great feeling of accomplishment! Kris in Raleigh, North Carolina said: I passed my RHIA this past Sunday with a 311!

It wasn't a high score but I am now an RHIA and I am so happy to have that behind me after being out of for 6 years now! I used the AHIMA RHIA study guide and the Information Management Principles by La Tour.

That book is simply AMAZING as it covers EVERYTHING. The sections that appeared to be my weakest points in the AHIMA study book, I would read the corresponding chapters in La Tour and I think that was the ticket! Both books are fabulous and I highly recommend them for anyone studying for RHIA. Good Luck to all! It's a great feeling of accomplishment! Hey Kris do you mind passing the AHIMA Study Book to me contact me at hadidalare@gmail.com. Kris in Raleigh, North Carolina said: I passed my RHIA this past Sunday with a 311!

It wasn't a high score but I am now an RHIA and I am so happy to have that behind me after being out of for 6 years now! I used the AHIMA RHIA study guide and the Information Management Principles by La Tour. That book is simply AMAZING as it covers EVERYTHING. The sections that appeared to be my weakest points in the AHIMA study book, I would read the corresponding chapters in La Tour and I think that was the ticket! Both books are fabulous and I highly recommend them for anyone studying for RHIA.

Good Luck to all! It's a great feeling of accomplishment! Hi Kris.I am trying to buy the La Tour book, but I already have the AHIMA RHIA study guide. What year was the Health Information Management Principles by La Tour and the AHIMA RHIA study guide that you have? For the La Tour book there is alot of different versions? Kris in Raleigh, North Carolina said: I passed my RHIA this past Sunday with a 311! It wasn't a high score but I am now an RHIA and I am so happy to have that behind me after being out of for 6 years now!

I used the AHIMA RHIA study guide and the Information Management Principles by La Tour. That book is simply AMAZING as it covers EVERYTHING. The sections that appeared to be my weakest points in the AHIMA study book, I would read the corresponding chapters in La Tour and I think that was the ticket! Both books are fabulous and I highly recommend them for anyone studying for RHIA. Good Luck to all!

It's a great feeling of accomplishment! Congrats Kris!!! When you said AHIMA RHIA study guide, do you mean the RHIA exam preparation book? Thank you for your help. Hello All, I attended Famu and I've been preparing myself to take the RHIA exam for a few months now. I am setting a goal between the end of December and January.

So far I have all of my text books as well as the PRG review guide and also the JB review guide. I have just been fearful of taking the test. Through past classmates stories I have been reispired to get myself in gear. I need to stop doubting myself and just prepare myself and God will do the rest:) I must say it is a lot of information but I have implemented Flash cards thugh using the questions from the book and a site called quizlet, I think it can also give some great info towards the test (my opinion though). Granted it's been 3 years since graduation,I still believe I can do this and so can you.

Dont't ever give up:) I will keep you posted! Just took the exam today and passed with a 346/400. The test is hard but not impossible. My impressions were there were a lot of calculations, way more than I anticipated. Also they did not give you any formulas like I was lead to believe so study your calculations. In the end I used my text books, the PRG guide book, the Shaw AHIMA Book, and I took a practice RHIA test available on the AHIMA store website.

In the last week I also really studied the La Tour book which I think helped improve my Organizational & Management score which has the most points on the test. Although I ended up doing the worst in Regulatory Standards which I usually performed the best in so go figure. Melinda A in Tacoma, Washington said: Hi Kris.I am trying to buy the La Tour book, but I already have the AHIMA RHIA study guide. What year was the Information Management Principles by La Tour and the AHIMA RHIA study guide that you have?

For the La Tour book there is alot of different versions? Melinda this is the Latour book (although I had the 2012 version since that was the one I used in my classes, it probably doesn't hurt to get the newest version) This is the AHIMA study guide (just note this is a good book but I don't think it prepares you for the calculations that are on the test) I would also recommend this book for the Health Statistic questions.

It also goes over some of the Organizational management questions too like payback period, FTE, shelf space which appeared often on the test. Kimalysong in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania said: Just took the exam today and passed with a 346/400. The test is hard but not impossible. My impressions were there were a lot of calculations, way more than I anticipated.

Also they did not give you any formulas like I was lead to believe so study your calculations. In the end I used my text books, the PRG guide book, the Shaw AHIMA Book, and I took a practice RHIA test available on the AHIMA store website. In the last week I also really studied the La Tour book which I think helped improve my Organizational & Management score which has the most points on the test. Although I ended up doing the worst in Regulatory Standards which I usually performed the best in so go figure. Congratulations Kim!!! I'm quite sure your excitement has gone through the roof.

I am still currently studying every chance I get and I just paid for my exam and I am currently waiting for the processing of the application to set the test date. I always heard that it's best to know your calculations from back to front, so thats exactly what I've been practicing. Do you have any further advice where the coding questions are concerned, I'm curious? Kris in Raleigh, North Carolina said: I passed my RHIA this past Sunday with a 311! It wasn't a high score but I am now an RHIA and I am so happy to have that behind me after being out of for 6 years now!

I used the AHIMA RHIA study guide and the Information Management Principles by La Tour. That book is simply AMAZING as it covers EVERYTHING.

The sections that appeared to be my weakest points in the AHIMA study book, I would read the corresponding chapters in La Tour and I think that was the ticket! Both books are fabulous and I highly recommend them for anyone studying for RHIA. Good Luck to all! It's a great feeling of accomplishment! Hi Kris, Congratualation Kris, I am so happy to see your post that you also used Health Information Management Principles textbook.

Since you passed the test by used the textbook can you please let me know which chapter or section in the textbook that I should be focus in. Thank you for your help.

Introduction to Healthcare Information Technology and Systems As technology continues to develop and regulations shift toward digital record-keeping, technology is becoming increasingly important in the healthcare field. With this growth comes the need for employees who can manage healthcare technology and health information systems. But what does that mean?

There are two important parts of healthcare technology: the hardware and software that help hospitals and medical facilities run, and the information technology that helps facilities collect, maintain, and protect digital records. So the two common fields of study are: 1. Technology systems, and 2. Health information technology. Read on to learn the differences between to two, and to understand the potential job growth and demand, work environments, and common positions. What’s the difference between Healthcare Information Technology and Healthcare Technology and Systems?

These two fields have many things in common. They both deal with technology and computers, so it’s a plus to be comfortable with basic computer functions. Employees in both fields are likely to work with computer software that contains healthcare information, and both need to know how to keep patient information private and secure.

Healthcare Technology and Systems focuses on the hardware and software necessary to keep a healthcare facility running. This includes general IT tasks like providing desktop and software support, staffing the IT help desk, and troubleshooting. Healthcare Technology and Systems also focuses on managing the flow of information and the design of the information system.

People in this field may work with Electronic Healthcare Records, or EHRs, as well. Health Information Technology focuses more on the information management systems that house EHRs. They may run reports for EHR systems, retrieve medical information in line with healthcare laws and regulations, and evaluate records for accuracy and quality. Overall, they focus on maintaining a facility’s information systems so that healthcare records are created, stored, and protected appropriately. You can also drill further down into medical records with a Medical Billing and Coding degree. This is under the umbrella of Health Information Technology and focuses specifically on data-keeping and records management. In this field, you will work directly with medical records inside of information systems.

Entry-Level Jobs and Work Environments for Healthcare Information Systems and Technology Both Healthcare Technology and Systems and Health Information Technology prepare students for a variety of entry-level jobs. These include: Health Information Technology. Clinical Documentation Specialist – These specialists are often responsible for managing electronic information. They help maintain healthcare records and make sure they are accurate. They also make sure that providers can easily access patient information.

Document Imaging Technician – A document imaging technician converts paper documents to electronic form. They are typically responsible for checking records for quality, scanning them and making sure they convert correctly. They usually also catalogue and organize the new electronic files.

Health Information Clerk – These clerks help maintain EHRs. They are often responsible for updating the records and keeping them organized. Health information clerks also make sure that doctors can easily access EHRs.

Medical Records Analyst – These analysts are responsible for interpreting data from electronic healthcare records. By pulling conclusions from the data, medical records analysts often help organizations evaluate and improve. They also make sure that electronic records are being filled out according to guidelines.

Medical Records Coordinator – This coordinator helps to maintain patient records and healthcare data. They make sure that electronic healthcare records are filled out correctly, and they help physicians access patient information.

They may also use programs to assign clinical codes to records prior to storing them. Patient Access Representative – This type of representative is usually responsible for enrolling new patients and making sure they have all the information they need. They also work with physicians to make sure providers have the patient information necessary for quality care.

Health Technology and Systems. Electronic Health Records (EHR) Specialist – An electronic health records specialist verifies the quality and accuracy of electronic health records. They usually assist in keeping records compliant, coding for reimbursement claims, discussing patient information with physicians and more. Help Desk Analyst – These analysts usually work as IT support for companies. They are responsible for identifying and fixing IT problems. They usually communicate with employees via telephone and email to understand technology issues.

Medical Software Technician – Medical software technicians typically install and sustain software programs for a medical company. Medical software technicians may troubleshoot IT problems and upgrade as needed. Being a medical software technician may lead to software development in the future. Application Support Specialist – These specialists make sure employees can effectively use company programs and applications. They usually work in the IT department and provide support to employees.

Medical Records Clerk – A medical records clerk typically handles electronic medical records in a healthcare office. They perform data entry for patient charts and other physical forms. They may also be responsible for retrieving files and checking them for accuracy. Medical Office Associate – A medical office associate supports the front desk of a medical office. Tasks could include checking in patients, entering in and updating patient information, processing referrals and more.

There may also be reporting and troubleshooting involved. These positions and more can be found in many environments within the healthcare technology field. You may work in places like. Health Technology & Systems. Doctor’s offices. Hospitals.

Nursing homes. Medical hardware or software companies.

Insurance companies. Legal offices. Health IT providers As you can see, these fields offer a variety of opportunities in different settings.

Now that you’ve had an introduction to Healthcare Information Systems and Technology, it’s time to learn about the job outlook, choosing the right path for you, and the education and skills you need to get there. The Healthcare Information Systems and Technology Field Is Growing The predicts growth for the Health Information Technology field.

The average growth for Medical Records and Health Information Technicians, the category under which Health Information Technology falls, is 13% from 2016 to 2026—much faster than the rate of all occupations. The leading reason for this increase is aging populations who require more care. As older generations have increasing healthcare needs, they create more need for electronic medical records and the professionals who maintain them. On the other side is Healthcare Technology and Systems, which combines two growing fields—IT and healthcare. Positions are projected to grow 10% from 2016 to 2026, which is faster than average, and are projected to grow by 18% during the same time period. The reasons for growth in healthcare are similar to those listed above; aging populations more need for healthcare positions generally.

Computer Support Specialists are projected to grow as companies update their technology and have need for people who can solve more complex technological issues. Healthcare is one of the industries where technology is. Meanwhile, medical billers and coders fall under the umbrella of, which is projected to grow 22% from 2016-2026, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. So it’s clear there is career opportunity within the healthcare technology field. Getting into Healthcare Information Technology and Systems Before you decide to begin your education and job search, you’ll need to choose which side is right for you: Healthcare Information Technology or Health Technology and Systems. You read in Part I link the difference between the two, but here are some other things to consider:.

What environment do you want to work in?. What kind of work do you want to do?. What are you interested in learning? What environment do you want to work in? If you’d like to work in a typical healthcare office or facility like a doctor’s office, hospital, or nursing home, you could pursue either of these fields and have access to those opportunities. However, if you’re interested in working for an insurance company, Healthcare IT provider, or in another office setting, Healthcare Technology & Systems might be a better fit for you. What kind of work do you want to do?

When you work in Health Information Systems, you spend a lot of time working with electronic healthcare records and the platforms that support them. You’ll analyze, maintain, and retrieve patient information along with making sure patient records stay secure. You’ll need to know HIPAA regulations to understand when and how medical records should be released. You may find leadership opportunities and supervisory roles available to you. When you work in Health Technology and Systems, you’ll be focused on helping computer users with technology needs. You will likely work with electronic healthcare records to make sure that the system is working correctly—but you might not be directly entering and managing patient information.

You could also provide desktop support and identify and resolve any technology issues. What are you interested in learning? When you study Health Technology and Systems, you’ll learn how to troubleshoot healthcare software and use electronic health record systems. You’ll also learn about windows operating systems and Windows Office programs.

You’ll study how to support desktop users and understand their hardware. You may also learn about different computer networks, databases, data storage, and more. When you learn about Health Information Technology, you’ll learn how to enter electronic medical records into a healthcare information system. You’ll also learn how to collect health records, and understand the regulations surrounding privacy and security of patient records. You’ll study the proper way to release medical information and learn how regulation affects medical information. Skills The Health Information Technology field requires specific skills., Medical Records and Health Information Technicians should have:.

Analytical skills. They should be able to analyze and understand a patient’s health record and diagnosis, and be able to figure out how to translate that into medical codes. Attention to detail. These technicians should be able to maintain accuracy while inputting and coding patient information.

Health Information Technicians work with very sensitive information and should be able to keep the utmost confidentiality. Interpersonal skills. They often talk about patient information with other healthcare professionals, and should be able to communicate effectively. Technical skills.

They should be able to use coding software, electronic records systems, and classification software, among others. Computer Support specialists, the title under which Healthcare Technology and Systems falls, requires similar skills. Some skills they require include:. Customer-service skills. They often work with people who are frustrated by technological problems, so it’s important that computer support specialists are good at providing positive customer service and support.

Ability to listen. Before they can fix a problem, they have to understand the issue. That’s why listening skills are important to this field. Creative Problem The answers to technological issues are often complex.

Customer support specialists should be able to apply creative problem-solving to their work. Good communication. People working in this field should be able to explain technological issues in simple terms so non-professionals can understand.

Ability to write well. They may have to write instructions or reply to emails, which means they need to be able to formulate their thoughts clearly and well.

Do these skillsets sound like you? If so, then you might want to begin pursuing an education in Healthcare Information Technology and Systems. Here are some things to know about the educational requirements. Education If you want to become a Medical Records or Health Information Technician, you’ll likely need a postsecondary certificate or an associate degree in Health Information Technology,.

These programs typically include classes on:. Medical terminology. Anatomy and physiology. Healthcare coding systems. Health reimbursement. Health Data requirements.

Healthcare computer systems Education requirements vary for computer support specialists working in Health Technology and Systems,. Some employers require a postsecondary degree like an associate or bachelor’s degree, while others are satisfied with non-degree earning computer-related classes. For highly technical positions, the employer may require a bachelor’s degree or more in a specific area of study, like information science or computer science. Education isn’t the only thing you need to be a qualified candidate, though. You’ll also need to know any certification requirements for the field you want to join. Certification People working in Healthcare Technology and Systems may need certification depending on the employer, according to the. Certification programs in this field are typically offered by third-party vendors or by neutral providers.

Those looking to become a computer support specialist should check with potential employers to see what they require. Health Information Technology certifications include the Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) exam, offered through the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA)., you’ll need to graduate from an associate degree program accredited by the Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM).

You can also graduate from a program accredited by a foreign association that has an established agreement with AHIMA. It’s possible for eligible students in their final year of study to take the. Students who take this route and pass the certification exam will receive their credentials upon proof of graduation. Now that you’ve read Parts I and II of this series, you should have a solid understanding of what Healthcare Information Technology & Systems is, and what people in this field typically do. This field is growing quickly, and employers are looking for new candidates who meet qualifications.

Health Information Systems Management

If this field sounds right for you, then you might want to look into pursuing education and a career in Healthcare Information Technology & Systems. Helpful Links Health Information Technology. Healthcare Technology and Systems.

Health Information System Management Study Guide

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