Reno Reporter

Universitry of Phoenix recently issued the following announcement.

• Health information technology centers on the systems that make patient care possible, including systems that store information and those that enable communication between staff and patients.
• Health information technology encompasses many careers, such as medical coding, health informatics specialists and health information technology analysts.
• University of Phoenix offers an Undergraduate Health Information Systems Certificate and a Graduate Health Care Informatics Certificate that help provide a foundation for IT in the health environment.

Health information technology (HIT) focuses on the systems that maintain patient data and enhance patient care. Specialists who work in the field of HIT develop and maintain systems that store information, analyze data and allow for secure communication between healthcare professionals, doctors and patients.

HIT often focuses on electronic health records (EHR). While accessible EHRs that meet Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) privacy regulations are an essential part of modern healthcare, health information technology includes a diverse range of tools, from virtual appointment systems to wearable heart monitors.

Here’s a look at the career paths available in health information technology.

What does a health information technologist do?

HIT is a broad field that encompasses different specialties. For example, a healthcare information technologist focuses on maintaining accurate patient records that meet medical privacy regulations. In this position, you ensure the accuracy of medical codes and enter patient data and physician notes.

Meanwhile, HIT analysts work on the systems and databases where this information is stored. In addition to ensuring security, HIT analysts manage workflow and create the systems that allow healthcare providers to securely access relevant information for each patient.

Analysts work with clinical applications specialists, who create, customize and deploy tools that healthcare providers use to access and record patient data.

Finally, health informatics specialists, who are often licensed healthcare professionals (such as registered nurses), analyze data and find ways to improve patient treatment and outcomes based on their findings. 

Where do health information technologists work?

Health information technologists work in various medical settings, such as clinics, hospitals and medical centers.

Though some health IT specialists, such as informatics nurses, are licensed healthcare providers, most HIT professionals do not work directly with patients. However, analysts, application developers and technologists do have to communicate with patient-facing medical staff to answer questions, gain insight into current clinical needs or provide computer or data collection training.

Since they may not need to be on-site during regular workdays, health IT professionals can work remotely or in an office away from a medical facility.

Skills needed for health information technology

While all HIT professionals need soft skills, the required technical skills depend on your career path and area of focus. Examples of relevant technical expertise and soft skills include the following:

• Medical coding: Health IT technologists working in medical coding need to know the appropriate diagnosis and treatment codes, including the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10), Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) and diagnostic related group (DRG) codes.
• EHR programs: Clinical IT analysts and application specialists need to be familiar with programs and systems used to collect and organize patient data. Depending on their duties, these IT professionals may also need to know computer languages like SQL and Python.
• Cybersecurity: Because of privacy regulations, every health IT professional needs to know cybersecurity best practices. Technical staff members need to monitor the security of their databases and systems and ensure that firewalls and antivirus software are always up to date.
• Data analysis: Health informatics professionals need to be able to look at large amounts of data and extract the necessary information for accurate analysis.
• Attention to detail: Since mistakes can affect the chances of a positive outcome for patients, HIT professionals need to pay close attention to detail regardless of their area of specialization.
• Communication: All HIT specialties require the ability to communicate with healthcare staff. Medical coders often need to confirm treatment details with physicians, and analysts and programmers need to effectively train non-technical personnel to use systems.

You can start learning the technical skills necessary for HIT careers in associate or bachelor’s degree programs at an accredited college or university. Internships and entry-level jobs can help you hone these technical abilities and develop the soft skills to complement them.

Original source can be found here.