A health information technologist is a person who keeps track of all the medical data and records associated with each patient and ensures that the latest technology is being used to collect, analyze and monitor the health records of patients and medical data. Because the healthcare industry and medicine is advancing at a tremendous rate every year, there is a need for professional individuals who are well equipped to understand and handle medical data and knowledge with the latest technological advances. The job of a health information technologist has to do with handling a lot of responsibilities in overseeing and managing medical records and making them easier to work with for doctors and hospitals.

Job Description and Responsibilities of a Health Information Technologist

A health information technologist is expected to be fully equipped to handle the latest technology in dealing with medical data; and he or she must also be well-versed in medical coding so that they can gather, read and manage patients’ health records and keep the record keeping of the hospital up-to-date and efficient. A health information technologist does not need to work with patients – but with doctors, nurses, technicians and administrators. Their primary field of work is the medical information of patients’ records and health data. A health information technologist may have any of the following jobs.

He or she may work as a health information technician and review medical charts, code medical information and work with patient information to manage health insurance.

He or she may work as a medical coder and numerically code and sequence medical documents using standard coding systems in order to better manage the large amounts of health information that the hospital has to handle.

He or she may work as a healthcare administrator – or at the entry level as an assistant administrator – and oversee the medical information and patient services of the hospital.

He or she may become a medical secretary and assist doctors with technological support, data management and writing and speeches.

Educational Requirements

You have to have passed a high school level examination or a have a certificate to show that you have passed the general education development test before you enroll in a program to certify you in health information technology – and give you an associate’s degree from a community or junior college. It is not legally necessary to be a certified health information technologist but many employers ask for an American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) certificate. One must pass their examination to obtain this certificate in health information Technology.

Employment Outlook

The average salary that you will get from a health information technology job is $30,000. The number of jobs in the health information technology field is increasing rapidly at a rate that is much higher than the average rate of increase in different jobs. This is because there is a growing need for specialized professional who can manage health data and records in a health system that is completely focused on providing healthcare to patients.

The field of health information technology requires highly qualified professionals who are very good at managing large quantities of data and codes – and are familiar with medical information.