Health Information Management Outlook

Healthcare information management is one of the most important jobs that you can do in the field of medicine, and provides a valuable and often life-saving service to patients. Let's take a closer look at what it takes to be a health information technician.

Job Description

As a health information technician, you will be responsible for the security and integrity of the electronic data kept on a patient. You will manage patient records and spend most of your time working on computers. Your work must comply with the federal laws which govern patient information. You will have to ensure that the records are as accurate as possible and in their completed form so that they can be used for research and in quality management. The database's security will be your responsibility and you will be one of the few people with authorized access to the files.

Educational Requirements

You definitely need training to obtain this position. While an associate degree is not required, putting in the time and effort to earn a degree could set you apart from other job seekers. The more education and certifications you have, the more favorable a candidate you are to employers. It's also important to work hard during your studies to get plenty of good references when you're job hunting.

Skills and Qualities

Since this is a highly demanding job with serious repercussions in case of any mistakes, you will need to master many skills and possess many qualities in order to become an effective healthcare information technician, including:

1. Comfortable with Technology

A large portion of your work will deal with computers and other record keeping electronic devices, and you need to be able to handle such items and operate them without causing problems to the system or slowing down the process due to inexperience.

2. Legal Knowledge

The health industry can be a tricky space, with the smallest problems giving rise to lawsuits or cases of fraud claims. In such instances, it would be helpful to have a working knowledge of the laws that must be followed to avoid legal repercussions.

3. Problem-Solving Ability

You should be able to identify problems and come up with efficient solutions, and not give in to panic or doubt in the face of an emergency.

4. Communication Skills

Should be able to interact with patients and superiors in a non-confrontational and productive manner during the course of your duties.

5. Work Flexibility

You should be able to adapt to any surprises that the job may throw at you, and be able to work around any unexpected situations and embrace out-of-the-box solutions.

6. Organizational Skill

With so many files and documents to keep track of, you will need to be able to keep all the records maintained in an orderly manner, to be produced at a moment's notice for analysis.

7. Strong Character

Sometimes things will go wrong at work. The worst thing you can do at such a time is to try to shift the blame, leading to more confusion and time being wasted. You must have the strength of character to take responsibility for your actions.

Duties and Responsibilities

There are various levels of health information management that you can qualify for based on your skill level, education, training, and background. An associate degree qualifies you to become a health data analyst, patient information coordinator, coding specialist, insurance analyst, or records technician specialist.

The general work you will have to undertake in this field will entail:

• Collecting the patient's data and analyzing the findings
• Looking after the medical records of the patient to ensure that they are full and as accurate as possible
• Managing the database, protecting against any threats to the system and keeping it running smoothly
• Designing, generating and analyzing the reports and keeping them in preparation to be examined by the physician or administrator

Are you interested in the health information management field? If you'd like more information about earning an Associate of Science degree in Health Science with a concentration in Health Information Management from ECPI University, don't hesitate to contact a helpful admissions advisor today to discuss your goals.

It could be the Best Decision You Ever Make!

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