What is Health Information Technology?

What is Health Information Technology?

Highlighting a growing field in the booming health care industry

Have you ever considered how much data is involved when managing a health care practice or hospital? Every test result, measurement, and payment must be tracked, analyzed, and securely stored in large databases. So, who manages this information?

Health information technicians are the ones behind the scenes making the information systems run smoothly and accurately. They manage the massive amounts of data involved in successfully operating a medical practice.

This industry is experiencing a job shortage due to the lack of skilled labor available. The Bureau of Labor Statistics is predicting a 13% increase in jobs in the field by 2026. So, why is this industry in such a need for skilled labor?

Why the growing need?

Employment in the healthcare industry, as a whole, is surging because of a rapidly aging population that will be both retiring and requiring medical services. The influx of medical information and reimbursement claims from insurance companies will mean the need for health information technicians who can manage, analyze, and monitor all this data, will be steadily increasing.

What are the duties and skills needed?

The overarching responsibility for health information technicians is the management of data. However, there are other duties and skills these professionals must learn as well. At YTI Career Institute, we train our Health Information Technology students with valuable skills including diagnostic and procedural coding, reimbursement and revenue cycle management, and medical laws and ethics.

Employers are in search of candidates who have this knowledge and skillset to help them complete various projects and tasks. According to a survey by Modern Healthcare, roughly 33% of 200 healthcare IT executives reported that they had to put a project on hold due to the vacancies in healthcare IT. Mastering this trade and gaining the hands-on experience you need can help you to get in front of employers and land a job in this growing industry.

If you are an organized and detail-oriented individual who enjoys using technology and working with people, consider a career as a health information technician. To learn more about this program at YTI Career Institute, visit TheFutureIWantNow.com/YTI.