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Employment Opportunities 

Graduates will find employment opportunities in hospitals, clinics and other health-care facilities or health-insurance/managed care organizations.
 
Health Information Technicians generally work a 40-hour week that may include evening, weekend, or holiday in a large, acute-care hospital and day-time only hours for positions in physician’s offices, long term care facilities, or other organizations. A health information technician with experience in coding or medical transcription can also work from home through an employer-developed remote electronic connection or through an outside agency contract.

Entry-level salaries for graduates of this program will vary depending on employment situations and the geographic location.

Nation-wide annual earnings for health information technologists that work year round, full-time range from $24,000-$33,000. HIT’s with above-average, specialized skills and a few years of experience can earn an annual income of $29,000-$45,000. 

Local income figures range from $8.00 per hour for record assembly duties to $16.00 per hour (top of pay scale) for experienced coders. The area in between is determined by education, skills and experience. Coders or medical transcriptionists who work from home for a transcription/coding service can make $25-35 per hour with top-notch skills and experience.

Graduates may continue their education toward a baccalaureate degree or choose additional training to specialize in one of the many other employment opportunities. With the additional four-year degree many doors of opportunity open in management and research.

Upon graduation from an accredited HIT program a student can sit for the RHIT certification exam. Other specialty certifications include CCS, CCS-P, and CHP. Ask your advisor for details.

Job Outlook 

Job prospects for formally trained technicians are very good. Employment is expected to grow much faster than the average for all occupations.

The rapid growth in medical technology, number of medical tests, new treatments and procedures covered by third-party payers, Medicare/ Medicaid regulations, privacy regulations and consumer activism will fuel the need for skilled health information  technicians. Hospitals will continue to employ a large percentage of health information technicians. 

Increasing demands for detailed records and outcome data in large physician group practices, home health agencies and long term care facilities will be a major trend. The job market for health information technicians is constantly fluctuating due to a number of factors including economic instability, hospital closures and mergers, and health care reform.

The program faculty can give you the most up-to-date information on current trends in the area and nationally.