What can I do with my degree?
Is there a demand for Health Information Technicians?
Why should I major in Health Information Technology?

What can I do with my degree?
The certificate program will prepare you for an entry-level position in the field of health information management with employers such as hospitals, nursing homes, doctors’ offices and insurance companies.

The Associate Degree program will prepare you to sit for the Registered Health Information Technician certification exam. That certification would qualify you for a more responsible position in the field, such as health data analyst, insurance claims analyst, records technician specialist, clinical coding specialist, physician practice manager, or patient information coordinator. 

Western graduates currently hold positions such as director of a hospital’s Health Information Management Department, group practice coder and cancer registrar.

Is there a demand for Health Information Technicians?
Yes. Every time someone visits a doctor or a health care facility, that visit and its outcome must be recorded, and that is one of the functions of a Health Information Technician.

According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2004-2005, job prospects for Health Information Technicians should be very good. Employment of medical records and health information technicians is expected to grow much faster than the average for all occupations through 2012, due to rapid growth in the number of medical tests, treatments, and procedures that will be increasingly scrutinized by third-party payers, regulators, courts, and consumers.

The fastest employment growth and a majority of the new jobs are expected in offices of physicians. Rapid growth also is expected in nursing care facilities, home healthcare services, and outpatient care centers.

Why should I major in Health Information Technology?
If you have an interest in healthcare and information technology, then this is the major for you. Health Information Technology is one of the fastest growing occupations in one of the fastest growing industries. As a Health Information Technician, you are the expert in managing patient health information and medical records, administering computer information systems and coding the diagnoses and procedures for healthcare services provided to patients.