Health Information (Health Information Technician)

Contact Information 

Dr. Brandy Gustavus, Instructor/Program Director   
brandy.gustavus@ndscs.edu
701-671-3329

Delivery Methods 

Face-to-Face: Wahpeton
Online: All Classes
Combination

Health information professionals care for patients by caring for their medical data, focusing on completeness, accuracy and protection. They use computer applications to organize, analyze, evaluate, and report health data, complying with laws, standards, and regulations. Health information technicians often specialize in coding diagnoses and procedures in health records for reimbursement and other purposes.

NDSCS offers North Dakota’s only Health Information Technician program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM).

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of health information technicians is projected to grow 13 percent from 2016 to 2026; faster than the average for all occupations.

Work settings include hospitals, long-term care, behavioral health facilities, home health agencies, insurance companies, physician practices, software vendors, consulting and auditing firms, government agencies, and other facilities outside of healthcare. With appropriate experience, RHITs may be employed remotely (at-home).

Graduates may pursue a bachelor’s degree at another institution, and/or obtain specialty certifications for further advancement and management opportunities in the profession.

Academic training includes online learning laboratories. Students will participate in two virtual professional practice courses, including an onsite experience. Whenever possible, the onsite experience is scheduled in the student’s geographic area. Tuition and fees are assessed for these courses.

*A criminal background check, drug testing, and other health-related documentation is required prior to starting on-site professional practice experience. Results may affect placement and the student’s ability to complete the program of study. These requirements are at the student’s expense.

Delivery Options

The program is available both online and on-campus. Online students complete all courses online, while on-campus students complete HIT prefix courses online and most related/general education courses in a traditional classroom.

Transfer credit will be evaluated per college policy.

This program requires access to a personal laptop and printer, capable of completing the assignments/testing required by the program, with a current operating system and webcam/microphone. Tablets and Chromebooks are not compatible with online classes/testing.

Admission Requirements*

The applicants must be high school graduates or equivalent. Helpful courses to prepare for this program are computer applications, anatomy, and medical terminology.

Submit official ACT and/or Placement testing results to Enrollment Services. Results must meet criteria to enroll in English 110 fall OR must submit an official college transcript with ENGL 110 completed with a “C” or higher.

Applicants must have the ability to perform the Essential Program Requirements as listed in the Health Information Program Information FAQ file on the college website www.NDSCS.edu.

*Program Admission Requirements are subject to revision. Please check the department or program website under Program Admission Requirements for current information.

Curriculum Requirements

A grade of “C” or above must be achieved in all courses in order to advance in the program and prior to taking the professional practice courses. Required computer skills include the ability to use email, upload and download files, install software, and navigate the internet. The program is sequenced with pre/co-requisites.

Accreditation

The Health Information Management accreditor of NDSCS is the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM). All inquiries about the program’s accreditation status should be directed by mail to CAHIIM, 200 East Randolph Street, Suite 5100, Chicago, IL, 60601; by phone at (312) 235-3255; or by email at info@cahimm.org.

Program Goals and Student Learning Outcomes

Published in program handbook.

Award

Upon successful completion of the required courses, students will be awarded an Associate in Applied Science degree in Health Information with an emphasis in Health Information Technician.

As early as the final semester of the program, students are eligible to sit for the national certification examination administered by the American Health Information Management Association to become a Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT).