When most people think of healthcare careers, they immediately consider nursing or becoming a doctor. However, there are plenty of other healthcare-focused careers that don’t involve direct patient care but are critical to quality care. Two of these career paths include health information management and health information technology.
What’s the difference? Is there any difference at all? Here, we compare and contrast the career paths so you can decide which one is right for you.
What Is Health Information Management?
Health information management is the most complex of the two career paths. It involves improving patient outcomes through medical records. Health information managers create, collect and analyze health records, use software to improve outcomes, manage the quality of recordkeeping processes and more.
Because health information management is a complex career that requires both business and healthcare knowledge, most careers will require a Bachelor’s degree.
What Is Health Information Technology?
Health information technology is a bit different and slightly more focused than health information management. Health IT specialists are responsible for simply tracking patient information such as their medical histories, systems and test results inside EMRs.
Many will also use specialized coding such as CPT/HCPCS and ICD-10 to enter health conditions, procedures and diagnoses. Their main responsibility is to ensure patient health records are accurate at all times.
Another key difference is that health IT only requires an Associate’s degree, which will take two years to complete instead of four.
Which Career Path Is Right for You?
If you want to work in healthcare but don’t believe you would enjoy direct patient care, you can’t go wrong with either of these career paths. Both are critical behind-the-scenes roles that move patient care forward.
You should consider how fast you want to start your new career. If you want to get started fairly quickly, health information technology might be best as it requires an Associate’s degree. If you want to take your time when it comes to education, health information management might be a great choice as it requires a Bachelor’s degree.
Join the Medical Field With Support From Cambridge
If you’re ready to join the field of health information management or health information technology, we’re here to support you. We offer an Associate’s degree in health information technology and a Bachelor’s degree in health information management. To learn more about the programs or to apply today, give us a call at 877-206-4279 or send us a message.
Are you interested in a career in a growing field? Would you like to learn the most up-to-date patient-record technology in the medical field? Do you enjoy being in an office environment? Would you like the opportunity to work from home? If so, the Health Information Technology program may be the perfect fit for you!
Graduates with a HIT Associate degree are eligible to take the American Health Information Management Association's [AHIMA] Registered Health Information Technician [RHIT] examination.
The HIT program is designed to provide students flexible scheduling by offering an online connected learning opportunity with faculty and remote learning environments, with the exception of the work-based learning practicum.
HIT Medical Records Coding
Obtain your HIT Medical Records Coding Certificate in as little as one year at Gateway. Medical coders analyze patient records to determine the correct diagnoses and procedure codes for many different types of healthcare facilities. The certificate can prepare you to earn a coding credential such as CCS, CCA, or CPC. You can also complete your certificate while earning credits towards an Associate degree in HIT.
The HIT Coding certificate is offered 100% online with connected learning opportunities with faculty. The work-based practicum will be completed in an approved facility in collaboration with our Program Coordinator.
What are my career choices?
- Clinical Coding Specialist
- Medical Records Technician
- Health Information Management Director
- Patient Information Coordinator
- Release of Information Specialist
- Insurance Claims Analyst
- Clinical Documentation Improvement Specialist
- Medical Billing Specialist
- Health Data Analyst
Where can I work?
- CompMed
- The Christ Hospital
- Cincinnati Children’s Hospital
Medical Center - Gateway Rehabilitation Hospital
- NorthKey Community Care
OrthoCincy
- Riverhills Healthcare, Inc.
- St. Elizabeth Healthcare
- St. Elizabeth Physicians
- Trihealth Rehabilitation Hospital
- Tri-State Gastroenterology
- The Urology Group
What are my degree, diploma, or certificate options?
Health Information Technology - AAS: 60-64 Total credit hoursAcademic Plan
HIT Coding - Certificate: 31-37 Total Credit Hours Academic PlanRelease of Information Data Specialist - Certificate: 12-16 Total Credit Hours Academic Plan
View moreLength of Program
You can earn an associate in applied science degree in two years if you maintain full-time status.
This information should not be considered a substitute for the KCTCS Catalog. You should always choose classes in cooperation with your faculty advisor to ensure that you meet all degree requirements.
Program Statistics for 2019-2020
Retention rate: 76%
Graduation rate: 93%
Academic transfer rate: 92%
Quality Enhancement Plan [QEP]
This program is participating in Gateway's Quality Enhancement Plan [QEP] and is committed to enhancing employability skills for students. Click here for more information about our QEP.