Health Information Technology Schools

Hybrid & online programs

Students may be able to find to health information technology schools offering associate or bachelor’s degree partially or entirely online. These options can provide students with even more choices for working at their own pace and being able to complete much of their coursework at home from their computer. Three online programs in health information technology are available through:

• University of Wisconsin: The University of Wisconsin offers a 60-credit program that leads to a bachelor’s of science degree in health information management and technology (HIMT) that can be completed entirely online. However, this is a completion degree, meaning that students must already have an associate degree (or a bachelor’s degree) and will complete the last two years of a four-year degree online for a bachelor’s degree. Courses follow the traditional academic schedule, and are 15 weeks long in the fall and spring and 10 weeks long in the summer. Students can take as many or as few classes at a time as they wish. The program includes 16 core courses and then four follow-up courses in the specific track chosen, either HIM or HIT.

• Capella University: A 180-quarter credit degree is available entirely online, leading to a bachelor’s of science in information technology with a specialization in health information technology (HIT). Students take 54-quarter credits in core courses, including introduction to programming and introduction to network technology. This is followed by 42-quarter credits in the area of specialization courses, such as healthcare organization and management, and statistical analysis for healthcare. Also included in the degree are 33-quarter credits in electives and 6-quarter credits in a capstone project. Most students take one to two courses at a time, and may even be able to transfer credits in.

• DeVry University: DeVry University offers an online associate degree program in health information technology. The 67-credit hour program can be completed in four semesters and includes 12 career-focused classes, including a practicum, a research practicum, and a class to prepare students to seek RHIT certification through AHIMA. 

Interested students will be able to find many other HIT programs offered in hybrid or online learning formats. Some schools may have ground-based components that require students to be at the school to do labs or to be at healthcare sites to complete externships. Applicants should be sure to talk to an enrollment counselor to be clear on these expectations before enrolling.

Accreditation

Students should look for health information technology schools accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM). This agency has a mission of identifying quality programs in health information and health information management. Graduating from a CAHIM-accredited programs means that students should have the skills and knowledge necessary to work in an electronic health records setting.

Completing a CAHIIM-accredited program is also necessary to be able to take the AHIMA certification to become a Registered Health Information Technologist (RHIT). Students not attending an accredited school may be ineligible for entry-level certification testing done through AHIMA. A program directory on the CAHIIM website gives students the option to search for programs by state, program level and delivery method.

To earn accreditation from CAHIIM, programs must submit an application, complete a self-study, and open their program up to a site visit from experts identifed by CAHIIM. Programs are reviewed based on the Health Information Management (HIM) Accreditation Standards.

In addition to programmatic accreditation through CAHIIM, potential applicants should look to a school's institutional accreditation. Following many of the same processes, schools can have their institution as a whole accredited by an organization such as the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) or the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).

Licensing & Certification

There are no legal licensure or certification requirements to work in health information technology. However, certifiation is available for those that choose to pursue official recognition of their skillset. To seek certification as a Registered Health Information Technologist (RHIT) through AHIMA, students need to graduate from a CAHIIM-accredited program or a foreign association that AHIMA holds a reciprocity agreement with. They also need to pay an exam fee, which as of 2018 is $229 for members and $299 for non-members. Students may also be eligible to take the exam in the last semester of their program, but need to meet certain eligibility requirements.

Exams can be scheduled at PearsonVUE Test Centers available across the U.S. The exam is 3.5 hours long, and includes 130 multiple-choice questions and 20 pretest questions. AHIMA reports that certification can increase earning potential and opportunities for advancement as well as strengthen the competence of staff. After obtaining certification, renewals are needed every two years and are obtained by meeting continuing education requirements. Graduating from a CAHIIM-accredited program is not necessary to seek Certified Coding Associate (CCA) certification through AHIMA, although it is recommended.