Health information careers in demand
by Shannon Harrison, ne news editor

     Good starting salary, non-static work environment and demand for employees make an ideal profession—and several students at TCC are preparing for such a career.
     Graduates with certification and or degrees in health information technology (HIT) and in health information coding specialist (HICS) are currently in great demand across the country.
     According to the U.S. Department of Labor 1998-99 Occupational Outlook Handbook, health information technology is expected to be among the 20 fastest-growing occupations through 2007. And the American Hospital Association estimated a 56 percent vacancy in positions this year.
     Coding specialists also have numerous options because of an 11 percent vacancy rate for qualified coders, according to the Dallas-Fort Worth Hospital Council.
     In fact, the demand is so great that TCC cannot meet the current demand for coders although for ten years all graduates of the NE program have passed the accredited technician exam, according to DeeAnn Carver, program coordinator.
     “Hospitals don’t want to hire untrained and unskilled coders, and they don’t have time to train them on the job,” Carver said in a Star-Telegram interview.
     That is where TCC enters the picture. The program on NE Campus prepares students for work in hospitals, clinics, extended care and rehabilitation facilities, private doctor’s offices, insurance companies or consulting firms. The HIT/HICS program consists of a certificate program and an associate degree program, which run concurrently during the first three semesters of the program.
     HICS, the certificate program, focuses on course work that will prepare students to accurately assign inpatient and outpatient procedural and diagnostic codes. This program includes courses on coding applications as well as on topics such as anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, disease processes and medical terminology.
     Clinical practicums are a mandatory component of both programs, and students will be placed in hospitals in Tarrant, Dallas, Denton or Johnson counties.
     In order to receive a certificate of completion in the coding specialist program, students must complete a five-week clinical in an area acute care hospital and a seminar course during Summer I of the first year.
     Criminal background check, drug screenings, health screenings and proof of personal health insurance are required prior to acceptance at certain clinical sites. The student is responsible for all fees associated with these screening procedures. If students do not meet the hospital’s screening requirements, are removed from the site for any reason, or do not successfully complete the clinical, they will be terminated from the HIT program.
     The clinical practicum provides an opportunity for the student to apply the principles and guidelines learned in class. Working eight hours on assigned days, students also learn the responsibilities one faces in a health care profession.
     After completion of the required courses in the first three semesters, students have two choices.
     They can exit the program with a certificate showing completion of the HICS program, or they can continue for two more semesters to earn an Associate in Applied Science degree in HIT.
     Completion of the HICS program and experience in the coding of medical data will provide the graduate with the necessary background to take the national exam in order to earn the Certified Coding Specialist (CCS) credential.
     According to a recent study, starting salaries range from $10-$12 an hour with some companies offering a $3,000 signing bonus.
     Some free-lance coding specialists can earn up to $50,000 a year.
     The academic focus for the additional semesters is on developing the skills necessary to manage or supervise a health information management (HIM) department.
     Students will concentrate on topics such as planning and organization, project and personnel management, computer applications, health care delivery systems, quality assessment and performance improvement, specialized facility health record documentation requirements and legal and ethical aspects of health information management.
     After obtaining the A.A.S. degree, the graduate is eligible for the Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) credential.
     The American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) offers three professional credentials in health information management. All are exam-based with the exams administered by the Association at the student’s expense.
     AHIMA reports that new associate degree graduates earn an average of $20,000 to $30,000 with the prospect of earning more.
     With a bachelor’s degree, the starting salaries range from $30,000 to $50,000. Within five years, many are making as much as $75,000.
Students wishing to apply to this program may pick up an application in OCB 256 or call 817-515-6691 to request that a brochure and application be mailed.
     All admission requirements must be completed on or before July 1 to assure consideration for admission into the program, which begins the fall semester of each year.
     A selection committee will evaluate all program admission forms and transcripts to identify the best applicants.
     The top 50 applicants will be contacted to attend a mandatory general information meeting.
     Students with questions about the program can contact Carver at 817-515-6544 or Renison Babulal, HIT instructor, at 817-515-6583.