Health Information Technology Common Questions

Healthcare IT School students

Answers to Your Frequently Asked Questions About Health Information Technology

Cambridge College of Healthcare & Technology offers a two-year Health Information Technology program for students who are interested in a career in health technology. This hands-on program prepares students for employment as health information technologists.

What Is Health Information Technology?

Health information technology, also known as health IT, involves the design, use and maintenance of the systems used within the healthcare industry. These systems help nurses, physicians, and other healthcare providers compile, store and analyze patient health information. For example, the electronic medical record (EMR) is a tool within the health information infrastructure.

Health IT makes it easy for providers to share information between locations and with other providers to ease patient care. It also allows physicians to send prescriptions to pharmacies electronically, look up x-rays from imaging facilities, send patient referrals to other physicians and more.

What Do Health Information Technologists Do?

Health information technologists support physicians and other medical professionals by tracking patient information such as medical history, symptoms and test results inside EMRs. They understand medical terminology and use specialized coding such as CPT/HCPCS and ICD-10 to accurately enter patient health conditions, procedures and diagnoses. 

Technologists also assist physicians in accessing records and organizations in protecting critical patient information.

Is Health Information Technology a Good Career Choice?

Yes! According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, health information technologist positions are expected to grow by 11% between now and 2028, much faster than average. Health IT is a great career choice for students wanting to be a part of the medical field while remaining in indirect patient care.

How Much Do You Make in Health Information Technology?

According to Payscale, the average hourly rate for health information technologists or technicians ranges from $12.27 to $23.77 with the average being $16.16. This means the total salary ranges from $25,955 to $52,542 each year.

Is Health Information Technology Hard?

Much like any other career within the medical field, health information technology can be challenging. You must understand complex medical terminology and coding to accurately enter health information into any record. Students who attend Cambridge receive the hands-on training and prep needed to be successful in their chosen careers.

Do Health Information Technologists Need to Know Medical Terms?

Yes. Medical terminology is critical to the success of health IT. During your studies here at Cambridge, you’ll dive deep into medical terminology as well as pharmacology, health data, coding and more to ensure you’re prepared for the field.

Jumpstart Your Health Information Technology Career Today

Are you ready to enter the health IT field? Jumpstart your career by reaching out to Cambridge today. Give us a call at 877-206-4279 to get started.