Tuesday, October 16, 2007

What You Need to Know About Careers in Health Records, IT an Information

One of the fastest growing careers in the medical field includes careers that are in health records, information, and IT. There are a variety of great career opportunities that are available in this field and many of them are well paying as well. Of course before you make any final decision on whether or not you want to go into this field of medicine, you will probably want to know a bit more about it. No doubt you will want to know what type of education is required, the various jobs that are available in the field, the type of salary that you can expect, and some companies to consider when you are ready to finally get a job within the field.

Educational Requirements

Believe it or not, you won't need a doctorate degree to get a job in this field. Usually a community college or junior college degree will do the job for education. Of course you will need to have all the general education subjects, but you'll also need to have courses that include anatomy and physiology, medical terminology, managing databases, computer training, and even statistics. Most companies prefer to hire people who are Registered Health Information Technicians, which means they have to pass a special exam. They must pass a 2-year degree program that is accredited by the CAAHEP as well. However, if you want to advance in the field, you can go on to get a bachelor's degree if you want to be a director or administrator.

Types of Available Jobs

There are a variety of different jobs in the health records, IT, and information area of the medical field. You can find jobs in hospitals as well as doctors offices. Some of the records deal with medical history, and the results of tests and exams; and all of these records have to be evaluated to make sure that they are accurate and complete. Computer programs are also used to help control costs, for research, and to help improve the care of the patients as well. The duties that you would have would depend on the size of the facility you are working in. If you are working in a large facility, then you may specialize in one area of health information. However, in smaller facilities, you may have to deal with a variety of different specialties.

Expected Salary in the Field

Since jobs in this field are so popular, the salary range is fairly good, especially for people who only have a 2 year degree. Most people earn around $20,000 to $28,000 each year. However, on the low end, some people in the field make less than $20,000 each year. There are also some who make more than $30,000 a year, depending on their specialties. Those working in hospitals make about $23,000 a year, those in medical offices make about $21,000 a year, and those who work in personal care facilities usually make about $24,000 each year.

A Few Companies for Consideration

Once you are ready to start working in this field, more than likely you are going to be interested in finding a great company to start working for. Whether you live in Canada or the United States, there are a variety of companies that offer jobs to those in the health careers, IT, and information fields. You will want to get a job with a company that offers great benefits as well as a competitive salary. So, the following are a few companies to consider. In the United States, a few of the great companies that offer jobs in this field include Lakeland Regional Medical Center in Florida, Columbus Children's Hospital in Ohio, San Jose State University in California, and North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System in New York. There are a variety of good companies to consider in Canada as well. Just a few companies to consider include Joseph Brant Memorial Hospital in Ontario, Alberta Cancer Board in Alberta, and Vancouver Coastal Health in British Columbia.

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