Health Information Technology/Medical Coding

Some courses may require appropriate test score or completion of basic math, basic English and/or reading courses with a “C” or better.

By completing this program, students will achieve the following learning outcomes.  

1. Successful completion of the degree will allow the student to sit for the Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) exam.
2. Successful completion of the degree will allow the student to work in a hospital/healthcare setting beginning as an entry-level supervisor.
3. Successful completion of the degree will allow the student to sit for a number of coding credentials, such as the CCA, CCS, CCS-P, CPC, CPC-H.
4. Successful completion of the degree will allow the student to work in a hospital, clinic, public health facility, insurance company, or related facility.
5. Successful completion of the degree will allow the student to deal with confidential patient information and work in the area of release of information.
6. Successful completion of the degree will allow the student to transfer to a four-year degree program in Health Information Management.
7. Successful completion of the degree will allow the student to further their career path by continuing their education in Tumor Registry.

Minnesota law requires that any person who provides services that involve direct contact with patients and residents at a health care facility licensed by the Minnesota Department of Health have a background study conducted by the state. An individual who is disqualified from having direct contact with patients as a result of the background study, and whose disqualification is not set aside by the Commissioner of Health, will not be permitted to participate in a clinical placement in a Minnesota licensed health care facility. Anoka Technical College will withdraw any student who is disqualified by the Minnesota Department of Health. The student is responsible for requesting the commissioner to reconsider the disqualification.

Placement Rate: 87%
Graduate Satisfaction Rate: 100%
Employer Satisfaction Rate: 100%

(Program Outcomes for 2017)

All Anoka Technical College students seeking an Associate in Applied Science (AAS) in Health Information Technology must earn a grade of “C” or higher in every course in the program.

To see how this may transfer into other Anoka Technical College programs or into another college, please visit:

• Minnesota Transfer or
• Anoka Technical College transfer student  

The health information management (HIM) professional is an important connection between doctors, patients, insurance providers and other health care professionals within the field. By maintaining, collecting and analyzing health information, the HIM professional makes an important behind the scenes contribution to the delivery of quality care. Besides working with cutting-edge technology, HIM professionals are experts in the field of patient health information and health records.

• verifying health records completeness and accuracy and proper entry into computer systems.
  
  
• utilizing computer applications to assemble and analyze patient data.
  
  
• coding diagnoses and procedures for reimbursement and research.
  
  
• compiling and maintaining registry data.
  
  
• assuring patient privacy and data security.

The U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, in its Occupational Outlook Handbook, projects that employment for health information technicians is expected to grow much faster than the average.

Credentialed health information technicians (RHITs) can look forward to many expanding career opportunities due to increasing patient privacy/data security legislation and computerization of health information. 

Wage information is available from the Minnesota Department of Education and the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development. 

Georgina Sampson
GSampson@anokatech.edu

Jody Sandberg
JSandberg@anokatech.edu

Enrollment Services
EnrollmentServices@anokatech.edu
763-576-7710

By completing this program, students will achieve the following learning outcomes.  

1. Successful completion of the degree will allow the student to sit for the Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) exam.
2. Successful completion of the degree will allow the student to work in a hospital/healthcare setting beginning as an entry-level supervisor.
3. Successful completion of the degree will allow the student to sit for a number of coding credentials, such as the CCA, CCS, CCS-P, CPC, CPC-H.
4. Successful completion of the degree will allow the student to work in a hospital, clinic, public health facility, insurance company, or related facility.
5. Successful completion of the degree will allow the student to deal with confidential patient information and work in the area of release of information.
6. Successful completion of the degree will allow the student to transfer to a four-year degree program in Health Information Management.
7. Successful completion of the degree will allow the student to further their career path by continuing their education in Tumor Registry.

Minnesota law requires that any person who provides services that involve direct contact with patients and residents at a health care facility licensed by the Minnesota Department of Health have a background study conducted by the state. An individual who is disqualified from having direct contact with patients as a result of the background study, and whose disqualification is not set aside by the Commissioner of Health, will not be permitted to participate in a clinical placement in a Minnesota licensed health care facility. The college will withdraw any student who is disqualified by the Minnesota Department of Health. The student is responsible for requesting the commissioner to reconsider the disqualification.

The Medical Coding Specialist diploma can prepare students to sit for the national certification examination to become a Certified Coding Associate (CCA) or the Certified Procedural Coding-Apprentice (CPC-A) credentials.

Placement Rate: 87%
Graduate Satisfaction Rate: 100%
Employer Satisfaction Rate: 100%

(Program Outcomes for 2017)

All Anoka Technical College students seeking a diploma in Medical Coding Specialist must earn a grade of “C” or higher in every course in the program.

• Minnesota Transfer or
• Anoka Technical College transfer student  

1. Analyze medical record documentation in order to assign diagnostic and procedures codes.
2. Provide important information for the health care reimbursement process.
3. Assist in medical research and statistics.

Medical coding specialists analyze health record documentation in order to assign and/or ensure that valid codes are applied to medical diagnoses and procedures to facilitate reimbursement, analysis of patient outcomes and statistics. The coding specialist must have a thorough understanding of the content of the health record in order to be able to locate information to support or provide specificity for coding.

The U.S. Department of Labor Statistics in its Occupational Outlook Handbook projects that employment for health information technicians is expected to grow much faster than the average.

Wage information is available from the Minnesota Department of Education and the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development. 

Georgina Sampson
GSampson@anokatech.edu

Jody Sandberg
JSandberg@anokatech.edu

Enrollment Services
EnrollmentServices@anokatech.edu
763-576-7710