Health Information Management (HIM) professionals organize and manage health information data to ensure quality, accuracy, accessibility and security in both paper and electronic systems. HIM professionals are an important connection between doctors, patients, insurance providers, and other health care professionals.
The Anoka Technical College Medical Coding Specialist diploma program prepares students to assume an entry-level position as a medical coder in an acute care hospital, clinic or physician’s office health care setting.
90% job placement rate
Program offered completely online with part-time options
Foundation for advancement in career field
Industry & Career Outlook
Potential Jobs:
- Health Information Clerk
- Medical Records Specialist
- Medical Coder
Salary Information:
Median Wage: $30.00 per hour
Top earners: $37.71 per hour
Information provided is for Minnesota. See current data at mn.gov/deed.
Other Program Info
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.
The Health Information Technology accreditor of Anoka Technical College is the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM). The College's accreditation for the associate degree in Health Information Technology has been reaffirmed through 2030.
All inquiries about the program's accreditation status should be directed by mail to CAHIIM, 200 East Randolph Street, Suite 5100, Chicago, IL 60601: by phone at (312) 235-3255; or by email at info@cahiim.org.
Student Achievement/Outcomes
| Year | Graduation Rate | Employment Rate | Exam Pass Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-2020 | 100% 13/13 |
100% 12/12 |
66.67% 6/9 |
Graduation Rate: The percentage of a school's first-time, first-year undergraduate students who complete the HIT program within 150% of the published time for the program.
Employment Rate: The percentage of graduates from the HIT program who are employed within one year of graduation. Information based on graduation survey results.
Exam Pass Rate: The percentage of students who tested and passed the RHIT certification exam as first-time test takers.
Students can choose to complete this program part-time. Part-time students will take longer to complete their program than students who follow the full-time sequence listed on the official program guide. Because every course may not be offered each semester, it is important for part-time students to reach out to their faculty advisors for help in planning their long-term, part-time course sequence.
First Semester Part-Time Course Options
- ADSC 1171
- HITM 1110
- HITM 1221
Developmental Courses
Both Medical Coding Specialist and HIT AAS degree students are required to take a college-level English course. Students with Reading Comprehension ACCUPLACER scores below college-level should take the developmental Reading and English courses required by their placement bracket in their first or second semester. Students in the HIT AAS degree program need to take HITM 2000 which requires an Arithmetic ACCUPLACER score of 265 or higher. Students with lower scores should plan to take MATH 0801 Basic Math before HITM 2000.
Health Information Technology
AAS degree
Medical Office Specialist
AAS degree
Take the Next Step
Are you ready to learn more about becoming a student at Anoka Tech? Request info to receive program-specific information, connect with admissions and learn more about paying for college.
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Info for Current Students
All courses required for this program must be completed with a grade of C or higher.
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.
Start Dates:
Fall semester: August
Spring semester: January