Program Information
If you possess stellar organizational, technological, and people skills and are interested in a career in health care, then San Jacinto College’s Health Information Technology program is the career path for you. This program is designed to train future health information technology technicians to perform a variety of technical functions including organizing, analyzing, coding, and technically evaluating health information. Health information technicians work to ensure that complete and accurate records are kept for each patient in a health care facility.
The program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Information and Information Management (CAHIIM). Upon completion of this program, the student is eligible to apply to take the national Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) examination, administered by the American Health Information Management Association.
Program Accreditation
The San Jacinto College Health Information Technology program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM).
CAHIIM
200 East Randolph Street, Suite 5100
Chicago, IL 60601
312-235-3255
info@cahiim.org
Career Opportunities
A career in health information technology combines patient care management and technology in various professional work settings including:
- Hospitals,
- Physician's offices/clinics,
- Law firms,
- Insurance companies,
- Long-Term care (nursing homes),
- Home Health,
- Hospice,
- Behavioral Health, and
- Health information technology software vendors.
Earning Potential
Registered Health Information Management Technician (RHIT) with 1-2 years' experience national average salary: $38,7101
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Source: https://my.ahima.org/careermap, 2021
For more information, students may email HealthInformationManagement@sjcd.edu or call 281-459-7608.
Campuses
North Campus
San Jac Online
Information
Students enrolling into San Jacinto College programs with external learning experiences (i.e., clinical, practicum, externship, cooperative, etc.) will be required to comply with the immunization requirements and policies of the clinical/external learning sites to engage in all clinical/external learning experiences. Vaccination requirements at clinical/external learning sites are implemented pursuant to the independent authority of such facilities and are not mandated by San Jacinto College. Failure to meet the immunization requirements mandated by clinical/external learning sites may limit a student’s ability to complete the program and/or may delay the student’s graduation date. San Jacinto College does not process exemptions, and students should address potential vaccination exemptions directly with the clinical/external learning site.
Students who wish to pursue a bachelor’s degree after graduation from San Jacinto College may want to consider programs in the Western Governors University (WGU) College of Health Professions. WGU will accept credit for students with an AAS in Health Information Technology. Interested students may find more information on the WGU website. Students may also wish to research opportunities for further study at Texas Southern University, Texas State University, or Parker University (Dallas).
Admission Requirements
The Health Information Technology program includes one clinical (practicum) course. Clinicals are unpaid positions in which students are supervised by a health information technology professional at the health care facility. Clinicals are scheduled during the day shift according to the availability of the site supervisor. The program cannot guarantee a specific site, but every effort will be made to accommodate the student. Students are responsible for their own transportation to and from the clinical site. A criminal background check is required of all program students and must be submitted prior to enrollment in the clinical course. Documentation of immunity to Measles, Mumps, Rubella and Varicella, completion of the Hepatitis B series, and annual Tuberculosis screening are also required prior to enrollment in the clinical course. Drug screening may be required by the clinical site.
Plan of Study
3HITT-HIT
| First Term | Credits | |
|---|---|---|
| HITT 1305 | Medical Terminology I | 3 |
| HITT 1301 | Health Data Content and Structure | 3 |
| BIOL 2404 | Introduction to Anatomy and Physiology (lecture & lab) (or BIOL 2301 and BIOL 2101 and BIOL 2302 and BIOL 2102) | 4 |
| ITSC 1309 or BCIS 1305 | Integrated Software Applications I or Business Computer Applications | 3 |
| Credits | 13 | |
| Second Term | ||
| HITT 2330 | Pathophysiology and Pharmacology | 3 |
| HITT 1341 | Coding and Classification Systems | 3 |
| HITT 1311 | Health Information Systems | 3 |
| ENGL 1301 | Composition I | 3 |
| MATH 1342 | Elementary Statistical Methods (Statistics) 1 | 3 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Summer Year One Term | ||
| ITSW 1307 | Introduction to Database | 3 |
| HITT 1353 | Legal and Ethical Aspects of Health Information | 3 |
| Credits | 6 | |
| Third Term | ||
| HITT 1342 | Ambulatory Coding | 3 |
| HITT 2335 | Coding and Reimbursement Methodologies | 3 |
| HITT 2343 | Quality Assessment and Performance Improvement | 3 |
| HITT 2339 | Health Information Organization and Supervision | 3 |
| Language, Philosophy, and Culture (Humanities) or Creative Arts (Fine Arts) | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Fourth Term | ||
| HITT 2249 | RHIT Competency Review | 2 |
| HITT 2361 | Clinical-Health Information/Medical Records Technology/Technician | 3 |
| PSYC 2301 | General Psychology | 3 |
| SPCH 1315 or SPCH 1321 | Public Speaking or Business and Professional Speech | 3 |
| Credits | 11 | |
| Total Credits | 60 | |
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Students must be Texas Success Initiative (TSI) complete in order to graduate: Math level 8.
External Learning Experience: HITT 2361 Clinical-Health Information/Medical Records Technology/Technician
National Certification Exam: Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT)
Note: Students must pass each HITT course listed in the AAS degree plan with a grade of C or higher to be eligible to receive the degree.