Health Information Technology
Associate of Applied Science Degree
The Associate of Applied Science Degree program in Health Information Technology (HIT) prepares students for careers in health information management. This program is currently taught mostly online, with the exception of our Human Biology course and one of the two 80-hour Professional Practice Experiences, which can be done at clinical sites near the student’s home in most cases.
The program includes general education courses and courses in the major that teach basic health care information, specific medical coding procedures and health data management, and offers students experience in varied health care settings. We have clinical agreements with most of the hospitals in central New Jersey and a few throughout the state, as well as some in other states where our students have attended practicums. Some of our clinical partners include Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, Atlantic Health Systems, and Hunterdon Health Care System, as well as many smaller sites, such as nursing homes, doctor’s offices, and ambulatory clinics.
Health Information Technicians are employed in hospitals, long-term care facilities such as nursing homes, large outpatient and ambulatory care centers, as well as physician offices, health insurance companies and local, state and federal health agencies. Our past graduates have been employed in all of these areas, with a larger majority employed in hospitals in central New Jersey.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that employment of health information technicians is projected to grow 13 percent from 2016 to 2026, faster than the average for all occupations.
An aging population will require more medical services, and health information technicians will be needed to organize and manage the older generations’ health information data. This will mean more claims for reimbursement from insurance companies.
Additional records, coupled with widespread use of electronic health records (EHRs) by all types of healthcare providers, will lead to an increased need for technicians to organize and manage the associated information in all areas of the healthcare industry.
Successful completion of all degree requirements enables students to sit for the Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) credentialing examination through the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA). In addition, those who complete the required courses up to and including Advanced Coding are prepared at that time to sit for the Certified Coding Associate (CCA) credentialing examination; this is the entry-level coding certificate available through AHIMA.
We currently have formal articulation agreements with two four-year Health Information Management (HIM) degree programs, Davenport University and CUNY School of Professional Studies, as well as an informal agreement with the four-year HIM degree program at Rutgers (formerly UMDNJ).
The Associate of Applied Science Degree, Health Information Technology Program at Raritan Valley Community College is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM). CAHIIM can be reached at www.cahiim.org, or at 233 N. Michigan Avenue, Suite 2150, Chicago, IL 60601-5800, 312-233-1100.
Program Outcomes:
- 100% of students rated above-average (overall) by PPE supervisors on student evaluation forms for all face-to-face practicums (8/1/18 – 7/31/19).
- 100% pass rate for all students taking the RHIT exam for the first time (8/1/19 – 5/31/20).
- 97% retention rate (8/1/18 – 7/31/19).
Contact:
Kathy Reilly, MS, RHIT, CHTS-PW
Coordinator/Instructor Health Information Technology
Hunterdon Hall – Office: H-312
908-526-1200 x8630
kathy.reilly@raritanval.edu
