Health Information Technology Courses

What Might I Learn in Health Information Technology Courses?

In health information technology (HIT) courses, you will learn how to manage computer information systems and patient data in the healthcare field. No matter what program of study you choose, you will likely need to take general education courses in basic sciences and college-level mathematics in addition to HIT-focused courses. Descriptions of some of the major courses you might take include the following.

ICD Coding

You will learn about the coding conventions and guidelines related to patient care. During the course of study, you will be prepared to apply procedure coding to health records, use software appropriate for health information management, and accurately assign and sequence codes.

Health Informatics

In this course, you will receive an overview of the field of health informatics, including data standards and how to evaluate health systems. Topics of discussion might include the historical and modern perspectives of the healthcare industry's use of information systems, trends in new practices such as telemedicine, and an exploration of how technology can improve patient care.

Reimbursement Methodology

Insurance billing and payment methods are the focus of this course. You will learn about compliance, reporting requirements, regulatory guidelines, and common reimbursement practices, and you'll learn to validate code assignment through data quality reviews.

Health Information Management

This course looks at health care delivery systems and practitioners in relationship to the management of health care records. Your instructor may discuss various health care settings, responsibilities of health information services, and the application of information management theories from the areas of business, IT, and medicine.

Medical Terminology

Students will learn medical terms through studying prefix, suffix, and root words. Students will practice pronunciation as well as spelling and use of medical terminology. Topics of learning may also include evaluation of medical records and reports and rules for building and defining medical terms.

How Can I Find Health Information Technology Courses?

You can typically find these courses in HIT programs offered at technical and community colleges. However, HIT is a rapidly growing field, and courses of study can be found at the certificate, associate's, bachelor's, and master's degree levels. Examples of degree fields include Health Information Administration, Health Information Technology, Health Informatics, and Health Information Management.