jobs in Health Information Technology, what do you know?

[JackieLikesVariety]

so far I know very little*, but you can get a "certificate" in maybe a year or less and start coding - maybe as an apprentice, not sure - or you can get anything from an associate's degree on up but not at the same schools.

I know there is CAHIM to decide if your school is accredited and that it should be.

I know the field is growing but would guess so are the numbers of people looking for a new job that they could do FROM HOME if it was necessary. like, everyone who currently works at a grocery store!

what do you know you can tell me since I am lazy trying to be practical.

I know every job involves "working with people" to some degree but my current job is direct patient care 90% of the day and that sucks away my will to live. or at least be around people!

and lastly, I know I will struggle (both financially and personally) to do even a one year program and more than 2 years is probably not something that can happen.


* in fact, what does this chart even mean? I will have to google all those things

[What Exit?]

Looking at the chart this would seem to be a growing but entry level area of the Health Information Tech field. Value-Based Coding Specialist. Problem is here is the Skills Required:

Competence in using Allscripts Touchworks electronic health record preferred; Advanced skills in Excel and Power Point; In-depth knowledge of ICD10 coding and documentation; Experience effectively coaching physicians in coding and documentation; Good organizational and communication skills; Ability to conduct difficult conversations with equilibrium.

No clue what Allscripts Touchworks is, the Excel and Power Point shouldn't be hard to pick up if you want to. Can you coach Doctors? It is translating and maybe some ego stroking.


Some companies will train you, that might be easiest. Companies like ClearCare, Homecare Homebase,
KanTime Healthcare Software, WellSky, Brightree, AxisCare, Axxess AgencyCore, MatrixCare, PointClickCare, and Home Health Care Platform often look for Nurses to act as interpreters for IT staff or trainers for clients.

I think you said you're in Physical Therapy? They might also want people with your skill set.

[JackieLikesVariety]

I'm an occupational therapy assistant, so I have an associate's degree which I hope will mean general education credits would transfer.

I was thinking about the job of health information tech as a start, but that chart was confusing since I am at work and haven't had time to look all those words up yet.

the job of coding I think can be learned in a year or maybe even 6 months but need to find out more about it.

@eleanorigby? who else knows the healthcare field @Solfy?

[What Exit?]

I got my programming Cert in an intensive 7 month course a long time ago. Combined with your Associate's Degree and general medical experience that could get you started, but I don't know.

I'm really unsure about what you job field is, it sounds like you would help stroke victims and returning injured vets and the like, but I am probably wrong.

[Solfy]

I only know chemical manufacturing R&D. Brother works as a software engineer for our region's largest health care provider, but I don't know how much insight he'd be able to provide re: entry level or training programs. He's been at it quite a while, and it's a rapidly shifting field.

[Glazer]

Medical coding is not programming. It's assigning insurance codes to doctors notes on procedures for billing.

[What Exit?]

Originally Posted by Glazer

Medical coding is not programming. It's assigning insurance codes to doctors notes on procedures for billing.

Oh, coding means programming in my world. Sorry about that.

[Solfy]

The jobs on Jackie's linked chart included What Exit's variety of coding jobs as well. There are coding bootcamps designed to train people for those jobs quickly, so it's not beyond the pale to consider they were in-scope for the discussion.

[JackieLikesVariety]

I'm really unsure about what you job field is, it sounds like you would help stroke victims and returning injured vets and the like, but I am probably wrong.

that's exactly what I do currently, yes. lots of CVA, joint replacements, and every other medical issue you can think of.

thanks, anyway, Solfy I'm sure everything in healthcare is going to be changing rapidly for some time to come. for the better, I hope, but no reason to think so.

well, about that chart I linked to: I didn't even realize you can mouse-over it to get more info - can't read tiny type on my phone. (how do people JUST get by with a phone for everything internet? Glazer?) now I can see it is an EXCELLENT chart for showing how you can get promoted if you want.

I still feel like I don't know enough to know what I don't know. you know?

[JackieLikesVariety]

Originally Posted by Solfy

The jobs on Jackie's linked chart included What Exit's variety of coding jobs as well. There are coding bootcamps designed to train people for those jobs quickly, so it's not beyond the pale to consider they were in-scope for the discussion.

yes, the more I study that chart the more helpful it looks to be. But I'd never even heard of informatics before!

[tunaman]

Originally Posted by Glazer

Medical coding is not programming. It's assigning insurance codes to doctors notes on procedures for billing.

Yeah, this. I have a friend who does this. She gets a box of paperwork (or some times digital notes, or sound recordings) every week and enters al this stuff into insurance forms... all day long. It's a good fit for her, though, as she's had medical issues for quite some time that make working from home a better choice.

As for actual medical IT, I avoid it like the plague (ha! get it?). For one thing, Medical IT has to deal with the astounding ignorance of many in the medical field. And ironically, the more educated they are, the less they understand. Someone just out of nursing school knows how to attach a file to an email; the physician in charge of radiology needs twenty seven 8x10 color glossy photographs with circles and arrows and a paragraph on the back of each one explaining how to do it... and still doesn't get how it works. The real nightmare is hardware, tho'. Medical hardware has be be "weapons grade", like stuff you'd put in a nuclear silo or power plant. And making any charges at all requires TONS of testing and documentation. Which is a pain in the ass, but sounds like a wise thing to do. Except it's such a pain in the ass that instead of doing upgrades they just don't. Which is how you end up with ventilators running Windows XP Embedded in 2020... and the entire facility is just one dumb employee's click on a phishing email away from literal disaster. As far as I know, no hacker group has attacked actual medical equipment (hospital office computers, yes; heart\lung machines, no). Believe me, it's not 'cos they can't.

[Glazer]

Originally Posted by JackieLikesVariety

that's exactly what I do currently, yes. lots of CVA, joint replacements, and every other medical issue you can think of.

thanks, anyway, Solfy I'm sure everything in healthcare is going to be changing rapidly for some time to come. for the better, I hope, but no reason to think so.

well, about that chart I linked to: I didn't even realize you can mouse-over it to get more info - can't read tiny type on my phone. (how do people JUST get by with a phone for everything internet? Glazer?) now I can see it is an EXCELLENT chart for showing how you can get promoted if you want.

I still feel like I don't know enough to know what I don't know. you know?

I've been on phone only for so long my phone is more capable than all but my last computer I bought. Which I only ever use for playing Civ V..

[JackieLikesVariety]

As for actual medical IT, I avoid it like the plague (ha! get it?). For one thing, Medical IT has to deal with the astounding ignorance of many in the medical field. And ironically, the more educated they are, the less they understand. Someone just out of nursing school knows how to attach a file to an email; the physician in charge of radiology needs twenty seven 8x10 color glossy photographs with circles and arrows and a paragraph on the back of each one explaining how to do it... and still doesn't get how it works.

good to know!

Glazer, I have trouble seeing things on my phone and I HATE not having a full sized keyboard. I'm glad you are able to use yours better than I can mine, but am still astonished. I can tell because I feel like this:

[Oxirane]

Originally Posted by tunaman

the physician in charge of radiology needs twenty seven 8x10 color glossy photographs with circles and arrows and a paragraph on the back of each one explaining how to do it

FTFY

[Jaglavak]

[Sunny Daze]

With an OT background, you could look at working in academics or for a pharmaceutical company in treatment research. For example, my husband's post-doc was on brain/CNS hook ups to artificial limbs. I would like an OT specialist could find a good fit in research. I can also tell you that research jobs generally pay well (not always the academic ones).

I'll check with my husband and see if he has any other thoughts.

[stormie]

And you can get a certificate in clinical trials! If you work in industry, even at entry level, you will make enough money to swim in be comfortable.
'Health information technology' covers many jobs. Our increasing use of health care and increasing use of computerized systems in health care is creating a decent demand. My understanding is that you don't hardly have to talk to another person in these jobs, and certainly not patients. The jobs require expertise in a skill set, which may include some particular software. Once you learn the set, the job is pretty repetitive. It's sedentary and requires extensive computer entry.

There are many levels of health information technology, from creating the systems that allow safe digital sharing of patient information to insurance coding. But I would suggest looking at What Medical Records and Health Information Technicians Do

You can get an associate degree in Health Information Management online, from a Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education accredited school. I forget if you live in Oregon or Washington, so . . . the four accredited online programs in that area (thinking in-state tuition will be cheaper) are: Chemeketa Community College and Portland Community College in Oregon, and Shoreline, Spokane, and Tacoma community colleges in Washington. Those links go right to the programs.

If you got your general ed credits at an accredited college (not the same accrediting board tho) they should transfer.

What I would do, though, is call someone who does health information management and ask what they think is a good way to enter the field.

[eleanorigby]

Originally Posted by JackieLikesVariety

so far I know very little*, but you can get a "certificate" in maybe a year or less and start coding - maybe as an apprentice, not sure - or you can get anything from an associate's degree on up but not at the same schools.

I know there is CAHIM to decide if your school is accredited and that it should be.

I know the field is growing but would guess so are the numbers of people looking for a new job that they could do FROM HOME if it was necessary. like, everyone who currently works at a grocery store!

what do you know you can tell me since I am lazy trying to be practical.

I know every job involves "working with people" to some degree but my current job is direct patient care 90% of the day and that sucks away my will to live. or at least be around people!

and lastly, I know I will struggle (both financially and personally) to do even a one year program and more than 2 years is probably not something that can happen.


* in fact, what does this chart even mean? I will have to google all those things

Why are you googling since they provide job descriptions on that same site? I know very little about HIM or EMR, but I do know that those jobs appear to be stable, if (IMO) a bit dull. As much as you may be tired of 90% direct patient care, think long and hard about moving from 90% people focused to 95% screen/paper focused. The culture shock alone takes some adjusting. I'm not saying don't do it or that you wouldn't be good at the new position; I'm saying IME, it was hard to switch from talking to people all day to talking to almost nobody for hours on end; from running to codes to attempting to imbue a search about urinary tract infections with same aura of "making a difference". I got there, eventually, but I won't lie: sometimes I miss the camaraderie and the instant gratification of human interaction. I don't miss working weekends and holidays and the drain that working with people can bring, but the joys are also gone now as well...

As for the amount of schooling needed for the mid-level stuff; I dunno. I assume an AD would suffice, especially for Health Info Tech and coding, but I am not sure. It will involve a somewhat tedious (but we're not doing anything else right now) looking up of each job title to see pay range and degree requirements.

Now imagine having to do that without the internet back in the day. See, I made you feel better already! Good luck. Keep us posted.

[JackieLikesVariety]

What I would do, though, is call someone who does health information management and ask what they think is a good way to enter the field.

a very good idea. I'm making a list of questions to ask and where to ask them. embarassingly, the dope might be one place I do that.

Why are you googling since they provide job descriptions on that same site? I know very little about HIM or EMR, but I do know that those jobs appear to be stable, if (IMO) a bit dull. As much as you may be tired of 90% direct patient care, think long and hard about moving from 90% people focused to 95% screen/paper focused. The culture shock alone takes some adjusting.

I use google as a verb to mean "I'll read up on this wherever it makes sense".

I realize it's a huge difference and I have a long history of thinking the grass will be greener somewhere else, but have given this a lot of thought and I'm such an introvert that when work sucks all my ability to be around people, I am then really struggling to socialize here in a place where I don't have roots.

it's very possible I can do therapy PRN which will be nice for extra money and also I know I will miss some of the patients. when you can REALLY help someone, it's the best feeling in the world.

stable but dull sounds SO good to me*!!


thank you to everyone who is sharing ideas and links here!


* I DO like variety sometimes but maybe I should change my name to Jackiecravesstability. naw, too many sssssssssssssssss's.

[Sunny Daze]

Clinical trials is exactly what I was trying to say with my fuzzy brain. Often they will train you, but you can look into certificates for it. There are many roles where you could still see patients, but that's not required, depending on your path.

[tunaman]

Originally Posted by JackieLikesVariety

good to know!

Well, it's pretty much true anywhere, it's just that it's worse in health care. Most Average Joes know how to do the basic computer tasks, or at least follow instructions in an email. But CEOs and regional managers and the like just can't be bothered to learn:

- I once did desktop support for a company where one of the senior salesmen got a new laptop every quarter... because he kept getting crap on them from porn sites, but was "too important" to take a couple hours off and let us fix it. I mean, I was in his office once, getting the junk off his laptop when, after 45 minutes he said sighed, said "fuck this", picked up his desk phone and ordered a new laptop. I finished with his laptop about 20 minutes later, and the laptop was good as new... but it was "too late" by this point. Also, since he was senior salesman, no one had the balls to tell the guy to just stop going to porn sites on his company computer.

- At another company, the CEO was ALL ABOUT two things: IT security and Clemson football. He even had a 16-bit screensaver (on Win98) that displayed the Clemson pawprint. But because the screensaver was 16-bit, you didn't need the password: you could shut it down by CTRL+ALT+DEL and closing TIGRSVR. So when I'd get called to his office to fix something, and he was out (which was most of the time), he'd come back to me working on his computer. He'd be like "HOW DID YOU GET INTO MY COMPUTER WITHOUT THE PASSWORD?" I'd show him exactly how I got in, and recommend that he try a 32-bit screensaver. In fact, he could use ANY 32-bit "photo screensaver" (there were thousands online at the time) and use a JPG of the pawprint and it'd be almost identical to what he had now, just safer. "Weeeeellll, I really like the one I've got", he'd say. Only thing was.. repeat this shit 2-3 times a month, 'cos it just never sunk in. It seemed like he used the phrase "IT security" 18 times in a five minute conversation, but he was repeatedly shown how his own laptop was totally vulnerable... "but I *like* this screensaver!"

[Glazer]

Why didn't you just replace his screen saver with a 32 bit version of the same and not say anything. He'd never know.

[stormie]

Just to assist in the thread drift confirm tunaman's experience, I worked in a med school that contracted with a company that had a lovely database management program. You send them the data, they actually transferred it to their own program and could run whatever comparisons and basic stats you wanted. Essentially a database and query system that they ran for you.

The first thing the doctors (specifically) wanted to know was whether the output could be in Word. The company had not even imagined that clients could be so confused. The product of a data query is . . . data, in a nice clean spreadsheet, much smaller than the original because it only has what you want.

AAAnd the second . . . the dean, also a doctor, decided faculty couldn't have access to student exam grades because it was too much work for the school staff to put together a spreadsheet with each student's name and score in each topic covered in an exam. That is what the company the school contracted with DID. Without that information it was impossible to track student learning, calm down the good students, and assist the students in trouble. I told the administration this Twice and was denied. Finally we got the info again and I hope because they figured out they could use the damn company
Yes.

[tunaman]

Originally Posted by stormie

The first thing the doctors (specifically) wanted to know was whether the output could be in Word.

[tunaman]

Originally Posted by Glazer

Why didn't you just replace his screen saver with a 32 bit version of the same and not say anything. He'd never know.

'Cos I actually never knew his screen saver password. This was Win98, where the screen saver password was separate from your AD credentials. Besides, it was just easier to go to his office, kill the screen saver and get his stupid Palm Pilot syncing again than to ask his secretary, who was always on the phone.

[JackieLikesVariety]

so, OK, y'all I know a lotta doctors are tech dumb. doesn't change the fact that what I know about and have been working in for a couple decades now is what's passing for "healthcare" in this country.

so at the very least, it's the "devil I know"

meanwhile, the basics of what is the difference between studying/working in Informatics, Data Analytics, and Information Governance continues to escape me because instead of reading about it I have been...doing other things.

+ watching "tv" on the internet is what.

because all this extra time is going to go on forever, right?

[stormie]

OK so what do you want to do? The terms are confusing but if you get down to the jobs it makes more sense.

CODING or INSURANCE CODING means working in the administration of a large to huge clinic /or hospital. The job is to take information from the medical record and assign it a coded category that the patient's insurance will pay. Insurance coding has become a full-time job because insurance categories have become so complex. Clinicians are bad at it. There is a pretty good job market for insurance coders. This is a sedentary job with no patient contact and extensive computer use. It can also be part of a back-office job in a smaller practice. Most places want someone who knows the basics, which is why you may want a certificate.

CLINICAL TRIALS need people who are legally allowed to work with patients doing the nondoctor stuff. They also hire Assistants who have experience in medical care but no clinical trial experience. You can get a certificate in clinical trials but you might be better off starting as an Assistant. The pay is low to start but as you move up it becomes quite nice. The work involves some patient contact and a great deal of making sure the paperwork is completed to the trial company's standard. If you keep the paperwork up to standard they are so damn happy they will want you to stay and stay. A certificate could be helpful.

DATA ANALYTICS jobs generally require a bachelor's or even master's degree in statistics.

INFORMATION GOVERNANCE is sometimes plopped into Clinical Informatics or Data Analytics. IG people ensure that patient information storage and sharing meets Federal patient privacy regulations. HIPPA breaches can shut down funding and accreditation (or more) of any organization that stores and shares medical information. A certificate is probably a good option.

CLINICAL INFORMATICS seems to mean different things to different employers, from insurance coding to data analytics. In any of these jobs your clinical experience would be a plus; your lack of experience with software would be a minus. You might be able to get an entry-level job but would probably need more education to progress. A certificate could be useful.

One of the benefits of a certificate is meeting people in the industry, both your teachers and fellow students. If they like you they can be a good entree into the field. You need to do reasonably well in the class but it's more important that they like you.

Make sense?

I've edited this so read it again.

[JackieLikesVariety]

nope

but then I have been drinking, since getting back from the grocery store...
plus

I plan to re-read your post when I am sober.

tomorrow, maybe

[stormie]

NOPE?
You Must be high.
Watch the drinking, as I understand it is not your forte.
Ask questions and I will try to answer them. Be as specific as possible.

[JackieLikesVariety]

Originally Posted by stormie

NOPE?
You Must be high.
Watch the drinking, as I understand it is not your forte.
Ask questions and I will try to answer them. Be as specific as possible.

OK, but tomorrow.

yes, I am high. besides drunk.

whee!

[Helena]

That's a great post, stormie (#27).

Jackie, you might also look at what's available from Oregon's community colleges, and go from there. No doubt you'll qualify for a very good financial aid package. I wouldn't worry right now about what's online and what isn't. I suspect much more will be online in the fall. Just see what's out there.

[Pure]

Originally Posted by JackieLikesVariety

so far I know very little*, but you can get a "certificate" in maybe a year or less and start coding - maybe as an apprentice, not sure - or you can get anything from an associate's degree on up but not at the same schools.

I know there is CAHIM to decide if your school is accredited and that it should be.

I know the field is growing but would guess so are the numbers of people looking for a new job that they could do FROM HOME if it was necessary. like, everyone who currently works at a grocery store!

what do you know you can tell me since I am lazy trying to be practical.

I know every job involves "working with people" to some degree but my current job is direct patient care 90% of the day and that sucks away my will to live. or at least be around people!

and lastly, I know I will struggle (both financially and personally) to do even a one year program and more than 2 years is probably not something that can happen.


* in fact, what does this chart even mean? I will have to google all those things

The department I was chair of had a CAHIIM accredited HIM program. Feel free to PM with questions. Full disclosure, I just saw this thread and haven’t read it.

[stormie]

YAY! I think you found your font of information, Jackie!

[Inna Minnit]

Look into Coding. A lot of those folks do work at home.

[Metallic Squink]

I've been working in healthcare IT for over 20 years with no formal training (I was an English Lit major and have a master's in public health administration - nothing remotely close to any CS-type degree). My advice would be to get a job as an entry-level BA (business analyst). Coding is thankless work and you will likely get stuck doing QA (testing) if you only have a certificate. If you can think logically and learn software systems, you can do a lot as a BA. Be wary of "BSA" (business system analyst) job postings as they tend to look for very technical skills. A BA is someone who helps business owners understand their software. I've worked with a lot of people who started as BA's and eventually moved into other areas of software.

[Red Skeezix]

Originally Posted by Metallic Squink

I've been working in healthcare IT for over 20 years with no formal training (I was an English Lit major and have a master's in public health administration - nothing remotely close to any CS-type degree). My advice would be to get a job as an entry-level BA (business analyst). Coding is thankless work and you will likely get stuck doing QA (testing) if you only have a certificate. If you can think logically and learn software systems, you can do a lot as a BA. Be wary of "BSA" (business system analyst) job postings as they tend to look for very technical skills. A BA is someone who helps business owners understand their software. I've worked with a lot of people who started as BA's and eventually moved into other areas of software.

In addition to this get familiar with one of the major payer or provider platforms. Cognizant Facets, Diamond, Amisys are common ones in the payer space, Sorian is common in the provider space but the hospital markets are much more fragmented. It's easier to get into a larger firm as well - Anthem, United Health Care/Optum, Aetna, Centene, Cigna - own a lot of local brands and always are on the look to hire. As for technical skills - get familiar with an RDBMS - Either Oracle or MS Sql Server - be able to get it to give you information that you need. Healthcare space is late in getting on the agile bandwagon and so are moving from the older BA->BSA->DEV->QA workflow to Agile, where everyone is expected to pitch in equally if differently. Speaking of which, another area where you can jump into IT is by learning Agile - big companies are paying stupid amounts of money for Scrum Masters and Product Owners who are really able to do those jobs - they are positions on technical teams that generally don't require any technical delivery - directions to look in that space would be learning the frameworks like Kanban, Scrum or SAFE.

[JackieLikesVariety]

it's forgotten about this thread completely. I haven't had my coffee yet so maybe this will change but at the moment I don't feel up to learning as much as one, easy, new thing. not one.

Healthcare space is late in getting on the agile bandwagon and so are moving from the older BA->BSA->DEV->QA workflow to Agile, where everyone is expected to pitch in equally if differently.

I don't understand this at all and I can't tell if it's deliberate or not.

[Jaglavak]

Everything he said is real. But he's talking about writing programs, not using them. Database management.