Arizona Health Informatics
A relatively new field in Arizona and across the country, Health Informatics integrates all aspects of hospital data collection, modeling, and representation. A career at the intersection of Information Technology and Health Care Management, professionals in this field work as Medical Information technicians, analysts, and managers. Health Informatics also covers the management of hospital administrative data. At the more advanced level, Medical Information Managers in Arizona are also legally responsible for protecting patient information privacy.
Arizona (AZ) Health Informatics Links
Arizona Health Informatics Programs and Certification
There are a number of schools in Arizona that offer Associate of Applied Sciences degrees in Health Information Technology. Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees are offered through University of Phoenix online. Associate’s programs are offered at Pima Community College (Tucson), and University of Phoenix. Pima Community College is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics & Information Management, or CAHIIM . CAHIIM certification is highly respected, as CAHIIM is the highest governing body in the field. CAHIIM certification provides the best job outlook and earning potential in the Health Information Management field. Graduates with an Associate’s degree are eligible to take the exam that certifies them as Registered Health Information Technicians, or RHIT. Once a candidate earns a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Health Informatics from a CAHIIM accredited program, they are eligible for certification by examination as Registered Health Information Administrators, or RHIA. This is the top certification in the field, and with it comes the privileges given to CAHIIM members, including membership in the state chapter of the American Health Information Management Association, or AHIMA.Membership in AHIMA provides access to online job boards and forums, in addition to exclusive networking opportunities. For more information about the Arizona chapter of AHIMA, see their website at http://www.himaofaz.org/.
The Pima College program gives students an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) in Health Information Technology. Coursework covers medical coding, billing and insurance, as well as medical terminology. Additional coursework covers anatomy & physiology and pharmacology technology. Students must complete an internship in the field to graduate.
At University of Phoenix, the program follows a similar track, covering medical terminology, coding, and management, finishing with an internship. Key components of the program are courses in Pharmacology for Allied Health, Clinical Pathophysiology, and Health Care Leadership.
Health Informatics Salary – Arizona
Those with Associate’s degrees work as Medical Records Technicians, where the lowest paid 10% make $10 an hour, or about $21,000 annually. The average worker earns $14.23 per hour and $29,600 a year. The experienced professionals in the field earn up to $24.76 an hour or $51,500 annually.
Advanced professionals with Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees work as Medical and Health Services Managers, where in the bottom 10% (entry-level) workers earn $18.55 an hour, or $38,600 a year. The average professional earns $37.86 an hour, which amounts to $78,740 annually. At the top tenth percentile, experienced professionals earn up to $59.38 an hour, or a total of $123,500 a year.
*Salary Data: Bureau of Labor Statistics