Hawaii Health Informatics
Health Informatics is at the intersection of computer science, healthcare, and information technology. Health Informatics professionals collect, organize, analyze and present medical information. Professionals are also the guardians of confidential patient data, the ones responsible for protecting the dignity of medical records. Health Informatics Technicians and Managers in Hawaii work in a wide array of settings, including government jobs, education, legal counsel, prisons, hospitals, emergency care clinics, mental health facilities, and rehabilitation facilities, among others.
Hawaii Health Informatics Links
Health Informatics Certification Hawaii
In Health Informatics, the Commission on Accreditation of Health Informatics & Information Management, or CAHIIM , is the governing authority in the field. CAHIIM provides certification through examination for Registered Health Information Technicians and Registered Health Information Administrators. Only graduates of CAHIIM-approved programs are eligible for these certifications. Once a professional receives certification in the field, it is valid for ten years and accepted in all fifty states. The demand for Registered Health Information Technicians, or RHIT, is especially high, with a projected 20% increase in the number of jobs available from 2008-2018. The outlook is similarly strong for Registered Health Information Administrators, or RHIA, with a projected increase of 16%. Certification from CAHIIM carries with it higher earning potential, better job opportunities, and membership in the Hawaii chapter of the American Health Information Management Association, or AHIMA . Membership in AHIMA carries many benefits, including updates on the latest technology and laws in the field, networking opportunities, and access to AHIMA-only job postings. For more information, visit the Hawaii AHIMA website, www.himahawaii.org.
In Hawaii, the only CAHIIM-approved Associate’s Degree program is located at Heald College—Honolulu campus. In this two-year program, students complete a curriculum that introduces them to the field, with courses in medical terminology, beginning and advanced medical coding, human anatomy & physiology, and the legal aspects of Health Information Technology. Students must also complete an internship prior to graduation.
Hawaii Health Informatics Salary Information
Professionals with RHIT certification earn an average of $19.88 hourly, or $41,300 a year. In the top tenth percentile, professionals with years of experience make up to $28.59 an hour, or $59,500 annually. At the advanced level, professionals who earn a Bachelor’s Degree from a CAHIIM-approved program become Registered Health Information Administrators. In Hawaii, there are no approved RHIA programs. RHIA earn an average of $45.574 per hour, or about $95,000 a year. The top tenth percentile of experienced professionals earn up to $65.22 hourly, or $135,000 a year.
*Salary Data: Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Earnings Statistics