Grand Junction College Prepares Health Information Technology Professionals

April 21, 2012 - PRLog -- Grand Junction, Colorado – IntelliTec College’s new Health Information Technology program is perfect for someone who is interested in working in the growing healthcare field but would prefer to work in a medical office rather than taking blood or giving shots. The associate degree (occupational) program features hands-on career training in using medical industry software, including the new ICD-10 system for medical record coding. It also requires an externship and prepares students to sit for two professional certification exams.View program details at: http://www.intelliteccollege.com/career-training-programs/healthcare/health-information-technician.php

The medical industry has weathered the storm of the recent recession better than most. In many cases there are more job openings than qualified medical technicians to fill them. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, job prospects should be very good, especially for technicians who are certified and hold an associate degree.

Health information technicians (http://www.intelliteccollege.com/career-training-programs...
) keep detailed logs of patient histories, office visits, diagnoses, treatments and procedures for doctors and insurance companies. They may also analyze patient data to help improve care and control costs. Graduates of IntelliTec’s program are equipped with the skills and knowledge they need to apply for a wide range of jobs such as medical coder, billing specialist, insurance clerk, medical records clerk and medical receptionist. View the Health Information Technician program video at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9hPSK6_2Dg.



Upon completion of this program, a student will have earned an Associate of Occupational Studies degree. He/she will also be prepared to sit for professional certification exams administered by the American Medical Billing Association (AMBA) and the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA). Employers in the healthcare industry highly value these certifications and are more likely to hire a person who has them.

IntelliTec’s new Health Information Technology program is available just in time for the recent change in medical record coding to the ICD-10 system. ICD-10 is the newest diagnosis coding system with over three times as many codes as the old system, allowing for doctors to more accurately describe why they are providing services to patients; it requires a thorough knowledge of computer software, medical terminology and anatomy. IntelliTec College’s new program trains its students in the ICD-10 coding system, along with general business software, practice management software, and electronic medical records software.

An externship is the final course for students enrolled in the Health Information Technology program. Students are typically placed in medical offices and hospitals by their program supervisors for these externships, which are unpaid positions in which students and employers volunteer their time to foster growth and development in the student.

Health Information Technology Program Supervisor Leslie Barlow explains how each student “will receive (120 hours of) extensive hands-on training that will help them put all they have learned in school into a working model and maximizes their understanding of the material and skills they have learned.”

Leslie Barlow also says that, “Our instructors are experienced and certified professionals who have spent their time in the trenches, so to speak, and have the desire to share these experiences with students. They care about the end product: the trained professional who will be successful in the health information technology field.”

About IntelliTec College in Grand Junction

IntelliTec College in Grand Junction, Colorado offers hands-on career training for automotive, business, dental, medical and massage with associate degree (occupational) and professional certificate programs. Request more information about career training programs or call IntelliTec at 970-245-8101. Website: http://www.intelliteccollege.com/grand-junction-colorado-....