Health Informatics Arkansas - AR

At the intersection of healthcare and information technology stands Health Informatics, one of the fastest-growing fields in the job market today. The job outlook is excellent, with rapid growth potential and a projected increase in jobs available. Health Informatics professionals in Arkansas are responsible for all aspects of Medical data collection and modeling, as well as the organization of all hospital administrative data. Professionals work in various settings, including legal advisement, education, government agencies, prisons, emergency clinics, and mental health facilities. Health Informatics professionals are also responsible for protecting the privacy of patient records.

Arkansas Health Inforamtics Training

The Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics & Information Management, or CAHIIM , is the most respected authority in the field. Graduation from a CAHIIM accredited program gives workers the greatest earning potential and job opportunities. In Arkansas, there are two Associate’s Degree programs approved by the organization, and one approved Bachelor’s Degree program. The Associate’s degree programs are offered by the National Park Community College at Hot Springs, and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock. Upon completion of these programs, students are certified after passing an exam administered by CAHIIM to become Registered Health Information Technicians, or RHIT. Certification by CAHIIM gives a person membership in the Arkansas chapter of AHIMA, the American Health Information Management Association. AHIMA membership carries with it the privilege of interacting with a community of fellow professionals, as well as access to AHIMA-only job boards. For more information on Arkansas AHIMA, see their website, www.arhima.org. At National Park Community College , the two-year program prepares students to become certified RHIT, or to transfer to a Bachelor’s degree program. The coursework covers medical technology and terminology, coding, biology, human anatomy & physiology, and the laws governing medical information management. The program at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences follows a similar track, but offers more in-depth courses as well. Coursework includes a first-year seminar to introduce students to the profession and medical ethics, in addition to courses in epidemiology, pathophysiology and pharmacology, and further coursework in medical ethics.

Arkansas Health Informatics Salary Information

Professionals who complete one of these programs work in wide array of settings, including emergency clinics, legal counseling, education, prisons, mental health facilities, and jobs in government. These job titles fall under Medical Information Technicians , and in Arkansas the average worker earns $14.66 an hour, or about $30,500 a year. Experienced professionals earn up to $22.44 hourly, and approximately $46,600 annually.

Professionals have greater job opportunities and pay potential at the Bachelor’s Degree level. In Russellville, Arkansas Tech University offers a Bachelor of Science in Health Information Technology. This four year program has competitive admission in the second year, and the program is limited to 12 students per year. Students take more advanced coursework in Biology and Chemistry than students in Associate’s Degree programs. The Bachelor’s Degree offers four years of study with an emphasis on advanced skills, such as medical ethics, principles of disease treatment, human resource management, and a full year of internship field experience. Upon completion of the program, students pass an examination to become Registered Health Information Administrators, or RHIA.

RHIA work as Medical and Health Service Managers, supervising technicians in the field. The average salary in Arkansas for an RHIA is $35.12 an hour4, or about $73,000 a year. Advanced professionals in the top tenth percentile earn up to $50.50 per hour, or $105,000 annually.

*Salary Data: United States Government Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupation Employment Statistics

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Online Health Informatics and Related Programs in Arkansas

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