Best Online Associate in Health Information Technology Degree Programs

An Health Information Technology Associate degree online (HIT) provides a path to entry-level jobs in the vital field of health information management.

The vast healthcare industry needs professionals to manage the enormous volume of patient and institutional information. Health information technicians help health information administrators in organizing and managing records, storing medical records, and creating reports.

Health information technicians typically work with computers and electronic health records. As a result, they typically have little contact with patients.
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HIT specialists work across an array of healthcare environments, including hospitals, nursing centers, public health agencies, health maintenance organizations, home care agencies, physicians’ offices, and outpatient care facilities.

Some states require that health information technicians obtain certification. A registered health information technician applicant needs to have completed an associate’s-level CAHIIM-accredited health information management (HIM) program and to pass a certification exam. (“CAHIIM” stands for the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education.)

Some registered health information technicians specialize in coding diagnoses and procedures for reimbursement and research. Some of these technicians become cancer registrars, compiling and maintaining data on cancer patients.

Health information technology online degree programs typically focus on the following subjects:

    computer technology
    information management
    electronic health records
    coding diseases and operations
    healthcare administration
    healthcare insurance.

Many HIT programs let students transfer associate’s degree credits to a bachelor’s degree program.

Employment outlook and salary information:

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts 22-percent employment growth for health information technicians from 2012 to 2022—much faster than the average (about 10 percent) for all occupations.

In 2016, medical records and health information technicians had a median annual salary of $38,040.†

Best-schools-sealAssociate in Health Information Technology degree ranking guidelines:

We selected the health information technology online degree programs based on the quality of program and range of courses provided, as well as school awards, rankings, and reputation.

RANKING METHODOLOGY
Methodology for College Rankings

The motto of TheBestSchools.org is Finding the best school for you. Here is how we do it:

The value of any ranking list of schools and/or degree programs depends on having a methodologically sound assessment of each school’s/program’s characteristics, especially insofar as these can be objectively measured. A college or university is a complex entity, with numerous factors to consider, and distilling these down to the place where meaningful comparisons can be made to form a defensible ranking list becomes part science and part art.

To meet this challenge—and thereby provide you with the most useful and insightful educational rankings on the Internet—TheBestSchools.org formulates our rankings based on five informational categories (six, when considering online schools). The major metrics and qualities for which we rank are these (with expanded, detailed considerations and weights listed):

1. Academic excellence based on a school’s curriculum generally or within the selected discipline [weight = 25%]

    Weighs school against known leading schools in that discipline
    Weighs number of core curricula listed as advanced courses within that discipline and compares against introductory courses
    Weighs school’s curriculum against known knowledge needs of major employers in that discipline
    Considers number and types of specializations offered within that discipline
    Considers faculty expertise in that discipline
    Considers range of electives within that discipline
    Considers quality of online environment offered to students (if applicable), particularly within that discipline

2. Strength of faculty scholarship [weight = 25%]

    Considers education background of the faculty
    Considers years of faculty experience both inside and outside of academia.
    Considers faculty membership and leadership within relevant, prominent associations
    Considers academic papers published by faculty in relevant, prominent periodicals
    Considers awards and recognitions given to faculty members from prominent organizations and from other sources

3. Reputation [weight = 20%]

    Considers a school’s reputation among academic peers and employers regarding the following:
        Faculty
        Curriculum
        “Freshness” of academic knowledge
        Adaptability to changes in employment sectors
        Suitability of graduates for the workplace

4. Financial aid [weight = 10%]

    Mandatory: Requires full accreditation from an agency endorsed by the U.S. Department of Education and listed on the federal register to accept student federal financial aid
    Considers range of school-sponsored financial aid such as scholarships and grants

5. Range of degree programs [weight = 20%]

    Considers range of degree levels: associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral and professional
    Considers range of degree subjects offered, such as art & design, computers & technology, education & teaching, criminal justice, and business

6. Strength of online instruction methodology (if applicable) [weight = 25%; subtract 5% from each of the above for online schools/programs]

    Considers the following of the online classes:
        Types of online technology used to deliver content
        Pedagogy style: asynchronous, synchronous, or both (depending on the degree)
        Extent and quality of the online, community learning environment, including options for communication, interactivity, and collaboration between students and also between students and instructors
        Variety, breadth, and depth of coursework, and its support, including project options and online tutoring
    Considers the following of instructors:
        Extent of training for teaching within an online learning environment
        Amount of timely, consistent feedback to students
        Extent of collaboration with prospective employers to ensure suitability of instructional materials for achieving desired skills
        Ratio to number of students in a class
    Number and quality of internships in a student’s geographical area for applicable degrees

Because students tend to review a variety of information when choosing a school, the weight a student gives any one criterion will vary. For instance, it’s not enough to offer a carefully constructed ranking of great schools if many are too expensive or too difficult to get into.

To better serve the needs of prospective students, we are therefore increasingly offering filters that help you better use our rankings to find the schools that match your specific needs. These supplement our ranking criteria and include:

    Accreditation
    Public or private status
    Acceptance rate
    Retention rate
    Graduation rate
    ACT/SAT requirements
    Cost in-state / out of state
    Undergrad, grad, or both offered
    Region
    State
    City

Get the best rankings here AND get them to suit your personal needs. That’s TheBestSchools.org advantage!

If you have any questions about our ranking methodology, please contact us.

Citations: For a broader account of our ranking methodology, especially as it relates to TheBestSchools.org’s underlying educational philosophy and, in other ranking articles, looks beyond academic excellence (as here) to such factors as return on investment or incidental benefit, see our article “Ranking Methodology: How We Rank Schools at TBS.” Reputation of schools and degree programs can at least in part be gauged through the rankings of other well-known educational ranking companies. At TheBestSchools.org, we keep track of such social and peer validation: “Making Sense of College Rankings.” For nuts-and-bolts information about colleges and universities, we look to the National Center for Education Statistics and especially its College Navigator. Insofar as salary and inflation data are relevant to a ranking, we look to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Finally, nothing beats contacting schools and degree programs directly, which our researchers often do, with the result that all the entries in this article should be considered as belonging to this citation!
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Featured Schools

    Herzing University
    Herzing University

    Brookfield, WI & Online

    AS - Health Information Management

    Designed for students seeking entry-level technician positions working with clinical data in healthcare settings, Herzing's AS in health information management requires the completion of 63 credits over 20 months. The core curriculum includes courses in diagnostic and procedural coding, pathophysiology, and a professional practice internship.
    Visit Site
    Rasmussen College
    Rasmussen College

    Campus & Online

    AS - Health Information Technician

    Online students earning a health information technician AS at Rasmussen College experience hands-on training in medical billing, patient information management, healthcare technology, and healthcare systems. Completed in 18 months, the 90-credit program prepares graduates to take the Registered Health Information Technician certification exam.
    More Info

Sponsored
The Best Online Associate in HIT Degree Programs
1The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

(Little Rock, Arkansas)

University of Arkansas Medical Sciences

The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), a public university founded in 1879, includes five colleges, eight regional centers, and seven institutes of excellence. UAMS combines research and medical education with patient care resources.

UAMS’s Department of Health Information Management offers as online Associate of Science in Health Information Management degree program, which equips students with an educational foundation in information systems technology and how it applies to the areas of data mining, healthcare, and management.

The degree also prepares students to take the Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) national certification exam.

Students need 120 total credit hours to complete the program, which includes general classes, core courses, and clinical on-site and on-campus internship studies.

Health information technology degree online course highlights include:

    Epidemiology
    Medical Terminology
    Applied Systems
    Health Record Systems and Issues
    Clinical Practice

The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences is regionally accredited by The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM).
2Idaho State University

(Pocatello, Idaho)

Idaho State University

Established in 1901, Idaho State University (ISU) is a public, Carnegie-classified research university which houses over 15,000 students and offers over 280 undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs.

ISU’s College of Technology offers an online Associate in Health Information Technology (HIT) degree program, which prepares students to work in areas such as data management, risk management, health record analysis, and coding.

The online health information technician associate’s degree also prepares and qualifies students to take the Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) national certification exam.

Upon graduation, students may work in a variety of institutions, including long-term care facilities, hospitals and medical clinics, law firms, and insurance companies.

The online health information technology degree is two years in length, for a total of 69 credit hours, and offers core courses as well as a supervised professional internship.

The health information technology programs online plan of study includes topics in:

    Informatics Technology
    Medical Law and Ethics
    Coding
    Health Information
    Introduction to Pathology

Idaho State University is regionally accredited by The Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) and the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM).
3Alfred State College

(Alfred, New York)

Alfred University

Established in 1908, Alfred State College is one of eight University Colleges of Technology within the State University of New York (SUNY) System. Alfred State College grants undergraduate degrees as well as certificates.

Alfred State College’s online Associate of Applied Science in Health Information Technology (HIT) degree program provides students with the foundation to maintain important components of different health information systems such as facility planning, quality management, marketing, reimbursement, and research.

The program also prepares and qualifies students to take the Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) national certification exam.

The Health Information Technology Associate degree online encompasses core courses, as well as 160 hours of Professional Practice Experiences (PPE).

Curriculum highlights include:

    Pathophysiology
    Coding
    Electronic Health Record
    Alternate Care HIM
    Health and Wellness

Alfred University is regionally accredited by The Middle States Commission of Higher Education (MSCHE) and the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM).
4Weber State University

(Ogden, Utah)

Weber State University

Established in 1889, Weber State University is a public institution where students pursue professional, technical, and liberal arts certificates in addition to associate, bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Weber State offers over 225 undergraduate programs and 11 graduate programs, including a flexible, and affordable MBA. For its return on investment, Weber State ranked as the No. 1 public institution in Utah and 17 in the nation.

The student body of 26,000 enjoys the benefits of a major university with class sizes that average just 22 students. Weber State is recognized for its individual attention, community involvement and undergraduate research.

Weber State’s online Associate of Applied Science Health Information Technology degree program prepares students in information systems technologies and their relation to the provision of healthcare, information systems, human resources, and quality improvement.

The health information technology degree online program also prepares and qualifies students to take the Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) national certification exam.

Students learn functions such as coding diseases and operations, maintaining statistical measures, using computer application software, and supervising employees.

The Associate in Health Information Technology (HIT) online degree offers focused core courses, as well as a professional practice experience.

Online health information technology degree courses include:

    Healthcare Database Management
    Pharmacology
    Pathophysiology
    Coding
    Epidemiology and Biostatistics

Weber State University is regionally accredited by The Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) and the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM).
5Clarkson College

(Omaha, Nebraska)

Clarkson College

Clarkson College, a private, non-profit university founded in 1888, offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in health sciences.

The college, which has an affiliation with the Episcopal Church, is an educational partner with the Nebraska Medical Center.

Clarkson College’s online Associate of Science in Health Information Technology (HIT) degree program offers students the technological skills necessary for the field of health information management (HIM) and associated applications.

The degree consists of 73 credit hours and requires a professional practice experience.

The associate’s HIT degree program also prepares and qualifies students to take the Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) national certification exam before graduation.

The health information technology program online includes courses in:

    Coding
    Revenue Cycle Management
    Quality Management and Process Improvement
    HIT Assessment
    Medical Terminology
    Disease Process

Clarkson College is regionally accredited by the The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM).

Featured Schools

    Ultimate Medical Academy
    Ultimate Medical Academy

    Campus & Online

    AS - Health Information Technology

    The online associate degree in health information technology at Ultimate Medical Academy provides students with a comprehensive overview of ICD-10 codes, medical terms, and common EHR systems. The CAHIIM-accredited program prepares graduates to sit for the Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) exam.
    More Info

Sponsored
6Dakota State University

(Madison, South Dakota)

Dakota State University

Dakota State University, a technology-centered public university established in 1881, provides undergraduate and graduate programs in areas such as natural sciences, education, and business.

Dakota State’s online A.S. Health Information Technology degree provides students with the necessary technical skills to carry out duties vital to the operation of a medical record department in any healthcare facility, such as hospitals and medical clinics.

The online program also prepares and qualifies students to take the Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) national certification exam.

The associate’s degree in health information technology (HIT) includes a supervised professional practice component in both acute and non-acute settings. Students need 64 credits to obtain the degree.

Curriculum highlights from this Health Information Technology Associate degree online include:

    Healthcare Reimbursement Methodologies
    Legal Aspects HI Management
    Physiology
    Fundamentals of Human Disease
    Coding Systems

Dakota State University is regionally accredited by The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM).
7University of Northwestern Ohio

(Lima, Ohio)

University of Northwestern Ohio

The University of Northwestern Ohio (UNWOH), a private, not-for-profit university founded in 1920, offers undergraduate and graduate degrees distributed across five colleges.

UNOH’s online Associate of Applied Business in Health Information Technology degree offers students the opportunity to blend the knowledge and skills of management, information technology, medicine, finance, and law into one curriculum.

The program also prepares and qualifies students to take the Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) national certification exam.

The Health Information Technology Associate degree online curriculum includes general classes, core courses, health information system labs, internships, and a capstone project. The entire degree program consists of 108 credit hours.

Curriculum highlights include:

    Electronic Healthcare Records
    HIT Revenue Cycle Management
    Healthcare Statistics and Quality Assessment
    Medical Terminology

The University of Northwestern Ohio is regionally accredited by The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM).
8Kaplan University

(Chicago, Illinois)

Kaplan University

Kaplan University, a nationwide, for-profit, university system founded in 1937 and currently headquartered in Chicago, provides online and on-campus undergraduate, graduate, and continuing professional education to over 45,000 students.

Kaplan’s online Associate of Applied Science in Health Information Technology (HIT) degree program prepares students with the education and technical skills required to pursue positions in the health information management (HIM) industry.

The online program also prepares and qualifies students to take the Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) national certification exam.

The health information technology degree online offers major courses, as well as a real-world, 90-hour externship/Capstone experience in an approved healthcare setting.

Students need 92 credit hours to obtain the degree.

Curriculum highlights include:

    Pharmacology
    Medical Coding
    Medical Terminology
    Reimbursement Methodologies
    Diseases of the Human Body
    Quality Assurance and Statistics

Kaplan University if regionally accredited by The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM).
9Herzing University

(Milwaukee, Wisconsin)

Herzing University

Herzing University, a non-profit, career-centered university, offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in a wide variety of academic areas.

Herzing’s online Associate of Science in Health Information Management (HIM) degree program provides students with skills and techniques such as coding, digitizing, creating electronic patient records, securing patient information, checking for accuracy, and database management.

The degree prepares and qualifies students to take the Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) national certification exam. Upon graduation, students can seek work in a variety of healthcare settings, such as insurance companies, clinics, and hospitals.

The online Associate in Health Information Management degree includes an internship. Students can obtain the degree, which consists of 63 credits, in less than two years.

The health information technology online degree programs courses include topics such as:

    Principles of Health Information Management
    Healthcare Law and Ethics
    Healthcare Data
    Foundations of Classifications, Compliance, and Reimbursement.

Herzing University admits students of any race, color, and national or ethnic origin.

Herzing University is regionally accredited by The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM).


REQUEST INFO




10Rasmussen College

(Bloomington, Minnesota)

Rasmussen College

Rasmussen College, a for-profit college established in 1900, provides undergraduate programs across 24 campuses nationwide, as well through an online division.

Rasmussen’s online Associate’s-Health Information Technician degree program encompasses major and core courses, as well as a simulated internship in coding and health information. Students need 90 credit hours to obtain the degree.

The online health information technician associate’s degree prepares and qualifies students to take the Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) national certification exam.

The online health information technology online degree includes courses such as:

    Pharmacology for the Allied Health Professional
    Coding
    Pathophysiology
    Health Information Law and Ethics
    Medical Terminology

Rasmussen College is Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, 800-612-7440.
REQUEST INFO



†US Bureau of Labor Statistics, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/medical-records-and-health-information-technicians.htm ⮭

Featured Schools

    Herzing University
    Herzing University

    Brookfield, WI & Online

    AS - Health Information Management

    Designed for students seeking entry-level technician positions working with clinical data in healthcare settings, Herzing's AS in health information management requires the completion of 63 credits over 20 months. The core curriculum includes courses in diagnostic and procedural coding, pathophysiology, and a professional practice internship.
    Visit Site
    Rasmussen College
    Rasmussen College

    Campus & Online

    AS - Health Information Technician

    Online students earning a health information technician AS at Rasmussen College experience hands-on training in medical billing, patient information management, healthcare technology, and healthcare systems. Completed in 18 months, the 90-credit program prepares graduates to take the Registered Health Information Technician certification exam.
    More Info
    Ultimate Medical Academy
    Ultimate Medical Academy

    Campus & Online

    AS - Health Information Technology

    The online associate degree in health information technology at Ultimate Medical Academy provides students with a comprehensive overview of ICD-10 codes, medical terms, and common EHR systems. The CAHIIM-accredited program prepares graduates to sit for the Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) exam.