برنامج تقنية المعلومات الصحية

Capitals Institute of Health Sciences
Health Information Technology Program


Introduction:

The practice of modern medicine and biomedical research requires sophisticated information technologies with which medical professionals can manage patient information, plan diagnostic procedures, interpret laboratory results, and carry out investigations.

Health Information Technology is the active link between medicine and information technology, which are both rapidly growing fields in both research and application, and as many other life aspects, it has become impossible to practice modern medicine without advanced information technologies.

Hospitals at the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are now acquiring and implementing sophisticated Hospital Information Systems, such systems represent a central management power that joins different information channels to serve both clinical and administrative functions of healthcare activities.

A new generation Health Information Technicians needs to be created, a profession needs to be established, and a scientific discipline needs to be developed.


Health Information Technology

Health information technology has been recognized as an allied health profession. Health information technicians are an integral part of the healthcare team. They serve the healthcare industry and the public by managing, analyzing, and utilizing the data vital for patient care and making this data accessible to healthcare providers.

Whether stored on paper or in electronic files, reliable health information is critical to high-quality healthcare; enhancing individual patient care through timely and relevant information is one of the primary goals for the health information technology profession.


Health Information Technology Professions

Health Information Technicians provide crucial and detailed administrative services upon which health care facilities and practitioners rely. Activities vary depending on the size and scope of the facility. These range from complete oversight and operation of the Health Information services to specializing in a particular part of the system. In most hospitals, the Health Information Department staff reports to the Health Information Supervisor or Director.


Rules and responsibilities of Health Information Technicians

The Health Information Technician (HIT) performs technical medical record functions in various health care facilities. These functions include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Organizing, analyzing, and technically evaluating medical records for documentation completeness and accuracy
• Compiling various administrative and health statistics
• Coding symptoms, diseases, operations, procedures and other therapies according to recognized classification systems
• Maintaining and using a variety of health record indexes, special registries and storage and retrieval systems
• Transcribing dictated medical reports
• Entering and retrieving computerized health data
• Controlling the use and release of confidential health information
• Abstracting health care data from medical records for quality management or research studies


In a small health care facility, the Health Information Technician may have full responsibility for the operation of the Medical Record / Health Information Management Department; compiling, analyzing, and preparing health information needed by the patient, physician, health care facility or external agencies. In a large facility, a HIT may specialize in one or more of the functions listed above.


Senior Health Information Technician (Health Information Manager); possesses administrative knowledge and skills necessary to:

• Plan and develop health information management systems which meet standards of accrediting and regulating agencies
• Design health information management systems appropriate for various sizes and types of health care facilities
• Manage the human, financial, and physical resources of a Medical Record/Health Information Management Department
• Participate in medical staff and institutional activities including utilization management, risk management, and quality management
• Collect and analyze patient and facility data for reimbursement, facility planning, marketing, risk management, utilization management, quality management, and research
• Serve as an advocate for privacy and confidentiality of health information
• Plan and offer in-service educational programs for health care personnel


Career Opportunities:

A health information technician will have the potential for employment in the following settings: hospitals, medical centers, clinics, nursing homes, mental health facilities, and home health agencies, state health agencies, health insurance companies and private industry as a:

• Medical Records Specialist
• Medical Records Analyst
• Supervisor, Medical Record Department
• Healthcare Billing and Accounting Specialist
• Health Information Coder / Abstractor
• Health Insurance Specialist / Analyst
• Health Information Systems specialist
• Clinical / Research Data Specialist
• Cancer Registry Specialist
• Healthcare Statistics Analyst
• Medical Transcription Specialist / Supervisor
• Healthcare Quality Analyst
• Case Manager


What Do Health Information Technicians learn?

A Health Information Technology program should introduce students to a group of integrated sciences that can create the foundation and mentality of a professional Health Information Technician. The core of the study should be made of a mix of five main domains:

• General Foundation Courses
• Health Sciences Courses
• Health Information Technology and Systems Courses
• Healthcare Management Courses
• General Management Skills Courses


• Supervised Professional Practice: Practicing Health Information Technology Skills in the hospitals under supervision, these are 4 courses distributed over the last 2 semesters of the second year of the diploma program.

• An Internship Course: 6 months of hands-on training will follow the 2 years study duration.


HIT Program Training:


Domain: Information Technology and Information Systems
• A. Information and Communication Technologies
• B. Data, Information, and File Structure
• C. Data Storage and Retrieval
• D. Data Security
• E. Healthcare Information Systems


Domain: Health Data Management
• A. Health Data Structure, Content, and Standards
• B. Healthcare Information Requirement and Standards
• C: Clinical Classification Systems
• D. Reimbursement Methodologies


Domain: Health Statistics, Biomedical Research and Quality Management
• A. Healthcare Statistics and Research
• B. Quality Management and Performance Improvement


Domain: Health Services Organization and Delivery
• A. Healthcare Statistics and Research
• B. Healthcare Delivery Systems
• C. Healthcare Privacy, Confidentiality, Legal, and Ethical Issues


Domain: Organization and Management
• A. Human Resources Management
• B. Financial and Physical Resource Management
• C. Strategic Planning and Organizational Development
• D. Project and Operations Management