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Health Information Technology Certification in Washington - WA

By Karen Weil, allied health world contributing writer
Published: September, 19 2010

RHIT certification in Washington is awarded to students who have completed a two year degree at an accredited program. The accrediting agency is CAHIIM, which stands for the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education. After earning an associates degree, an applicant takes a test and submits an application, which includes clearing a background check. Health information technology differs from most other careers in the health field in that practitioners do not work directly with patients. Still, the job has a unique set of requirements, which includes strong quantitative and communication abilities, as well as a solid grasp of issues in the medical technology field. A quantitative reasoning test may be required for entrance into Washington HIT programs. A student enrolled in an HIT program at the associates level in Seattle, Spokane, Tacoma, or any other Washington city should expect to study the following:

• Pharmacology
• legal issues affecting health care
• medical terminology
• medical coding
• processing of EHRs (electronic health records)

The certification program in Washington will also qualify students for positions in other US states. By studying at an accredited institution, a health information technology student in the Evergreen State should be well prepared for an entry level position in this growing field.