Health Information Technician (RHIT)

1. 1
   Complete a CAHIIM-Accredited HIT Program

   HIT programs accredited by CAHIIM (Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management) qualify graduates for the RHIT exam. Programs are 2-year AAS degrees covering: health record content and structure, healthcare delivery systems, health data management, clinical classification systems (ICD-10-CM/PCS, CPT), legal aspects of health information, and health information systems.

   CAHIIM-accredited HIT AAS
2. 2
   Pass the RHIT Exam from AHIMA

   The Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) credential from AHIMA validates competency in health information management. The exam covers: data content, structure, and information governance; information protection; informatics and analytics; revenue cycle management; and regulatory/legal content. RHIT is the entry credential; the RHIA (Registered Health Information Administrator, requiring a bachelor's degree) is the advanced credential.

   RHIT exam — AHIMA
3. 3
   Develop EHR Proficiency — Epic, Cerner, or Oracle Health

   Epic and Cerner (now Oracle Health) are the dominant EHRs in large U.S. health systems. RHIT professionals who develop deep EHR system knowledge — chart analysis, document management configuration, release of information workflows, and data quality monitoring — are significantly more employable and better-compensated than those with only general HIM knowledge. Epic certifications (build analyst tracks) are accessible through employer-sponsored training.

   EHR system expertise
4. 4
   Learn ICD-10-CM/PCS and CPT Coding

   While coding is a separate specialty (see Medical Coder career), HIT professionals who understand clinical coding have significantly more career options and can advance into coding supervisor, coding quality audit, and compliance roles. Basic ICD-10 and CPT knowledge is covered in CAHIIM programs; deeper coding proficiency requires additional study and the CCS (Certified Coding Specialist) credential from AHIMA.

   Clinical coding knowledge
5. 5
   Advance to Health Informatics or EHR Analytics

   Health information professionals who develop SQL query skills, healthcare analytics tools (Tableau, Power BI applied to clinical data), and EHR data warehouse knowledge advance to health informatics analyst roles ($60K–$80K+). Epic implementation consultant roles at health systems and Epic consulting firms pay $70K–$95K+. RHIA credential and health informatics graduate certificate programs support this advancement.

   Health informatics or EHR analyst

• 8:00 AMRelease of information — process 12 medical record requests from the overnight queue: patient requests for personal records (HIPAA-compliant), attorney requests with proper authorization, disability insurance requests, and insurance company requests. Verify authorization completeness before releasing any records.
• 9:30 AMChart deficiency analysis — identify records with incomplete documentation from this week's discharges. Physician documentation is required within 30 days of discharge. Flag 8 records with missing signatures or incomplete discharge summaries. Send deficiency notifications to physicians in the EHR.
• 10:30 AMCoding support — a clinical coder has a question about sequencing for a complex inpatient case (COPD exacerbation with acute respiratory failure — which is the principal diagnosis?). Review the Official Coding Guidelines and advise. Document the query.
• 11:30 AMQuality audit — random audit of 10 records for documentation completeness per CMS Conditions of Participation. Verify: history and physical documented within 24 hours of admission, operative report completed, discharge summary complete. Report findings to the compliance officer.
• 12:00 PMLunch — 30 minutes.
• 12:30 PMEpic report — run the monthly incomplete record report from Epic, format it for the medical staff quality committee, and send to the HIM Director for review. Identify three physicians with consistently high deficiency rates for follow-up.
• 2:00 PMSubpoena response — a court subpoena for a patient's medical records arrives. Follow the legal hold protocol: do not alter any records, verify the subpoena is properly served, consult with the legal department, and prepare the certified record copy according to the court's requirements.
• 4:00 PMEnd of day — process remaining ROI requests, review tomorrow's physician query follow-ups, check the deficiency notification system for physician responses.

Health information technology is one of the healthcare roles most significantly affected by AI. Clinical documentation AI, automated coding tools, and NLP-powered data extraction are directly targeting the core functions of HIT professionals. The role is not disappearing — but it is undergoing the most significant transformation of any healthcare support career.