HOUSTON – Lone Star College-University Park has launched a new health information technology certificate and degree program this fall. With a growing demand for digitized records, the need for skilled workers in health care technology has never been greater.
To help meet this need and ease the increased strain in all areas of the health care industry, LSC-University Park students will be able to complete the Coding Certificate Level II portion of the program in just one year, and the Health Information Technology associate degree program in two years.
“The use of technology in the medical field is growing and will never go away,” said Dr. Steven Kahla, dean of business, applied sciences, computing, and engineering technologies at LSC-University Park. “These programs offer the relevant coursework to prepare students for this specialized field. Our students will be learning from competent faculty who bring their real-life experience into the classroom.”
Health information technicians and coding professionals process, maintain, complete, and report important data to help with reimbursement, facility planning, marketing, risk management, utilization management, quality assessment, and research.
LSC-University Park graduates will be qualified to work in many places, including doctors’ offices, surgical centers, emergency rooms, hospitals, and insurance companies.
Graduates of the one-year Coding Certificate Level II program can apply for certification examination to become a Certified Coding Associate (CCA). In 2019, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that the median salary for CCAs was $42,630. Earned credits from the certificate program can also be applied toward the two-year Associate of Applied Science degree in Health Information Technology, which is designed to prepare graduates for work in an even greater variety of medical organizations in coding, insurance, and health information roles. AAS degree graduates can apply for certification examination to become Registered Health Information Technicians. The BLS reports a median salary for health information technicians of $44,090 as of 2020, and the top 10% of health information technicians brought home $71,150 or more per year.
According to BLS, over 341,000 health information technicians and coding professionals were working in 2020, and it estimates sustained growth in this occupation.
“We are focused on getting students into the workforce, especially for an industry as critical as healthcare, which is in need of trained professionals,” said LSC-University Park President Dr. Shah Ardalan. “This is another example of LSC-University Park’s affordable ways to help our community members to get a job quickly that also results in a career. Helping our community and industry partners is at the core of our mission.”
According to Kahla, many federal requirements regulate and require the use of technology in the medical field and specifically in coding.
“Health information technology opens new doors for students who are interested in the medical field and helping others but may not want to be in direct patient care,” added Kahla. “There has been a surge in the number and types of medical tests, treatments, and procedures that require technicians to do the work on the back end.
Established in 2012, Lone Star College-University Park has been recognized nationally and internationally for its innovation, as well as its focus on student access and success. Conveniently located off SH 249 in the heart of northwest Houston, Lone Star College-University Park is known as the “community’s college,” providing students with highly-affordable degree and certificate programs that transfer seamlessly to four-year universities or lead to direct employment. The college’s facilities include the Center for Science & Innovation, the Energy & Manufacturing Institute, Learning Innovation Labs and the Geology Rock Wall. Dr. Shah Ardalan has been president of LSC-University Park since its founding in 2012. For information on taking classes at LSC-University Park, visit LoneStar.edu/StartUP, call 281.290.2600 or email UPAdvising@LoneStar.edu. Registration for the fall semester Next Start sessions that begin in September and October is ongoing and classes are filling quickly. Academic advisers are available to assist students with questions about course selection, degree plans or the registration process.