Program Information

AAS Degree:  60 semester credit hours (TSI readiness required)

Level II Certificate:  30 semester credit hours (TSI readiness required)

Level I Certificate:  18 semester credit hours

Students can now prepare for a career in Health Information Technology from the comfort of home.  The Degree is available ONLINE!

Health information management (HIM) is the practice of acquiring, analyzing, and protecting digital and traditional medical information vital to providing quality patient care.  It is a combination of business, science, and information technology.  

HIT professionals work in a variety of different settings with various job titles and are responsible for the quality, integrity, and protection of patient's health information.  Health information professionals care for patients by caring for their medical data.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment for health information professionals is expected to grow 8% from 2019 to 2029.  The two year graduation rate for the AAS graduating class of 2022 was 55% with 18% of the remaining students attending part-time.  The graduate employment rate within six months of graduation was 83%.  Student satisfaction was 100%.  The RHIT certification exam pass rate for the period of 8/1/2021 to 7/31/2022 was 100%.

EHR Support Specialist trains students to perform technical and electronic health information functions in various health care facilities.  This level builds on the knowledge gained in the Level I Certificate and provides a more in depth study of Health Information Technology.  TSI readiness is required for this Level II Certificate.

Level I Certificate

Health Data Analyst is designed to prepare the student for an entry level clerical position in a medical record or health information management department.  Students who graduate with the Level I Certificate will possess knowledge of medical terminology and requirements for the collection, storage, and retrieval of medical record content for varying types of medical facilities.  TSI readiness or other testing is not required for this Level I Certificate.

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The Health Information Management accreditor of Wharton County Junior College is the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM).  The College's accreditation for the Associate degree in Health Information Management has been reaffirmed through 2029-2030.  All inquiries about the program's accreditation status should be directed by mail to CAHIIM, 200 East Randolph Street, Suite 5100, Chicago, IL, 60601; by phone at 312.235.3255; or by email at info@cahiim.org . View our listing at http://cahiim.org.

Thank you for your interest in the Health Information Technology Program at Wharton County Junior College.  If you are interested in a health care career and computers, but not in direct patient care, the health information technology field may be the right field for you!

Information concerning the profession, application procedures, technical standards, curriculum, and faculty can be found on this website. 

The application packet can be printed from the Health Information Technology web page.  Deadline for the return of your completed application is the fourth Thursday in June or until the class is filled.  Please contact the Department Head for more information.

We look forward to meeting you and helping you start a career in Health Information Technology.

For additional information, please feel free to contact one of the following:

Debbie Lutringer, RHIA, CTR
Department Head
(979) 532-6363
lutringerd@wcjc.edu

Allied Health Division
979-532-6491