The healthcare industry is growing and evolving rapidly, and with it, the demand for qualified professionals with specialized skills. Two of the most prominent of these specializations are the Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) and the Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA). Both of these positions require a unique combination of knowledge, technical abilities, and experience in the field of health information and healthcare data management. In this blog post, we’ll review the differences between RHIT and RHIA, discuss the qualifications and skills required for each role, and outline the advantages of earning either one of these certifications. Read on to learn more about RHIT vs RHIA and which one might be right for you.
What is RHIA?
You can work in industries like medical record management and healthcare administration if you have a Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA) credential. You can become qualified to apply for the certification by finishing a bachelor’s or master’s degree program in health information management (HIM), which is provided by the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA). The program must be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM), just like the RHIT credential.
RHIAs typically hold more senior positions than RHITs, typically working in management or administration They often specialize in HIPAA, analyzing data and governing data. Although an RHIA typically works in the healthcare industry, they can also find employment in industries like insurance, software, consulting, government, and education.
According to the American Health Information Management Association, RHIAs:
An RHIA certification would be a good fit for those with an interest in health information management who want to oversee other employees and have an impact on multiple departments.
What is RHIT?
You can work in fields like health coding and data analysis with a Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) credential, which is a health information management credential. You can become qualified to apply for the credential by finishing an associate degree program in Health Information Management (HIM), which is provided by the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA). The Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM) must accredit the program.
Analyzing data in the hopes of enhancing care and lowering costs is one of an RHIT’s primary responsibilities. RHITs also work with coding and data input. You can work in a healthcare environment or anywhere that uses patient data if you have this credential.
According to the American Health Information Management Association, RHITs:
An RHIT certification would be a good fit for people who are interested in health information management and want to concentrate their career on working directly with data.
RHIT vs RHIA: Key differences
Although both RHIT and RHIA are certifications in health information management, their levels of work within the organization frequently vary.
An RHIA typically supports management positions higher up in the organization; for example, they are in charge of making decisions about budgets and data analysis. An RHIT works more directly with coding and data input. They are not in charge of an RHIA’s higher-level decision-making. In many organizations, RHITs work under and report to RHIAs.
The amount of education needed to take the certification exam varies depending on the certifications as well. You must have at least an associate’s degree to take the RHIT exam. However, earning a bachelor’s or master’s degree is a requirement for taking the RHIA exam.
List of RHIT and RHIA jobs
A hospital or other healthcare facility is the most typical workplace for someone with an RHIA or RHIT certification. Numerous of the jobs listed below call for either an RHIA or RHIT because the certifications are so similar. Here are some job options for both RHITs and RHIAs:
Document experts’ main responsibilities include making sure documents are accurate and adhere to healthcare facility regulations. Document management, clinical documentation improvement, records management, documentation review, technical writing, and records management are some of their typical job duties.
A health information technician’s main responsibilities include assisting healthcare professionals in improving patient care and reducing costs. They use technology to track patient outcomes, compile data, and assign clinical codes. Health information technicians are knowledgeable and skilled in anatomy and physiology, medical terminology, HIPAA, Epic, records management, and public health.
A coding specialist’s main responsibilities are to code medical treatments and work in the billing department. This data is used for billing, research and record keeping. The most recent medical terminology and coding methods are prerequisites for a coding specialist.
Managers of health information are experts in the following fields, among others: health information management, HIPAA, CPT coding, and more. They analyze data, collaborate with staff at all levels to improve the accuracy of medical records and coding, and ensure that medical records are accurate and available to healthcare providers.
The main responsibilities of senior coders include acute care, anatomy and physiology, medical records, medical terminology, and a variety of medical coding. Senior coders are in charge of supervising junior coders, which may entail carrying out quality assurance or audits.
Auditors’ main responsibilities include reviewing and confirming financial records. They ensure companies and businesses are complying with tax regulations. The skills and knowledge of auditors in CPT coding, Medicare, medical coding, bookkeeping, and accounting are common.
Principal responsibilities: Coding managers are in charge of overseeing staff in the coding department. They frequently have supervisory experience. They are adept at improving clinical documentation and are knowledgeable about CPT coding, ICD coding, medical coding, Epic, and DRG.
Principal responsibilities: A director is accountable for ensuring that the business or company operates in accordance with the law. This may entail managing daily business and financial operations. Directors frequently have management or supervisory experience. They may also be adept at strategic planning, leadership, budgeting, teaching, and writing. This job requires an RHIT.
RHIA AND RHIT ROLES EXPLAINED | CREDENTIALS | MEDICAL CODING WITH BLEU
FAQ
Which is better RHIA or RHIT?
RHIA certification is more difficult to earn. This makes RHIA-certified professionals more desirable to employers. The RHIA exam has less competition than the RHIT exam because fewer people pass it each year. Those who do obtain the RHIA are in an excellent position when making job applications.
Is the RHIT being phased out?
Over a multi-year, multi-phased process, transition the RHIT credential to a specialty-focused associate level. Current and new RHITs (those who receive the RHIT designation by July 2021) will permanently retain their RHIT credential from January 2017 through July 2021.
Are RHIT in demand?
The widespread use of electronic health records and technological advancements are driving up demand for RHITs. RHITs work for medical practices, nursing homes, home health agencies, law firms, insurance companies, and companies that sell health products.
Is RHIA in demand?
According to a workforce study sponsored by AHIMA, RHIA credential holders were preferred by 94 percent of employers. Currently, there is a much greater demand for HIM program graduates who have also passed this credentialing exam than there are qualified graduates available.
