The Market Dynamics of Healthcare IT
In 2010, CompTIA conducted research to find out what the top needs and priorities were, both for healthcare providers and for companies in the IT services part of the market. Improving patient care, reducing costs, and improving workflow efficiency are at the top of the list for healthcare providers. In the survey of IT firms doing business in the healthcare market, or trying to enter the healthcare market, certification and training were at the top of the list of things they felt was needed in order to be successful.
For healthcare providers, improving patient care, reducing costs, and improving workflow efficiency are at the top of the list in terms of areas where additional staff training is needed. Also, training in the regulations governing healthcare in the U.S., especially HIPAA, is extremely important because it is within the context of those regulations that patient records have to be maintained and hospitals and doctors have to operate. Workflows are another important area of knowledge, and the workflow for a typical doctor’s office is different from the workflow for a critical care facility.
When asked for specifics about the type of training they need, IT firm felt that regulations governing healthcare in the U.S., especially HIPAA, are extremely important to healthcare professionals and anyone doing business in that market, because it is within the context of those regulations that patient records have to be maintained and hospitals and doctors have to operate.
U.S. HITECH ACT
Through this legislation, Congress required that all doctors, hospitals, and other healthcare delivery organizations that keep records on patients move those paper records to electronic records that can be easily exchanged among the various organizations that provide care.
In other words, if you see your primary care doctor, and she refers you to a specialist for a particular problem, your medical record has to be in an electronic format that the specialist’s computer system can receive and integrate into his system—and be passed on if necessary to a third provider of services. All of this has to be done with the security of the patient’s information as a requirement and top priority.
The HITECH Act requires that all paper records be electronic and interchangeable by 2015 or medical providers will face financial penalties. Presently, they receive thousands of dollars in incentives for installing electronic health record systems that demonstrate “meaningful use”, a set of requirements that includes security and portability of the information across providers.
About CompTIA Healthcare IT Technician Certificate
The Healthcare IT industry is exploding with opportunities for skilled IT professionals. The CompTIA HIT Certificate demonstrates that successful candidates have the knowledge and skills required to support the implementation and maintenance of electronic health record (EHR) systems in various clinical settings.
- The 2009 Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act – requires US paper records in medical facilities to be converted to electronic records by 2015
- Over $19 Billion Funding – allocated by the US government to fund projects to convert to electronic medical records
- Increasing Job Demand – The US healthcare information technology sector is forecasted to create 50,000 to 200,000 new jobs between February 2010 and 2015
- High Growth Occupations – Ten of the twenty fastest growing occupations in the US are healthcare-related, potentially yielding 3.2 million new jobs over the next decade
Successful Candidates in Our Course Will:
- Understand healthcare regulatory requirements and standards behind an EHR system
- Be familiar with healthcare terminology, basic workflows and clinical processes
- Possess a basic conceptual understanding of system installation, networking and security
- Know to adhere to standard code of conduct policies and security best practices
- Be prepared to take the CompTIA Healthcare IT certification test.
The CompTIA Healthcare IT Technician Certificate is a measure of the healthcare and IT knowledge necessary to support an EHR system. It was developed to help validate basic knowledge and skills of those personnel who participate in the transition to, and support of, these systems.
Prerequisites:
None. CompTIA A+ or 500 hours of hands-on IT technical experience is recommended; also experience in a healthcare environment or training in the healthcare field is recommended.
FREE A+ Course:
For students in the Health IT course who find they need the foundation level knowledge and computer skills covered in the CompTIA A+ program or for those just needing a refresher, we offer free access to a self-paced online course. The cost of materials and test vouchers is not included.