Dear Monty,
It is always difficult to find a job if they demand experience, and in
order to attain this experience they're looking for, you have to have
a ... job. Catch 22 in its best.
The Occupational Outlook Handbook (by the U.S. Department of Labor,
Bureau of Labor Statistics), writes regarding certification of medical
records technicians:
"Most employers prefer to hire Registered Health Information
Technicians (RHIT), who must pass a written examination offered by the
American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA). To take
the examination, a person must graduate from a 2-year associate degree
program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health
Education Programs (CAAHEP) of the American Medical Association.
Technicians trained in non-CAAHEP-accredited programs, or on the job,
are not eligible to take the examination. In 2003, CAAHEP accredited
182 programs for health information technicians. Technicians who
specialize in coding may obtain voluntary certification."
(SOURCE: The Occupational Outlook Handbook, "Medical Records and
Health Information Technicians", <http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos103.htm).
In other words, if took an accredited programme, certification might
be easier than you thought.
Check in this list if it accredited by the American Health Information
Management Association
<http://www.ahima.org/careers/college_search/searchschools.cfm>
Or here: CAAHP:
<http://www.caahep.org/caahep/programs.asp?search=true>
In order to be eligible to take the certification exam, you need no
work experience:
"Candidates must meet one of the following eligibility requirements
for the RHIT examination:
Have an associate's degree from a CAAHEP1 - accredited health
information technology program (HIT); or
Have a degree from an HIT associate degree program in a foreign
country whose professional association has an agreement of reciprocity
with AHIMA2; or
Have a certificate of completion in health information technology from
the AHIMA Independent Study Program (ISP) and an associate?s degree
from an accredited college or university. Please note: This program is
inactive; AHIMA no longer offers an Independent Study Program (ISP).
The certificate of completion refers to those candidates who graduated
from this program."
(SOURCE: AHIMA, "Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) -
eligibility", <http://www.ahima.org/certification/eligibility.rhit.cfm>).
So, if the school was in the accredited list mentioned before, go and
take the exam, and get accredited. Unfortunately, if your school was
not accredited, I am less optimistic about your chances to get
certified.
You mention that you studied for an associate degree. Some schools
offer preparation for the certification exam in the school, and you
might want to check with your school. It is esseintial to pass the
exam in order to be accredited, and it is much easier to do it through
the school.
There are some preparation courses towards certification:
Moraine Valley Community College
<http://www.morainevalley.edu/CEHP/medical_records_technicians.htm>
If your school does not offer such a preparation couse, check with one
of the accredited long distance programs in the list above, to see if
any of them offers it.
To learn more about the RHIt exam:
<http://www.ahima.org/certification/rhit.cfm>
To learn more about coding certificate:
<http://www.ahima.org/certification/cca.cfm>
To apply for the exam:
AHIMA
<http://www.ahima.org/certification/contact.cfm>
While you do that, it would be wise to continue to apply. This time,
write in every application that you're looking for "training" towards
certification: If you completed one year (twelve months) of work
experience in medical records, after completing an accredited course
on the subject (is the Associate degree accredited?), you could also
try to be examed and certified, according to several state-sites I
checked:
Colorado - requirements
<http://www.colorado.gov/dpa/dhr/select/docs/mqs/mqg3d.pdf>
Pennsylvania - requirements and positions
<http://www.scsc.state.pa.us/announcements/64195.htm>
This is not the end of it. As you apply, you have a third possibility.
You could try to find a job as a Medical Records Assistant, which is a
lesser job, concerning salary or responsibility, but would give you
the experience and the contacts possible to advance to a technician
certification.
Jobs:
Monster
<http://medical.records.technician.jobs.monster.com/>
Medical Records Jobs
<http://www.medicaljobsonline.com/MedicalRecords.html>
MedHunter
<http://www.medhunters.com/jobs/MedRecTech.html>
The AHIMA site itself also has job listing and placement service, but
you must be a member of AHIMA (which is not expensive for a student).
Summary:
I don't know who informed you, but the AHIMA site is pretty clear -
both coding specialists/associates and technicians need education, not
experience, in order to be certified, and this must be from an
accredited program. However, if you're looking for a job in the field,
an assistant job, until you get certified, or a "training" position
(for several months), is possible in many cases.
I hope this answered your question. Please contact me if you need any
clarification on this answer before you rate it.
Search strategy:
"medical records technician"/"medical coding"/ (etc.) with the term "certification". |
,
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