Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Language

English

Publication Date

1-1-2026

Journal

Advances in Health Information Science and Practicef

DOI

10.63116/AH.000000002

PMID

42389233

PMCID

PMC13318704

PubMedCentral® Posted Date

6-30-2026

PubMedCentral® Full Text Version

Post-print

Abstract

Background: The career path of associate-degree health information technology (HIT) graduates continues to change quickly as quality and payment regulations, technology requirements, and workforce expectations evolve to meet the demands of the changing health care environment. Although HIT professionals play an essential role in accuracy, regulatory compliance, and the overall function of health information systems, there is limited research describing HIT workforce trends.

Methods: A mixed-methods approach was used with 587 survey responses. Quantitative data were standardized by job category, including a newly developed "health information management (HIM) operations" group, and career movement was visualized using a Sankey diagram. Qualitative comments were analyzed using inductive thematic coding, intercoder reliability checks, and a reconciled codebook. Both data sources were combined to provide a clearer picture of workforce patterns and graduate experiences.

Results: Graduates reported a wide range of initial positions after graduation, most commonly in medical coding, HIM operations, billing, and patient registration. Many described strong upward mobility, moving into supervisory HIM roles, revenue cycle leadership, and growing opportunities in data analytics. Internships were frequently linked to job placement, and remote or hybrid work remained common. Three themes emerged from the qualitative analysis: (1) degree outcomes-graduates found the degree practical and career-building; (2) credential value-the Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) continues to hold value but is not consistently recognized by all employers; and (3) employment issues-experience requirements and wages remain ongoing challenges.

Conclusions: Overall, HIT graduates see clear value in their education and report meaningful career growth. At the same time, familiar challenges persist in work experience requirements that limit job availability for HIT graduates. Strengthening experiential learning, improving communication with employers about HIT competencies, and creating more intentional academic-employer partnerships may help close these gaps. These insights are intended to support educators, employers, and the broader HIM community in developing more effective workforce strategies.

Keywords

Humans, Medical Informatics, Career Mobility, United States, Surveys and Questionnaires, career mobility, experiential learning, health information management, health information technology, mixed-methods research, professional competencies, RHIT credential, workforce entry

Published Open-Access

yes

Download

Share

COinS
 
 

To view the content in your browser, please download Adobe Reader or, alternately,
you may Download the file to your hard drive.

NOTE: The latest versions of Adobe Reader do not support viewing PDF files within Firefox on Mac OS and if you are using a modern (Intel) Mac, there is no official plugin for viewing PDF files within the browser window.