Due to the mandate of medical records becoming digitized by 2014 and the increased usage of automated medical coding software, it seems the administrative healthcare employment demand might soon be in RHIA and RHIT? This link is from the Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics. This mentions coding, but there seems to be heavier emphasis on RHIT. I only pasted parts of what the web page says.
http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos103.htm
Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Edition
Medical Records and Health Information Technicians
Significant Points
Employment is expected to grow much faster than the average.
Job prospects should be very good, particularly for technicians with strong computer software skills.
Entrants usually have an associate degree.
This is one of the few health-related occupations in which there is no direct hands-on patient care.
Training, Other Qualifications, and Advancement
Entry-level medical records and health information technicians usually have an associate degree. Many employers favor technicians who have a Registered Health Information Technicians (RHIT) credential.
Education and training. Medical records and health information technicians generally have an associate degree. Typical coursework in health information technology includes medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, health data requirements and standards, clinical classification and coding systems, data analysis, healthcare reimbursement methods, database security and management, and quality improvement methods. Applicants can improve their chances of admission into a postsecondary program by taking biology, math, chemistry, health, and computer science courses in high school.
Certification and other qualifications
Most employers prefer to hire credentialed medical record and health information technicians. A number of organizations offer credentials typically based on passing a credentialing exam. Most credentialing programs require regular recertification and continuing education to maintain the credential. Many coding credentials require an amount of time in coding experience in the work setting.
The American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) offers credentialing as a Registered Health Information Technicians (RHIT). To obtain the RHIT credential, an individual must graduate from a 2-year associate degree program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM) and pass an AHIMA-administered written examination. In 2008, there were more than 200 CAHIIM-accredited health information technology colleges and universities programs.
The American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC) offers coding credentials. The Board of Medical Specialty Coding (BMSC) and Professional Association of Health care Coding Specialists (PAHCS) both offer credentialing in specialty coding. The National Cancer Registrars Association (NCRA) offers a credential as a Certified Tumor Registrar (CTR). To learn more about the credentials available and their specific requirements, contact the credentialing organization.
Health information technicians and coders should possess good oral and written communication skills as they often serve as liaisons between healthcare facilities, insurance companies, and other establishments.
Candidates proficient with computer software and technology will be appealing to employers as healthcare facilities continue to adopt electronic health records. Medical records and health information technicians should enjoy learning, as continuing education is important in the occupation.
Job Outlook
Employment is expected to grow much faster than the average. Job prospects should be very good;
technicians with a strong understanding of technology and computer software will be in particularly high demand.
Employment change
Employment of medical records and health information technicians is expected to increase by 20 percent, much faster than the average for all occupations through 2018. Employment growth will result from the increase in the number of medical tests, treatments, and procedures that will be performed. As the population continues to age, the occurrence of health-related problems will increase. Cancer registrars should experience job growth as the incidence of cancer increases from an aging population.
In addition, with the increasing use of electronic health records, more technicians will be needed to complete the new responsibilities associated with electronic data management.
Job prospects. Job prospects should be very good.
In addition to job growth, numerous openings will result from the need to replace medical record and health information technicians who retire or leave the occupation permanently.