A community of 30,000 US Transcriptionist serving Medical Transcription Industry

Should I skip the RHIT and go for RHIA? - sm

Posted: May 09, 2012

So, I'm confused and could use some advice. I am in an accredited HIT program all online to receive my AA degree and sit for the RHIT. I have just two semesters left to complete the program. I am very unhappy with the education I have received, and I am not sure I could even pass the RHIT. I am considering quitting this program and enrolling in a bachelor program where I can sit for the RHIA (it's a healthcare informatics degree through WGU). I am wondering if I should finish the two semesters I have and then go for the bachelors, or should I just stop the two year program now and go straight for bachelors? I am not interested in doing just coding, so I have no interest in the CCS. I want to work more in EHR, informatics, management, etc. Any advice?

Why are you unhappy with the education you are receiving at WGU? - Need More Info

[ In Reply To ..]
My first reaction is that you should go ahead and finish what you started. Then again, you probably do need to switch if you know you are not getting a good education. Why do you believe that you are not?

Correction - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
I am not currently attending WGU. I am attending my local community college where my education is not great. I have heard great things about WGU, which is why I would like to go there. My local college only assigns assignments and that's it. I feel there is no teaching, no learning, etc.

Not much advice, but a couple of things came to mind - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
I believe you said you want to get into management. That limits your job options. Only a few management jobs ever open up. They are probably going to go to someone who works their way up through the system. It's also possible that you could join some of the professional organizations and get to know some of those in management. Maybe one or more of them would be willing to mentor you.

My advice - RHIA

[ In Reply To ..]
This is not as confusing as it appears. You just need more information with which to make your decision.

WGU seems to have a superb program. You will graduate from one of the only informatics RHIA programs. That really is where you want to go n HIM right now--the traditional stuff that most schools are still teaching is ancient history.

Their graduates have a 100% pass rate on the RHIA exam, which is remarkable since graduates from the rest of the country are around 50 or 60%. You also graduate with, I think, 5 IT certifications. I do not know any other programs that have that. WGU is also very good at teaching computer topics. They are competency-based, so you really have to learn the material.

It may be possible for you to speed up the program by simply doing more each term. They will accept transfer credits from your current program, it seems. You would have a choice then of finishing the last 2 semesters where you are or just moving right away.

If you feel you are not learning much, then you might want to switch schools now. Perhaps you can save time and money that way.

Just in terms of career advice, avoid becoming one of the many RHITs (and RHIAs) who start planning on management because they have too little knowledge to actually do the work. While you might not want to do a front-line coder job, the underlying knowledge is very necessary in informatics. To you, now, it might seem like worker-bee slave work, but many jobs that are not IN coding require a knowledge of coding and even require certifications in it. Informatics does not mean you will not see codes, but that you will need to use MORE code sets like LOINC and SNOMED.

Employers are also put off by people who announce that they feel they are best suited for management. Especially if they add that they do not think any HIM work is interesting. It isn't possible for everyone to be a manager.

Do not think that going into management means you will get a higher salary. I know lots of RHIAs who make way more than managers because they can do high-demand technical work. This is very true in informatics.

I think you would do well to go with WGU. Talk to their enrollment counselors and see what advice they have.

Great advice! - Not the OP

[ In Reply To ..]
I was wondering about that myself from a different point of view. I am at Andrews working towards a CCS and am considering an RHIA since I already have a degree and it would not take too long to do the post-graduate certificate program I saw posted here not too long ago. I know I need to do more research on it, but I was wondering if an RHIA is only for management, and you have answered my question. I definitely do not want to go into management, just the technical work. Thanks.

Similar Messages:

Feb 19, 2014

I am a current MT and am looking to start the transition to coding/HIM. I already have a bachelor's degree in business. I know I would like to work in hospital coding, at least initially, so I want a very good foundation in coding. This always leads me to Andrews school, as I definitely want to obtain the CCS to help my prospects. However, I am also open to other possible opportunities in HIM, and it seems that an HIM degree/RHIT or RHIA would be beneficial to have in tha ...

Jan 25, 2010

I got a call from MQ regarding the amount of <skip> markers in my ASR reports. I was told that there shouldn't be more than 3 to 5 skip markers in any given report??? This sounded absolutely ABSURD to me and I told them to give a listen to some of the reports I edit and explain to me how exactly I am suppose to accomplish that! Has anyone been told that or something similar? It doesn't seem to me that the "ASR machine" will learn if we simply do correctio ...

Feb 16, 2010

what is causing my skip marker to stay in the report after the ADT info is skip marked. ...

Sep 24, 2010

I accidentally hit the delete button and it did not put in a skip marker so wondering if the trainer was wrong. ...

Jun 19, 2012

On physical exam, the PA says "negative for SKIP and SEIP bilaterally" Any ideas what this stands for? Thank you. ...

Sep 21, 2012

would I need a Bachelor's degree in something else. I have seen this as a qualification on some jobs. To be honest, I am not sure what jobs would be open to me if I had an RHIA. Any help and/or direction is greatly appreciated. Thanks. ...

Jul 30, 2014

Hi, I am thinking of getting a bachelor's degree in Health Information Management and becoming a certified RHIA. I was wondering if anyone currently working as a RHIA can tell me: 1) Is it hard to find a job after you finish school and get certified? 2) About how much money can you expect to make? Hi, I am thinking of getting a bachelor's degree in Health Information Management and becoming a certified RHIA. I was wondering if anyone currently working as a RHIA can tell ...

Sep 10, 2010

Just a thought. I'd rather not have ASR learn too much. If it gets too good, I'm out of work (more than usual anyway). ...

Oct 16, 2013

"Maisara Rahman, MD, who helps train family-medicine residents at a county hospital in Moreno Valley, California, noticed a while back that attendance at her lectures was falling off sharply. Dr. Rahman hadn't become boring all of a sudden. Other faculty members were noticing a lot of empty seats during their talks as well. Had the family medicine residents caught a slacker virus? No, it turns out that they were skipping lectures, lunches, and even an occasional rotation, said Dr. Rah ...

Jun 02, 2013

Has anyone here gone through WGU and become a RHIA? I am currently a RHIT, but I'm thinking of furthering my education. I really like computers and technology and I think this looks like a good program. I just wonder if RHIA is worth it because I see a lot of jobs require either RHIT or RHIA. ...

Jan 01, 2015

I can't stand this industry and what it has become. I am sick of making peanuts for thoughtless people. I will hold on to my job while I have to but I signed up to go back and finish my Bachelor's degree so I can become an RHIA and get into coding or corporate. I need more open doors. I have an A.A.S. in HIT but that hasn't opened many doors. ...

Aug 13, 2012

I'm a former MT who has been in school working towards AA in HIT and will sit for my RHIT this winter. I am considering contiuing my education and getting my bachelor's degree and going for the RHIA, but is it worth it? I currently work in medical records and when I get my RHIT I will be a coder where I work. Two more years of school just seems daunting and exhausting to me, but then I wonder if RHIA would be a good career move. Any thoughts? ...

Jan 30, 2014

I am thinking about going into health informatics. I've been looking at the program through WGU. Through their program, you complete your CCA credential before graduation. You would also qualify for your RHIA certification when you graduate. They state that a CCS or CCA credential will satisfy the coding courses in the program. Would it be better to do the coding portion of the informatics degree through a program that prepares you to pass the CCS and CPC (like Andrews) or would you know ad ...

Sep 28, 2012

I learned yesterday that the TSU post baccaulaureate certificate requires only 15 hours. Wow. I can't stop thinking about it. I'm going to see if I can get accepted (yes I live in Texas). ...

Jul 25, 2013

Which school (that offers the program online) is the best to get an RHIA besides Western Governor's University? I'm not interested in going there. ...

Aug 05, 2010

How does one go about getting their RHIT after the coding certifications? Are there classes and schooling involved? or just the exam? thanks in advance ...

Sep 20, 2012

take a coding course? I cannot afford to do both at this time. I was also wondering if I were to go through HIM to get my RHIT if I could also get my CCS and CPC with just the HIM courses? I hope that makes sense. Thanks. ...

Feb 12, 2013

Can anyone tell me if the RHIT degree is only useful for coding and billing? What kind of jobs are available to an RHIT with an associates in applied science? ...

Jan 05, 2010

Looking at college courses at the local community college, I figure I am two semesters away from an associates degree and ability to be RHIT certified. Are you guys certified? Is there online work for coding? Is the pay decent? In your opinion, is this a good move to make? ...

Sep 13, 2010

The hospital where I live has 4 openings for coders, but they all require that you have an RHIT certification. I know in order to have this you must have an AA degree. How many of you have this and would it be better to have this rather than study at Andrews or Career Step? ...

Feb 26, 2011

Coders: In a situation where a new graduate of a program has the CCS but not the RHIT, do you believe this would be an obstacle to finding employment? I notice some jobs say CCS or RHIT and some want both. I am weighing the pros and cons between attending a program that I know will prepare me to pass the CCS (Andrews) versus a program to earn a degree that will make me eligible to take the RHIT and, hopefully, pass the CCS. For background, I am a medical transcriptionist and also will graduate ...

Dec 13, 2013

Anyone else get a status update that included "Skip the scary movie marathon and work overtime"? Them constantly asking for OT is what's scary and full of horror! But I need the money, so I guess I'll batten down the hatches and "find an hour or two before or after my shift" to help them out! Heaven forbid the managers ever hop on and transcribe! But I know they don't because when you ask them a simple question about account specs, they have no clue! If ...

Jul 06, 2011

Hi, I was wondering if anyone in the Chicago area would care to comment on the RHIT associates degree course at College of DuPage? Does it prepare you well for the RHIT certification exam? Is it a good preparation for the RHIA program you later pursued (I am thinking of University of Illinois-Chicago)? I am an 18-year transcription veteran hoping to become a coder and then possibly a Direction of HIM eventually. ANY help would be much appreciated! Thanks in Ad ...

Feb 07, 2012

I got a degree in health information technology in 2007 by an AHIMA certified program. I did it after I got laid off from a transcription job and getting fed up, realizing I would be more marketable with the degree. I continued to work in QA at home and never took my RHIT because I was worried I'd fail and not get my money back for it. I feel like more doors would open up for jobs if I could get it. I wasn't very good with my coding classes and the statistics stuff plain old terrifies ...

Apr 15, 2012

Just wondering what the majority thinks about these career paths. It seems as though a lot of MTs are moving or considering a move to the RHIT/RHIA world of especially medical coding. I am assuming that the lure of 'work at home' is pulling many in this direction, and I have actually seen where many are questioning whether medical coders are 'paid per code' or 'paid per case' or what? I asked myself what are these people thinking? Has anyone experienced this, ...

Apr 26, 2012

Just curious what else RHIT's can do besides coding? ...

Nov 15, 2012

Wow, I'm a little confused. I hope to train for coding for if/when my in-house transcription job dries up, so I asked around the hospital about whether I should get my RHIT. (Yes yes I know I can't go into full-fledged coding the day I get the RHIT. I want to be in position to help out in the transition to ICD-10.) Response was positive, and they suggested any program accredited by AHIMA. Doesn't this leave out Andrews? People on this site seem to like Andrews. My state has ...

Nov 30, 2012

I am going to be taking it in February and I've already begun studying for it, but I'm wondering if I'm studying too early for it? Or maybe there isn't even such a thing as studying too early?! I'm already freaking out about this test! ...

Jan 06, 2014

I have my AA degree and sat and passed for the RHIT about 10 years ago. I worked as a coder for just one year before I decided to become an MT. Obviously, this is a choice I now regret. I no longer have my RHIT so I would need to study for it, but so much has changed since then and I'm not quite sure where I should go for refresher courses? I've checked out AHIMA and they have a few options for me, but just wondering if anyone has any advice or if they've t ...

May 13, 2014

I am RHIT eligible and would definitely need a refresher before I took the test. If I am looking for coding positions, would it be better to have a coding certification or the RHIT? Does it matter? ...