If you’re passionate about technology and patient care, you may be the perfect fit for the health informatics programs in New Mexico.
Four institutions in the “Land of Enchantment” have been given the stamp of approval from the CAHIIM for producing competent medical records technicians. New Mexico may be America’s sixth least densely populated state, but it’s ideally located in the Southwest for diverse job opportunities.
The BLS shows that New Mexico has a relatively upbeat economy with the country’s ninth lowest Hispanic unemployment rate. Students pursuing a health informatics degree can gain practical experience at one of New Mexico’s nearly 60 hospitals, including Alta Vista Regional Hospital and Presbyterian Hospital.
Let your career managing patient data reach takeoff by attending one of the following health informatics degrees in New Mexico.
Central New Mexico Community College
School of Health, Wellness & Public Safety
Central New Mexico Community College opened in 1963 to provide adult continuing education. It’s a comprehensive public two-year junior institution offering 47 associate’s degrees and 52 certificates. CNM has four campus locations across the state’s largest city of Albuquerque and an extension training center in Rio Rancho. It has over 35,000 students and 225 credit courses. CNM is New Mexico’s biggest post-secondary institution. In the School of Health, Wellness & Public Safety, students can select from entry-level training programs dedicated to different careers of community service.
Health Information Technology, Associate of Applied Science
The Health Information Technology (HIT) Associate of Applied Science program at CNM has CAHIM accreditation. It’s focused on giving students the technical skills for overseeing the management of patient information in healthcare delivery systems. The program leads students to earning professional designation as a Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT). Coursework will delve into important aspects of:
- healthcare reimbursement
- diagnostic coding
- medical terminology
- physiology
- pharmacology
- pathology
- health law
- data analysis
- information science
Over the course of five terms full-time, students will acquire at least 67 credit hours. Two applied health information practicum are built into the curriculum for hands-on experience in diverse medical facilities.
Accreditations
- Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM)
- Higher Learning Commission (HLC) of the North Central Association (NCA)
Contact
525 Buena Vista Drive SE
Albuquerque, NM 87106
(505) 224-4321
contactcenter@cnm.edu
Program Link
ITT Technical Institute – Albuquerque
Breckinridge School of Nursing and Health Sciences
ITT Technical Institute is scattered across 35 states with more than 120 campuses. It’s a major independent for-profit higher learning institution. It’s owned by ITT Educational Services to provide career-oriented training. Although the company headquarters are in Carmel, Indiana, there is an Albuquerque campus serving the Rio Grande Valley. It’s estimated that ITT Tech enrolls more than 57,000 students in its online and on-site technical degrees. The Breckinridge School of Nursing and Health Sciences has the mission of preparing graduates for success in in-demand healthcare careers, including:
- nursing
- medical assisting
- health information
Associate of Applied Science in Health Information Technology
The Associate of Applied Science in Health Information Technology program is available at Albuquerque’s ITT Tech campus for in-depth training in critical health data, including:
- collecting
- analyzing
- studying
- reporting
It consists of 96 units, Students learn the legal, compliance, and information security standards required to protect patient privacy. Courses in the CAHIIM-accredited curriculum cover such topics as:
- medical terminology
- health statistics
- coding
- insurance reimbursement
Professional practicum is also included. All required A.A.S. courses have just 15 to 30 students to facilitate greater peer interaction. Graduates will be eligible for taking the RHIT certification exam and becoming entry-level medical records technicians.
Accreditations
- Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM)
- Higher Learning Commission (HLC) of the North Central Association (NCA)
Contact
5100 Masthead Street NE
Albuquerque, NM 87109
(505) 828-1114
Program Link
San Juan College
School of Health Sciences
San Juan College was founded as a satellite branch of the New Mexico College of Agriculture and Mechanical Arts in 1956. It has evolved into an independent public state-supported community college providing evening and online instruction. It enrolls more than 12,700 students annually. San Juan has a main campus in Farmington on the Colorado Plateau with other teaching centers in Aztec and Kirtland. San Juan is well-known for winning the AISES National Student Chapter of the Year award in 2011. The School of Health Sciences is a large academic division offering programs in:
- dental hygiene
- health information technology
- nursing
- occupational therapy
- physical education
- respiratory therapy
- surgical technology
Associate of Applied Science in HIT
Offered fully online from anywhere, the Associate of Applied Science in HIT program is designed for San Juan students interested in building a computer management career in the booming healthcare field. Students take 70 to 71 credits of online coursework devoted to understanding the ins and outs of electronic health records. Classes discuss important issues such as:
- legal
- security
- coding
- reimbursement
Final exams are proctored using a webcam for academic integrity. Program graduates can become registered via the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA). There’s also a shorter 40-credit Medical Insurance Coder/Biller Certificate offered.
Accreditations
- Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM)
- Higher Learning Commission (HLC) of the North Central Association (NCA)
Contact
4601 College Boulevard
Farmington, NM 87402
(505) 566-3597
hitp@sanjuancollege.edu
Program Link
University of New Mexico – Gallup
Education, Health and Human Services Division
As the state’s premier public flagship research institution, the University of New Mexico enrolls around 34,700 students annually. The programs include:
- associate
- bachelor’s
- master’s
- doctoral
UNM is based on a main 600-acre urban campus in Albuquerque. There are five branch campuses, including one in Gallup near the Arizona border. According to U.S. News and World Report, UNM is America’s 180th best university and 100th top public school. The Education, Health and Human Services Division at UNM Gallup is devoted to giving students the knowledge and skills to help others improve their well-being.
A.S. Health Information Technology
At UNM’s Gallup campus, the two-year A.S. Health Information Technology program is available. It’s for undergraduate students seeking the preparation to maintain accurate electronic health records of confidential patient data. Students are given the training to unlock entry-level technician jobs in:
- acute care
- long-term
- ambulatory
- insurance
- medical group practice
The 71-credit program aligns with the CAHIIM guidelines to meet the qualifications for becoming a Registered Health Information Technician. Courses are offered in a hybrid format of online learning and on-site instruction. Students gather hands-on work with real records in the department’s Virtual AHIMA Lab. In the final term, candidates for graduation must successfully complete a 96-hour practicum at a local inpatient or outpatient facility.
Accreditations
- Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM)
- Higher Learning Commission (HLC) of the North Central Association (NCA)
Contact
705 Gurley Avenue
Gallup, NM 87301
(505) 863-7659
gonzalesc@unm.edu
Program Link
Entering the health informatics field typically only requires an associate degree from an accredited school. Yet, the short two-year training can reap a solid return on investment with a career poised to experience 20 percent job growth. As more of New Mexico’s healthcare facilities adopt electronic health records, the demand will be rising steadily here. Graduates from CAHIIM-approved institutions in New Mexico earn an average yearly salary of $33,830.
If you’re interested in working in healthcare without directly caring for patients, consider attending one of these health informatics programs in New Mexico to start a rewarding career behind the scenes.