Kaskaskia College is pleased to announce that its Health Information Technology (HIT) program has received its official accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM), the accrediting organization for degree-granting programs in health informatics and information management.
CAHIIM’s accreditation is a voluntary process to ensure that students receive a relevant and up-to-date education that gives them the best qualifications and allows them to excel in their careers. The curriculum is constantly under review to give students a competitive edge in the workforce. Graduates of KC’s HIT program are now eligible to sit for the American Health Information Management Association’s (AHIMA) Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) certification, a key certification for career advancement.
KC’s efforts were spearheaded by Assistant Professor of Health Information Technology (HIT) Kristina Rickhoff and Professor of Office Systems Technology Nathan Wilkins. Rickhoff says the accreditation process was demanding but worth it. “It gave us the opportunity to build a strong, sustainable program to support our students in becoming nationally recognized health information technicians. I couldn’t be more pleased with the support of administration, faculty, staff, students, and the public to help us reach this monumental achievement.”
KC President George Evans thanked Rickhoff and Wilkins for their efforts. “Having successfully completed the accreditation process acknowledges the hard work of the faculty and administration at the college. Our pursuit of becoming accredited is driven by our desire to ensure we are offering the best education possible, one that meets the standards of a national accrediting agency such as CAHIIM. I am very thankful for the hard work of Professors Rickhoff and Wilkins.”
An Associate in Applied Science Degree in Health Information Technology from Kaskaskia College opens the door to many areas within the healthcare industry, including management, medical coding, consulting, patient privacy, and information security. KC’s program is unique because it is taught entirely online, providing students with a flexible and innovative program with the resources available to ensure students achieve their goals. Recently the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported the job outlook in medical registers, medical records specialists, and health information technologists are among the fastest-growing job sectors.
CAHIIM is an independent accrediting organization whose mission is to serve the public interest by establishing and enforcing quality Accreditation Standards for Health Informatics and Health Information Management (HIM) educational programs. When a program is accredited by CAHIIM, it means that it has voluntarily undergone a rigorous review process and has been determined to meet or exceed the standards set by the Board of Directors.
To learn more about KC’s HIT program, please contact Kristina Rickhoff, Assistant Professor of Health Information Technology (HIT), at 618-545-3318 or [email protected].
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