General Information for the H.I.T. Program
The Health Information Technology (HIT) degree prepares the student for employment as a professional with the knowledge and skills to manage health information, use healthcare technology, accurately code diagnoses and procedures for services provided, collect, maintain, and analyze clinical data that physicians, nurses, other healthcare staff, healthcare organizations, and other agencies rely on to deliver quality healthcare.
The program provides training through didactic instruction and directed practice. Facilities employing health information technology professionals include hospitals, ambulatory care centers, physician offices, long-term care facilities, dialysis centers, public health agencies, pharmaceutical companies, medical supply companies, rehabilitation centers, managed care organizations, behavioral and mental health facilities, law firms, and insurance firms. The interactive AHIMA HI Career Map provides job descriptions at various levels.
- RHIT exam pass rate of 100%
- 83% of AY 2019-2020 graduates were employed in the healthcare field within 1 year of graduation
- 100% of first-time students who graduated in AY 2019-2020 completed the program within 150% time typically required to complete
Health Information Technology (HIT) Mission Statement
The mission of the HIT program at Saddleback College is to provide comprehensive and high quality courses that enable students to become proficient and innovative health information professionals, and to prepare students to pursue advanced learning opportunities in the health information field and become lifelong learners.
ACCREDITATION & CERTIFICATION
The Health Information Technology program accreditor of Saddleback College is the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM). The College’s accreditation for Associates degree in Health Information Technology has been reaffirmed through 2025-2026. All inquiries about the program’s accreditation status should be directed by mail to CAHIIM, 200 East Randolph Street, Suite 5100, Chicago, IL, 60601; by phone at (312) 235-3255; or by email at info@cahiim.org.
As graduates, students are eligible to take the Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) certification exam. The EPC designated to Saddleback College for the RHIT exam is 813.
REQUIREMENTS FOR ASSOCIATES DEGREE
Completion of a minimum of 60 units including the total units in the major, and general education requirements with an overall GPA of 2.0 qualify the student for the Associate in Science degree. A minimum of 12 units must be completed at Saddleback College. Refer to the Graduation Requirements or to the CSU-GE and IGETC patterns in the course catalog for specific courses which meet general education requirements. Refer to ASSIST.org and to the transfer institution's catalog for transfer requirements.
The HIT associate degree program comprises of the 52.5-54.5 unit coursework plus the general education courses needed to get the associate degree. The degree includes both of AHIMA’s specialty tracks: revenue management (RM) and data management (DM). Since the associate degree in HIT is a high unit degree (more than 60 units), it typically takes longer than 2 years or 4 semesters to complete. Without any credit for prior learning, full-time students typically complete in 2.5 years, and part-time students complete in 3.5 years.
To earn the Associate of Science (A.S.) Degree in Health Information Technology, students must complete both HIT department requirements and General Education requirements. A previous Associate Degree or Bachelor's Degree does not automatically meet general education requirements. All outside transcripts must be evaluated toward Saddleback College's requirements. In order to be eligible for the RHIT credential, you must earn the A.S. degree from Saddleback College.
INFORMATION ON PROGRAMS OFFERED
Health Information Technology A.S. Degree
Medical Coding Specialist Certificate of Achievement
Healthcare Technology Optimization (HCTOS) Certificate
Pathways to Additional Certificate:
STARTING THE PROGRAM
- HIT Student Application Form (download here & email to LHefter@saddleback.edu)
For those applicants who do not reside in the U.S. :
To enroll in the Saddleback H I T on-line program you will need to apply to the college as a Non-Resident . Do not
check the "international student" option as that implies you would be attending classes on campus.
FALL 2021 CLASS SCHEDULE AND REGISTRATION LINKS
Health Information Technology is a multidisciplinary program (See HIT Road Map) utilizing classes across multiple departments including Health Information Technology, Health Sciences, Computer Information Management, and Math or Psychology. For a current list of courses on the class schedule click on the links below:
ANNOUNCEMENTS
HIT Program Fully Online Courses in 8-Week Format now available
IMPORTANT LINKS
American Academy of Professional Coders
American Health Information Management Association
California Health Information Association
Health Information and Management Systems Society
HI Career Map
APPLY FOR DEGREE OR CERTIFCATE
Apply for degree, certificate, or transfer from Saddleback College since they are not automatically issued. Use the links below and apply for each degree or certificate(s) separately by repeating the process:
Location: SSC 102
Phone: (949) 582-4555 or
Email us
Regular Office & Telephone Hours:
Monday - Thursday
9:00am to 6:00pm
Friday
8:30am to 2:00pm
FINANCIAL AID
Students may be eligible for financial aid. If interested in applying, please visit Saddleback College's Student Financial Assistance & Scholarship Office
FACULTY AND STAFF
Faculty:
Safiah Mamoon, MS, RHIA, CPC
Department Chair/Program Director
Health Information Technology
(949) 582-4974
Staff:
Lori Hefter
Program Specialist of HIT
(949) 582-4731