Careers in Health Technologies

The health technologies field includes a number of clinical support and administrative jobs that offer job security, growth potential and the opportunity to contribute to the medical profession. Insurance coders and billers, records clerks, medical transcriptionists and medical secretaries maintain the medical office's business functions. Lab assistants, medical assistants and phlebotomists support the activities of physicians, nurses and other healthcare professionals in a more direct manner. The health technologies field has a variety of opportunities with either direct contact with patients or behind-the-scenes work.  In the case of medical secretaries, the employment outlook remains favorable.  The California Employment Development Department expects growth of 12.5% for the period 2002-2012 in the number of medical secretaries.  For medical records and health information technicians, the outlook is even better - an enormous 41.3% increase for the same period (Source: Labor Market Info www.labormarketinfo.edd.ca.gov).

Necessary Education and Skills for Career Success
Positions in health technologies require good written and verbal communication skills, keyboarding skills and computer applications proficiency. In addition, they require knowledge of regulations, clinical procedures, anatomy and medical terminology. Coders, billers and transcriptionists need to be familiar with diagnostic and procedure codes so that they can accurately process patient paperwork. All health technology employees should be comfortable interacting with others.
Many positions in health technologies also require special certification or licenses for continued employment. All career paths in the health technologies field require continuing education for career development.

General Info About the Program
De Anza College's Health Technologies program offers a number of certificate and degree programs to prepare individuals for employment in the field of health technology. Shorter programs concentrate on basic skills for career success, while longer programs include a broader exposure to both administrative and clinical skills.

Health Technologies Certificate and Degree Programs

The following links open in .pdf.

Certificates of Achievement (Medical Assisting Options):

• Business Office Clerk
• Insurance and Coding
• Lab Assisting
• Medical File Clerk
• Medical Reception
• Medical Records Clerk
• Medical Transcription
• Phlebotomy Technician I

Certificates of Achievement-Advanced:

• Medical Assisting
• Medical Secretary

Associate Degree (A.A.):

• Medical Assisting

For more information contact the Health Technologies Department
Biological, Health, and Environmental Sciences Division
De Anza's Kirsch Center
(408) 864-8789
http://www.deanza.edu/healthtech/