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Health Information Management

The Health Information Management program can prepare you for a variety of careers in the medical office and medical coding professions.

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Degree Description

The Health Information Management program opens doors to a variety of careers in healthcare facilities. Careers may include Coding Specialists, front desk personnel, billers, electronic health record editors and reviewers, surgery schedulers, health unit administrative coordinators, claims processors, medical records management, release of information technicians, and other positions throughout healthcare facilities. That makes you important and vital to the success of healthcare providers and organizations.

The primary objective of the Health Information Management program is to prepare students with the necessary skills to work in the medical field maintaining a patient’s health information. Students in both the diploma option and the degree option will take coursework in anatomy & physiology, medical terminology, medical office software, records management, electronic health records, billing/reimbursement, and level one transcription. This program will also provide education and training in soft skills such as communication, teamwork, interpersonal skills, and attention to detail.

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Application Process

1. Complete Western Dakota Technical College Admissions Application
2. Complete the ACCUPLACER test ($15 fee)
3. Schedule your Admissions Advising Session
4. Provide an official copy of a High School transcript or GED scores. If you graduated from an international high school, you must submit your transcript to Educational Credential Evaluators to determine U.S. equivalence. Additionally, an official transcript must be submitted if you have attended other post-secondary institutions or universities.
5. Submit Immunization Records verifying two doses of MMR vaccinations
6. Once you receive your acceptance letter, schedule a time to register for classes

The ACCUPLACER test will be waived if you have an ACT sub-score of 18 or better in English, Math, and Reading.  To waive the ACCUPLACER with SAT scores a student will need a 500 on the MATH subsection of ACT and a composite of 970 to waive Writing and Reading. To place into MATH 114 a student will need a 520 on the MATH subsection.  

Please call 605-718-2565 to make an appointment.

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Career Description

A medical office is a complex operation. Patients come and go all day. Phones must be answered and appointments made. Patient files must be pulled, processed, and returned. Electronic Health Records must be completed accurately. Procedures must be scheduled and pre-authorizations obtained. Inventory must be monitored and stocked. Claims and bills must be processed. As a Health Information Management employee, you will organize office activities and provide support to medical staff.

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Licensure and Certification

Professional licensure and certification requirements often vary from state to state. If you are not planning to locate and work in South Dakota and are considering an academic program that leads to a professional license or certification, it is highly recommended that you first seek guidance from the appropriate licensing agency in the state you plan to work before beginning the academic program. If you need assistance locating a state licensing agency, please contact the Vice President for Teaching and Learning: Tiffany.Howe@wdt.edu or 605.718.2905.

Current as of May 1, 2023:

  1. The program curriculum meets educational requirements for licensure/certification in the following state(s): AK, AL, American Samoa, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, Guam, HI, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, The Republic of Palau, The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, The Virgin Islands, UT, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV, WY
  2. The program curriculum does not meet educational requirements for licensure/certification in the following states:
  3. WDT has not determined whether the program curriculum meets educational requirements for licensure/certification in the following states: The Republic of the Marshall Islands, The Federated States of Micronesia, The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands

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After Earning Your Degree

Employment of Health Information Technicians is projected to grow 15 percent from 2014 to 2024, much faster than the average for all occupations. The demand for health services is expected to increase as the population ages. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, in May 2022, the average wage in South Dakota was $51,780.

Meet Your Faculty

Western Dakota Technical College has a low student-to-faculty ratio, meaning more one-on-one learning. Individual attention from your professor can make your college experience more fulfilling.


  • Joelle Boshart

Financial Aid

Continuing your education is crucial and Western Dakota Technical College wants to make sure that any student who wants to attend school, has the opportunity to do so. For this reason, WDTC is dedicated to administering the U.S. Department of Education’s Title IV Financial Assistance Program fair and consistently to anyone who needs it.

Build Dakota Scholarships

The Build Dakota Scholarship at Western Dakota Technical College will pay all your tuition and fees and prepare you for a career that is in-demand and growing in South Dakota. Build Dakota Scholarships will be awarded to students entering high-need workforce programs at South Dakota’s technical institutes to fill the state’s technical careers with skilled professionals.


Student Housing

Finding affordable housing during school can be a challenge for students. Western Dakota Technical College currently does not have on-campus housing, but partners with a Rapid City VRBO to offer a limited number of apartments for full-time students in the fall and spring semesters.


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Child Care

Finding child care during school is a challenge for many students. Western Dakota Technical College currently does not offer on-campus child care, but here are some resources that may help you in your search.

Youth & Family Services is an organization dedicated to helping children in Western South Dakota. They offer a variety of services, including child care at multiple locations.

The Y of Rapid City offers child care and other services.

Disclaimer: Western Dakota Technical College provides these links to you only as a convenience, and the inclusion of any link does not imply affiliation, endorsement or adoption by Western Dakota Technical College of any site or any information contained therein. When you leave wdt.edu, you should be aware that our terms and policies no longer govern. Western Dakota Technical College makes no claim or representation regarding, and accepts no responsibility for, the quality, content, nature or reliability of third-party websites or vendors.

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