Health Information Technology, AAS

ASSOCIATE IN APPLIED ARTS AND SCIENCE DEGREE
Program code: AASHI

The associate degree in Health Information Technology (HIT) prepares students to enter the Health Information Management profession. Upon successful completion of the program, graduates will be prepared for employment in the entry-level positions in a variety of health care settings, including acute care hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, physician practices, rehabilitation centers, clinics, private consulting firms and veterinary medicine facilities. There also are many opportunities in non-traditional settings such as law firms, insurance companies, and pharmaceutical companies. Graduates may be employed in a variety of roles, including, but not limited to, coder, electronic health record specialist, decision support specialist, regulatory/compliance specialist and release of information specialist. This is a two-year program and includes liberal arts courses prior to program admission.

This program includes one Professional Practice Externship (PPE), comprised of 128 hours on-site in a health care setting. Transportation to and from the on-site PPE is the sole responsibility of the student. Students will be required to dress in appropriate business or business casual attire as mandated by the PPE site.

 

PROGRAM OUTCOMES/OBJECTIVES:

When students complete this program, they will be able to:

1. perform entry-level Health Information Technology duties.
2. demonstrate effective communication skills with both internal and external Health Information Technology customers at all levels.
3. demonstrate effective critical-thinking skills.
4. demonstrate compliant, ethical behavior necessary to perform Health Information Technology duties, as described by the American Health Information Management Association Code of Ethics and Standards of Ethical Coding.

 

PRE-ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

If you have previously attended college, you may already have a head start toward your degree. See an SC4 advisor for additional information.

1. Complete MTH 104 Foundations of Math  or (MTH 110  or MTH 112  or higher) with a grade of C” or better.
2. Complete BIO 271 Human Anatomy and Physiology I  or BIO 272 Human Anatomy and Physiology II  with a grade of “C” or better.
3. Complete HE 102 Medical Terminology  with a grade of “C” or better.
   NOTE: If you previously have taken OA 280 - Medical Terminology and Transcription or OA 280A - Medical Terminology, they may be accepted in the place of HE 102 . See program director for details.
4. Complete CIS 115 Microcomputer Applications  or CIS 114 Computer Applications for Healthcare Professionals  with a grade of “C” or better.

5. Complete ENG 101 English Composition I  with a grade of “C” or better.

Biology classes, HE 102  and CIS 115  (or CIS 114 ) must be completed within five academic years of admission to the Health Information Technology program.

Pre-application requirements must be completed and an Allied Health application to the Health Information Technology program must be received by June 30 for admission to program in fall semester.

This is not a competitive admission program, however, space is limited. Thirty seats will be available each fall semester. Seats will be filled on a first-qualified, first-served basis. Therefore, fulfillment of these requirements does not guarantee immediate admission to the program. Students may be waitlisted for the next available program start.

The Joint Commission for Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations requires that all facilities verify information on criminal background for all persons working in the facility. This requirement ‘applies to staff, students and volunteers.’ As all students will be required to complete at least one on-site PPE with a facility, students will be required to undergo a criminal background check, for which the student will incur the costs. If a student has a criminal felony record, they should contact the Health Information Technology program director, as this could affect completion of the program. Additionally, students will be required to undergo a physical, which will include drug screening, TB testing and vaccination verification. These expenses are the student’s responsibility.​

 

APPLYING FOR ADMISSION

Persons seeking admission to the Health Information Technology program must do the following:

1. Submit to the SC4 Enrollment Services office:
   1. A completed Application for admission to SC4, indicating AGEGE, General Education program code as the program of study.
   2. A completed Allied Health program application, indicating Health Information Technology as the intended program of study by June 30 of the application year for fall start.
   3. A copy of official college transcripts by June 30, if student has previously attended a college or university other than SC4.
   4. Schedule a mandatory group advising appointment with the Health and Human Services division at 810-989-5666. Attending a group advising session is mandatory before application is considered.

 

ACCEPTANCE PROCEDURE

1. Qualified applications will be reviewed by the Health and Human Services division in the summer semester for the HIT program (program starts in August). Notification of applicant acceptances and rejections will be mailed. Students submitting qualified applications will be accepted to the program on a first-qualified, first-served basis, until all available seats are filled. Once all seats are filled, students will be placed on a waitlist for the next available program start.
2. Accepted HIT applicants will be required to attend a HIT program orientation.

 

PROGRAM EXPECTATIONS

Once admitted to the Health Information Technology program, the following expectations are to be met:

1. Students are expected to regularly attend all classes.
2. Students are expected to demonstrate professional behaviors as outlined in the Health Information Technology program policies. Failure to demonstrate these behaviors may result in a failing grade for a course, regardless of the degree of progress in other areas.
3. Students are required to maintain an 80% pass rate in all Health Information Technology core courses and a satisfactory grade in the required PPE. Failure to meet these requirements will result in the student’s dismissal from the program.
4. Students are required to take courses in the order described in the model schedule provided in the catalog.
5. Students are permitted to repeat any Health Information Technology courses one time. If program expectations are still not met, the student may be dismissed from the program.

 

ADVANCED DEGREES

Graduates completing this program are prepared to pursue a bachelor’s or master’s degree in Health Information Management. Students interested in this career path should inform their academic advisor of this plan. There may be additional classes the student may wish to incorporate into his/her schedule in anticipation of educational advancement.