Health Information Technology, Career Associate of Science
The online associate degree program in Health Information Technology at Albany State University is designed to prepare the student for entry-level employment as a health information technician who performs tasks related to the use, analysis, presentation, abstracting, coding, storage and the retrieval of health care data in manual or electronic form.
The program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM), 233 North Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL 60601-5800, (312) 233-1100, http://www.cahiim.org, in association with the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA), 233 North Michigan Avenue, 21st Floor, Chicago, IL 60601-5809, http://www.ahima.org.
Graduates are eligible to write the national certification examination given by the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA). Upon successful completion of the examination, the health information technician is awarded the professional credential of a Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) by AHIMA.
Students may declare a HIT plan of study upon university enrollment for the purpose of advisement while completing coursework required for entry to the program. However, this does not guarantee admission into the program.
The HIT program admits one class per year that begins each Fall semester (mid-August). Program applications are due by June 1st of the year you wish to enter the program.
The deadline for applying (June 1st) occurs during the SUMMER semester prior to the FALL semester start date. If a student is enrolled in courses that will complete all requirements during the Summer semester of the June 1st deadline, the student may submit the application with those required courses still in progress.
An application is considered complete only when all requested information is received. Students are responsible for making sure their application is complete. Incomplete application packets and/or applications received after June 1st may not be considered. Selection criteria, including GPA and pre-requisite hours completed, are ranked by the HIT Selection Committee and interviews may be set up. Offers of acceptance will be made based on the final ranking of those students who meet all admission criteria. Applications can be picked up in the Health Sciences office, J-210.
Program Admission Requirements
For full consideration for admission to the Health Information Technology program, the student must:
- Be admitted to Albany State University.
- Complete all required Learning Support courses.
- Complete all courses required for entry to the program with a “C” or better. Courses required for admission to the program include ALHE 1120, BIOL 2411K, BIOL 2412K, BUSA 2101, and ENGL 1101.
- Have a minimum GPA of 2.5.
- Complete and submit an application for admission to the HIT program to the Program Director by June 1st.
Additional Requirements
- Before registering and being enrolled in the HIT program, students should access Distance Learning on the ASU website for orientation to online system requirements.
- To continue in the Health Information Technology Program, a minimum grade of "C" is required in all HITE courses. If the student fails to make a "C" in an HITE course, and it is the student's first failure, the student may reapply to the HITE Program. All of the student's previous HITE work will be evaluated by the program director. More than one “W”, "D" and/or "F" in HITE courses will result in permanent dismissal from the program (this may be two courses or failure in the same course twice).
- High speed internet connection is highly recommended for optimal use of AHIMA’s Virtual Lab applications.
- Professional liability insurance is required and is available through the college. The cost of this insurance is approximately $17.50 per year and is included in the fees.
- Because of the nature of the profession, the student is required to sign and abide by a statement that the student will honor the confidential nature of health/medical records (HIPAA). A charge of breach of confidentiality will be treated according to the procedures outlined in the Student Handbook, "Code of Conduct.”
- Once enrolled in the HIT program, failure to exhibit professional behavior will result in the student being withdrawn from the program and deemed ineligible for re-admission to the HIT program. Unprofessional behavior is defined as:
- misrepresentation of self or falsifying information on program application
- disruptive or abusive behavior in an online class
- breach of confidentiality statement and/or
- suspicion of cheating will be dealt with in accordance with the Student Handbook, "Code of Conduct.”
- Student membership to the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) is recommended. The cost of student membership is $49.00 per year.
- A student may be denied permission to continue in the HIT program if, in the opinion of the HIT faculty, the Chair of Health Sciences, the Dean of the Darton College of Health Professions, and the Vice President of Academic Affairs, the student does not demonstrate the necessary qualifications for a health information technician.
- To satisfactorily complete the curriculum and to develop the skills required of an entry level health information technician, the student must demonstrate:
- Visual Acuity (with or without corrective lenses): to read paper, microfilm, and electronic documents.
- Physical Ability: to process reports and records, to operate equipment necessary for record keeping (for example, manually operated filing equipment, printers, microfilm reader/printers, computer keyboard), and to move about in space limited by compacted filing.
- Manual Dexterity: to perform the fine motor functions necessary to document analysis of records (i.e., must use pens, pencils, and manage papers), and to operate electronic equipment (i.e., computers, word processors).
- Hearing (with or without aids): to hear the spoken voice in order to be able to respond verbally.
- The student must abide by the policies and procedures of the Health Information Technology Program as defined by the Program Handbook.
- Albany State University Code of Conduct Policies related to Disruptive and Obstructive Behavior will be enforced in an online program just as it would be in a traditional classroom. Exhibit of such behavior may result in dismissal from the program.
For additional Health Science Division policies that apply to this program, please refer to Academic Regulations, Section R – T.
*All HITE courses are only offered online with the exception of HITE 2610. HITE 2600 and HITE 2610 constitute 120 hours of the professional practice experience, with HITE 2610 being completed in an acute care facility.
Recommended Courses for Career Associate of Science in Health Information Technology Degree Program
Students may declare an HIT plan of study upon college enrollment for the purpose of advisement while completing courses required for admission to the program. However, declaring this plan of study does not guarantee admission to the HIT Program. A separate application is required for consideration of acceptance into this program.
Full-time Track
Code | Title | Semester Hours |
---|---|---|
Courses required for program admission, semester 1 | ||
ENGL 1101 | English Composition I | 3 |
BIOL 2411K | Human Anatomy and Physiology I | 4 |
ALHE 1120 | Medical Terminology | 2 |
MATH 1111 | College Algebra | 3 |
Courses required for program admission, semester 2 | ||
BIOL 2412K | Human Anatomy and Physiology II | 4 |
BUSA 2101 | Survey of Computer Applications | 3 |
COMM 1000 | Cultural Diversity in Communication | 2 |
POLS 1101 | American Government | 3 |
Program Courses: | ||
Fall Semester | ||
HITE 2100 | Health Record Content and Structure 1 | 3 |
HITE 2400 | Pathophysiology and Pharmacology 1 | 3 |
HITE 2137 | Fundamentals of Health Information Management 1 | 3 |
PSYC 1101 | General Psychology | 3 |
Spring Semester | ||
HITE 2150 | Coding I 1 | 4 |
HITE 2250 | Legal & Ethical Issues in Health Information Technology 1 | 3 |
Select ONE of the following Area C Electives: 2 | 3 | |
Art Appreciation | ||
Music Appreciation | ||
Theater Appreciation | ||
ACCT 2101 | Accounting Principles I | 3 |
Summer Semester | ||
HITE 2110 | Organization and Supervision in Health Information Management 1 | 2 |
HITE 2160 | Coding II 1 | 2 |
HITE 2200 | Healthcare Statistics 1 | 2 |
HITE 2600 | Professional Practice I 1 | 2 |
Fall Semester | ||
HITE 2170 | Advanced Coding and Reimbursement 1 | 4 |
HITE 2500 | Health Information System Applications 1 | 3 |
HITE 2550 | Quality Assessment 1 | 3 |
HITE 2610 | Professional Practice II 1 | 2 |
HITE 2650 | Seminar on Health Information Technology 1 | 1 |
Total Semester Hours | 70 |
Part-time Track
Code | Title | Semester Hours |
---|---|---|
Courses required for program admission, semester 1 | ||
ENGL 1101 | English Composition I | 3 |
BIOL 2411K | Human Anatomy and Physiology I | 4 |
Courses required for program admission, semester 2 | ||
BIOL 2412K | Human Anatomy and Physiology II | 4 |
ALHE 1120 | Medical Terminology | 2 |
MATH 1111 | College Algebra | 3 |
Courses required for program admission, semester 3 | ||
BUSA 2101 | Survey of Computer Applications | 3 |
POLS 1101 | American Government | 3 |
COMM 1000 | Cultural Diversity in Communication | 2 |
Program Courses: | ||
Fall Semester | ||
HITE 2100 | Health Record Content and Structure 1 | 3 |
HITE 2400 | Pathophysiology and Pharmacology 1 | 3 |
HITE 2137 | Fundamentals of Health Information Management 1 | 3 |
Spring Semester | ||
HITE 2150 | Coding I 1 | 4 |
PSYC 1101 | General Psychology | 3 |
Summer Semester | ||
HITE 2110 | Organization and Supervision in Health Information Management 1 | 2 |
HITE 2160 | Coding II 1 | 2 |
HITE 2200 | Healthcare Statistics 1 | 2 |
Fall Semester | ||
HITE 2170 | Advanced Coding and Reimbursement 1 | 4 |
HITE 2500 | Health Information System Applications 1 | 3 |
Spring Semester | ||
HITE 2250 | Legal & Ethical Issues in Health Information Technology 1 | 3 |
Select ONE of the following Area C Electives: 2 | 3 | |
Art Appreciation | ||
Music Appreciation | ||
Theater Appreciation | ||
Summer Semester | ||
ACCT 2101 | Accounting Principles I | 3 |
HITE 2600 | Professional Practice I 1 | 2 |
Fall Semester | ||
HITE 2550 | Quality Assessment 1 | 3 |
HITE 2610 | Professional Practice II 1 | 2 |
HITE 2650 | Seminar on Health Information Technology 1 | 1 |
Total Semester Hours | 70 |
- 1
Pre-requisite courses must be taken prior to program admission.
- 2
Humanities requirement may be met by taking any Area C: Humanities/Fine Arts courses listed on the Core Curriculum page.
HITE 2100. Health Record Content and Structure. (3 Credits)
The basic concepts and techniques for managing and maintaining health record systems including storage and retrieval, the use and structure of healthcare data and data sets, quantitative and qualitative analysis of healthcare data, forms design, release of information, function of indexes and registers and the accreditation, certification and licensure standards applicable to healthcare data. Prerequisite: ENGL 1101, BIOL 2411K/ 2412K and acceptance into the Health Information Technology program. Offered: Fall.
HITE 2110. Organization and Supervision in Health Information Management. (2 Credits)
Introduction to the principles of organization and supervision in order to develop effective skills in leadership, motivation, and team building techniques in the practice of health information management. Prerequisites: HITE 2100. Offered: Summer.
HITE 2137. Fundamentals of Health Information Management. (3 Credits)
This course introduces the student to the field of Health Information Management (HIM) and its role in healthcare delivery systems. Emphasis is placed on the health information management profession, hospital and medical staff organization, structure and content of medical records, quantitative and qualitative analysis, release of patient information, legal aspects of medical records, ethical issues in HIM, healthcare statistics, indexes and registers electronic medical records, payment and reimbursement systems, regulatory and accrediting agencies. Prerequisites: Acceptance into the Health Information Technology Program. Corequisites: HITE 2100, HITE 2400. Offered: Fall.
HITE 2150. Coding I. (4 Credits)
Students will be introduced to the principles of ICD-10-CM coding used in the assignment of inpatient and outpatient diagnosis codes and ICD-10-PCS inpatient procedure codes. Prerequisites: ALHE 1120, BIOL 2411K/2412K, HITE 2100, HITE 2137, HITE 2400 Offered: Spring.
HITE 2160. Coding II. (2 Credits)
Students will be introduced to the Principles of CPT coding, used to assign valid procedure and service codes. Prerequisite: HITE 2150. Offered: Summer.
HITE 2170. Advanced Coding and Reimbursement. (4 Credits)
This course integrates and builds on basic knowledge and skills acquired in HITE 2150 and HITE 2160, enhancing skill level through use of clinical case studies. Impact on reimbursement, ethical coding, encoders, and groupers will be emphasized. Reimbursement topics include DRGs, APCs, RBRVs, chargemaster, and coding compliance. Prerequisites: HITE 2150, HITE 2160. Offered: Fall.
HITE 2200. Healthcare Statistics. (2 Credits)
Study of the methods/formulas used in computing and preparing statistical reports for healthcare services and vital records. Emphasis is placed on the effective use, collection, arrangement, presentation, and verification of healthcare data, and on the concepts of descriptive statistics, data validity, and reliability. Prerequisites: MATH 1111, HITE 2100, HITE 2137, BUSA 2101. Offered: Summer.
HITE 2250. Legal & Ethical Issues in Health Information Technology. (3 Credits)
Introduction to the legal and ethical issues regarding health information management with strong emphasis on legal and regulatory requirements; disclosure of PHI (protected health information) and ethical standards of practice. Prerequisites: HITE 2100, HITE 2400. Corequisite: HITE 2137. Offered: Spring.
HITE 2400. Pathophysiology and Pharmacology. (3 Credits)
This course includes the management of health information as it relates to the nature and cause of the disease process of the human body; including the etiology, signs, symptoms, diagnostic evaluation, clinical treatment and pharmacologic management of disease processes to understand and abstract health information data for application of medical diagnostic and procedural codes and management of patient health information. Prerequisites: BIOL 1110K and HITE 2100 and acceptance into the Health Information Technology Program. Corequisite: HITE 2150. Offered: Fall.
HITE 2500. Health Information System Applications. (3 Credits)
Students will learn the concept of medical information management through an information system composed of people, hardware, software, communication networks, and data resources that collect, transform, and disseminate health information to healthcare users. The process of planning, designing, selecting, implementing, integrating, testing, evaluating, and supporting EHRs (electronic health records) is also introduced. Prerequisites: HITE 2100, HITE 2137 and BUSA 2101. Offered: Fall.
HITE 2550. Quality Assessment. (3 Credits)
Introduction to the components of quality assessment and improvement programs in health care facilities including quality assessment, utilization management, risk management, and peer review organizations. Students will learn to analyze clinical data to identify trends that demonstrate quality, safety, and effectiveness of health care. Prerequisites: HITE 2200 and BUSA 2101. Offered: Spring.
HITE 2600. Professional Practice I. (2 Credits)
Professional practice experience in an acute care setting that provides the student the opportunity to apply and develop the skills learned throughout the course curriculum that are vital in the management of health information. Corequisites: HITE 2610, HITE 2650. Prerequisites: HITE 2100, HITE 2110, HITE 2137, HITE 2150, HITE 2160, HITE 2170, HITE 2250, HITE 2500. Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer.
HITE 2610. Professional Practice II. (2 Credits)
This course is a continuation of HITE 2600, providing additional professional practice experience as the student applies skills learned throughout the course curriculum. Students will have the opportunity to experience the workflow of the acute care setting from beginning to end. Prerequisites: HITE 2100, HITE 2110, HITE 2137, HITE 2150, HITE 2160, HITE 2170, HITE 2250. Corequisites: HITE 2600, HITE 2650. Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer .
HITE 2650. Seminar on Health Information Technology. (1 Credit)
Exploration of current issues and trends in the health information profession and industry with emphasis on review for the RHIT exam. Prerequisites: HITE 2100, HITE 2110, HITE 2137, HITE 2150, HITE 2160, HITE 2170, HITE 2250, HITE 2400, HITE 2500, HITE 2550, HITE 2600. Corequisites: HITE 2600, HITE 2160. Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer.