60 credits, 20 months
The Associate of Occupational Science in Health Information Management program prepares students for entry level employment in the exciting and growing field of health information. The program focuses on the skills related to health information management systems, preparing students to work in a wide range of healthcare organizations. This program includes pathway options for specialized tracks: revenue management and data management. The program also includes an avenue to credentialing exams, such as the AHIMA Certified Coding Associate (CCA) or the Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT), including options to higher credentialing exams.
Hands-on, practical experience is the focus of the program, which utilizes the EHR Go enabling students to solve problems that simulate those issues encountered in the modern healthcare marketplace, and also includes a practicum program to gain actual workplace experience and networking opportunity.
The program learning outcomes are:
- Students will Identify standards for exchange of health information.
- Students will validate assignment of diagnostic and procedural codes and groupings in accordance with official global guidelines.
- Students will examine behaviors that embrace cultural diversity.
- Students will calculate statistics for health care operations.
- Students will report health care data through graphical representations.
- Students will Identify the components of risk management related to health information management.
- Students will be able to identify the impact of policy on health care.
- Students will assess ethical standards of practice.
Following the completion of this program, students will be able to:
- Describe how to utilize medical terminology, anatomy & physiology, pathology, and pharmacology terms in the field.
- Demonstrate problem solving skills in utilizing the United States healthcare system, including health data management, clinical classification systems, reimbursement methodologies, health statistics, biomedical research, quality management, healthcare privacy, confidentiality, legal and ethical issues, information technology and systems, data storage and retrieval, data security and healthcare information systems, financial and resource management.
- Demonstrate an understanding of the collection, maintenance and record keeping process with healthcare data in accordance with established professional best practice guidelines.
- Logically interpret and translate diagnosis, conditions, and procedures into medical codes using a variety of standard formats, including ICD, CPT, and HCPCS.
- Monitor personal and group productivity and organizational processes to make recommendations for improvements in record quality, employee, and organizational performance.
- Describe the utility of analytic tools to visualize, interpret, and present data to help provide decision support and drive strategic initiatives.
- Work in a variety of medical environments.
The following is a list of example occupations that one could pursue upon graduation.
- Health Information Technician
- Healthcare Data Analyst
- Medical Records Technician
- Compliance Auditor Officer
- Clinical Data Specialist
- Patient Information Coordinator
- Data Resource Administrator
- Research and Decision Support Specialist
The following is a list of example organizations in which one could pursue employment:
- Hospitals
- Ambulatory Care Settings
- Hospice
- Insurance Companies
- Physician Offices
- Health Information Vendors
- Long Term Care Facilities
include, but are not limited to, the following:
- 20-2071.00 – Medical Records and Health Information Technicians
- 43-6013.00 – Medical Secretaries
*Detailed information regarding classifications can be found at www.onetonline.org.
Students must earn a minimum of 60 curriculum credits with a CGPA of 2.0 or higher to graduate with the Associate of Occupational Science in Health Information Management degree. Students who elect to do so may also sit for medical coder certifications (i.e., CCA); certification completion is not required to graduate.
Each semester is 16 weeks, split into two 8-week terms. The following term schedule is subject to change.
|
Term 1 |
UNV-101S/HIM-100 (First 8 weeks) BIO-105S/BIO-115S (Second 8 weeks) |
|
Term 2 |
HIM-110/HIM-120 HIM-150/HIM-200 |
|
Term 3 |
HIM-130/HIM-140 HIM-205/MAT-110S |
|
Term 4 |
HIM-210/ENG-110S HIM-220/ENG-112S |
|
Term 5 |
HIM-230/CRT-110S HIM-299/COM-115S |
Core Courses
A course covering the information and skills needed to succeed in academic studies, including study skills, setting academic goals, managing time, and technology skills such as word processing and presentations.
Credits 3
None.
A course covering the systems that comprise the human organism.
Credits 3
None.
This course will cover the development and progression of disease within the systems of the human body. Students will also learn about the pharmaceuticals that interact with certain diseases and conditions.
Credits 3
None.
This course provides the student an overview of the profession of health information management and its role in the healthcare delivery system. Students are introduced to the major HIM department functions and department interrelationships.
Credits 3
None.
This course is an introduction to coding using the ICD classification system. The student will learn how to use the ICD-CM code book and will assign and sequence ICD-CM codes for diagnoses in accordance with ICD coding conventions and the Official Coding Guidelines for Coding and Reporting in selected areas and body systems.
Credits 3
None.
This course is an introduction to coding using the ICD classification system as it relates to coding procedures. The student will assign and sequence ICD codes for procedures of selected body systems, in accordance with ICD coding conventions and the Official Coding Guidelines for Coding and Reporting.
Credits 3
This course is a continuation of HIM-120. The student will apply what they learned in HIM-120, coding procedures using the ICD code book, ICD coding conventions and the "Official Coding Guidelines for Coding and Reporting," to assign and sequence ICD codes for procedures in selected areas and body systems.
Credits 3
This course provides students with an overview of US healthcare reimbursement systems, the roles and responsibilities of healthcare third-party payers, and the billing process, including concepts of revenue cycle management. Advanced coding concepts such as the use of codes in reimbursement systems, ethical and compliant coding, and additional vocabularies, terminologies, and classification systems will also be discussed. Utilization of coding tools such as groupers and computer-assisted coding will be included.
Credits 3
This course will introduce students to the CPT manual and coding structure. Students will assign CPT and HCPCS codes according to established guidelines and reporting requirements.
Credits 3
This course provides students with an understanding of the laws and ethics covering the practice of health information management. This course also addresses the U.S. court system, the concepts of privacy and confidentiality, and the release of information procedures. Also, students will continue to gain industry experience by utilizing a virtual lab environment, applying program knowledge and competencies.
Credits 3
This course provides an overview of computer systems used in healthcare settings and includes a detailed focus on health information systems and technology including integrity, privacy, and security of healthcare data.
Credits 3
None.
This course provides the fundamentals of statistics with a focus on collection, analysis, presentation, and interpretation of data, and probability. Analysis includes descriptive statistics, correlation and regression, confidence intervals and hypothesis testing. Students will also integrate statistics with the concepts, steps, and techniques healthcare facilities use in care monitoring and personnel development, including evaluation of outcomes and services, performance improvement, risk management, and safety evaluation.
Credits 3
This course introduces students to human resources and organizational management, reviewing strategies to promote organizational success. Key HR functions such as recruitment, staffing, development, retention, compensation, and labor relations are examined, as well as key organizational functions such as organizing, planning, leading, and controlling resources.
Credits 3
None.
Students will learn how to analyze data and use data tools. They will gain skills in sorting large data sets, interpreting data, and applying and abstracting data in a meaningful way. Students will learn the art of data mining and acquire hands-on experience working on data mining projects. Also, students will utilize data dashboards and create other data visualizations, tracking healthcare trends and making recommendations for improvement.
Credits 3
Students will review and practice HIM and coding concepts and exercises learned during the course of the Health Information Management program at Bryan University. Emphasis will be placed on skills that directly relate to successful completion of a certification examination. This course allows for self-directed review to identify topics on which additional study is needed to master the requirements of the certification examination. Additionally, this course includes professional practice experience, or placement in a healthcare facility, health information management department, or related service, to use acquired technology level skills and build practical knowledge of health information functions and systems. It requires the completion of a capstone project for and under the direction of the program director or site.
Credits 3
Note: Bryan University strives to deliver students the most up to date courses possible. The textbooks listed in the following course descriptions are subject to change. Students should always refer to the course syllabus for textbook information.
General Education Courses
This course covers written communication skills with an emphasis on understanding the writing process, analyzing readings, and practicing writing for personal and professional applications.
Credits 3
None.
This course begins with a review of real numbers and algebraic expressions before covering algebra topics including linear equations and inequalities, lines and functions, systems, exponents, polynomials, and factoring.
Credits 3
None.
A course building on lessons learned in English Composition I. In addition to reviewing the writing process, topics include research techniques, citation techniques, documentation formats, and critical analysis of written topics.
Credits 3
or the equivalence in transfer credit.
This course provides foundational topics related to logic and critical thinking including, informal logic, formal logic, and fallacies.
Credits 3
None.
This course introduces the concepts and theories of interpersonal communication. Students will explore the process and functions of communication, developing relationships, communication strategies and skills, and interpersonal language skills, including conflict management.
Credits 3
None.
Note: Bryan University strives to deliver students the most up to date courses possible. The textbooks listed in the following course descriptions are subject to change. Students should always refer to the course syllabus for textbook information.