Allied Health Division

Health Information Technology

Academics

Are you interested in a dynamic career in a growing profession? Then a career in Health Information Management may be for you.

As a Registered Health Information Technician, you will play an important role in helping the healthcare system work. You will use diverse talents because the field of Health Information Management combines patient care, technology, and management.

Based on your skills, education, and interests, positions that may be available to you are:

• Medical Staff Services
• Supervisor
• Health Data Analyst
• Quality Improvement Analyst
• Insurance Claims Analyst
• Records Technician
• Clinical Coding Specialist
• Physician Practice Manager
• Patient Information Coordinator
• Medical Paralegal

Registered Health Information Technicians are employed by hospitals, clinics, health maintenance organizations, insurance companies, law firms, physicians, mental healthcare facilities, health data organizations, nursing homes, consulting firms, and information system vendors.

Graduates of Darton's Health Information Technology Program are eligible to write the national certification examination given by the American Health Information Management Association to become Registered Health Information Technicians.

The Health Information Technology Program at Darton College is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education in association with the American Health Information Management Association.

Admission Requirements

The associate degree program in Health Information Technology at Darton College 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.

Graduates are eligible to write the national certification examination given by the American Health Information Management Association. Upon successful completion of the examination, the health information technician is awarded the professional credential of a Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) by the American Health Information Management Association.

Admission Requirements:

To be admitted to the Health Information Technology Program, the Darton student must complete all required Developmental Studies courses, and meet one of the following conditions:

1. Present a composite score of 850 or higher on the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) or a composite score of 19 or higher on the American College Testing Service Assessment Test (ACT) and have a minimum of 2.00 ("C") or higher, or
   
   
2. Have earned or transferred credit at Darton for 15 or more credit semester hours of courses required in the Health Information Technology program with a grade point average of 2.0 ("C") or higher.

Additional Requirements:

1. To continue in the Health Information Technology Program, a "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 the student's previous HITE work will be evaluated by the program director. More than one "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).
   
   
2. High speed internet is highly recommended for optimal use of AHIMA's Virtual Lab applications.
   
   
3. Professional liability insurance is required and is available through the college. The cost of this insurance is approximately $17.50 per year.
   
   
4. 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. A charge of breach of confidentiality will be treated according to the procedures outlined in the Student Handbook, "Code of Conduct."
   
   
5. Student membership in the American Health Information Management Association is recommended. The cost of student membership is approximately $20 per year.
   
   
6. A student may be denied permission to continue in the program if in the opinion of the faculty, the Chair of Allied Health, and the Vice President of Academic Affairs, the student does not demonstrate the necessary qualifications for a health information technician.
   
   
7. 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 (for example, must use pens, pencils, and manage papers), and to operate electronic equipment (for example, computers, word processors).
   • Hearing (with or without aids): to hear the spoken voice in order to be able to respond verbally.

**A combination of BIOL 2111K and BIOL2112K (Human Anatomy & Physiology I and Human Anatomy & Physiology II) may be substituted.
***Oral communications requirement may be met by completion of other communication courses. See Degree Requirements, pg 63

As Printed in the 2007-2008 College Catalog.
Refer to the newest Catalog for updates and revisions.

Course Descriptions

HITE 2100 Health Record Content and Structure (3)

The basic concepts & techniques for managing & maintaining health record systems including storage and retrieval, the use and structure of healthcare data & data sets, quantitative & 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.
Pre-or Corequisites: Exit developmental studies, English 101, Medical Terminology, or permission of instructor
Offered: Spring

HITE 2110 Organization and Supervision in Health Information Management (2)

This course provides the student with an introduction to the principles of organization and supervision. Emphasis is placed on the understanding and development of effective skills in leadership, motivation, and team building techniques one can use in the practice of health information management.
Prerequisite: Health Record Content and Structure or permission of instructor
Offered: Summer

HITE 2150 Coding I (3)

Principles of ICD-9-CM used in the assignment of valid diagnostic and/or procedure codes.
Pre- or Corequisites: Health Record Content and Structure, Fundamentals of Medical Science, Anatomy and Physiology, or permission of instructor
Offered: Fall

HITE 2160 Coding II (2)

Principles of CPT codng system used to assign valid procedure and service codes.
Prerequisite: Coding I or permission of instructor
Offered: Spring

HITE 2170 Advanced Coding and Reimbursement (3)

This course integrates and builds on basic knowledge and skills acquired in Coding I and Coding II, enhancing skill level through use of clinical case studies. Reimbursement topics include DRGs, APCs, RBRVs, Chargemasters and Coding Compliance. Students will have live access to a QuadraMed encoder via the AHIMA Virtual Lab.
Pre-requisites: Coding I, Coding II
Offered: Spring

HITE 2200 Healthcare Statistics (2)

In this course emphasis is placed on methods for collection of data; effective use of data; arrangement of data; presentation of data; verification of healthcare data; concepts of descriptive statistics; data validity and reliability.
Prerequisites: College Algebra, Health Record Content and Structure, or permission of instructor
Offered: Fall

HITE 2250 Legal and Ethical Issues in Health Information (2)

This course is designed to provide the health information technology student with an introduction to the legal and ethical issues applicable to health information in the various types of healthcare settings.
Prerequisite: Health Record Content and Structure or permission of instructor
Offered: Summer

HITE 2400 Pathophysiology & Pharmacology (3)

The study of the nature and cause of disease including the etiology, signs, symptoms, diagnostic evaluation, clinical treatment, and pharmacology management of disease processes.
Pre- or Corequisites: Anatomy and Physiology I and II, Health Record Content and Structure, or permission of instructor
Offered: Fall

HITE 2500 Health Information System Applications (3)

The concepts of medical record management through an information system that is an organized combination of people, hardware, software, communication networks and data resources that collect, transform and disseminate information in a healthcare organization.
Pre-or Corequisites: Health Record Content and Structure and Microcomputers/Software Applications, or permission of instructor
Offered: Fall

HITE 2550 Quality Assessment (2)

This course for the health information technology student is an introduction to the principles of the quality assessment process to provide a framework for gaining skills in collection and analyzing data.
Pre- or Corequisites: Organization and Supervision in Health Information and Health Care Statistics or permission of instructor
Offered: Spring

HITE 2600 Professional Practice I (2)

Supervised clinical experience in an acute care setting.
Pre or Co-requisites: Health Record Content and Structure, Legal and Ethical Issues in HIM, Coding I and II, Health Informaton Systems or permission of instructor
Offered: Spring

HITE 2610 Professional Practice II (2)

A continuation of Clinical Practice I, in alternative healthcare settings.
Pre- or Corequisite: Clinical Practice I
Offered: Spring

HITE 2650 Seminar on Health Information Technology (1)

Exploration of current issues and trends in the health information profession and in the health care industry with emphasis on review for RHIT exam.
Prerequisites: Clinical Classification Systems, Legal & Ethical Issues in HIM, and Clinical Practice I