Health Information Specialist

Develop your career with the Health Information Specialist program.

This course will provide students with an introduction to the historical development of medical nomenclature and classification systems including ICD-9-10-CM, CPT-4 and HCPCS coding. This course concentrates on the coding of diseases, evaluation and management procedures, diagnostic and operative procedures and abstraction of clinical diagnostic data from source documentation in order to produce optimal reimbursement when filing claims with third party payers. Also included in this course will be an overview of the medical billing cycle including coverage of Hospital Billing Applications. In accordance with new federal regulations effective January, 2014, students will be introduced to ICD-10.

Prerequisite: MED103 or permission of Chair

Number: MED201
Credits: 3.00
Type: Allied Health

This course will leverage and build upon the skills acquired in Introduction to Medical Billing and Coding and concentrates on application of coding skills and analyzing operative reports and consultation notes. These reports and other cases simulate real world out-patient clinical and hospital ICD-9-10, CPT, and HCPCS. Included will be the application of learned skills to EOB denial analysis, collection procedures, and the appeals processes as well as the study of Electronic Records Management.

Prerequisite: MED201 or permission of Chair

Number: MED203
Credits: 3.00
Type: Allied Health

This course provides an introduction to hospital reimbursement methodologies. The course will focus on basic reimbursement methodologies for inpatient settings, including Medicare acute and skilled inpatient reimbursement guidelines, Prospective Payment Systems, relationship between coding and Diagnosis Related Groups (DRGs) assignment and coding compliance.

Prerequisite: MED201

Number: MED206
Credits: 3.00
Type: Allied Health

This course will provide the groundwork for understanding the rules and responsibilities of allied health care providers in an administrative role. The course will cover topics such as electronic health records management, written and oral communication skills, understanding the complexity of the health insurance industry, scheduling and monitoring patient appointments, and the overall administrative duties that impact a health care facility.

Prerequisite: MED103

Students must receive a minimum grade of a “C” (70%) to continue. Students may receive a grade of D (60-69%) but will be required to repeat the course.

Number: MED208
Credits: 3.00
Type: Allied Health

This course introduces the student to health insurance and reimbursement. In this course the student will become familiar with common medical billing practices, the health insurance industry, legal and regulatory issues and differences in reimbursement methodologies. The student will learn principles of medical billing related to proper claim form preparation, submission, and payment processing, and adjudication. This course is recommended for anyone who is preparing for a career in a medical billing department at a physician’s office, clinic, or other healthcare entity, and as a claims examiner for insurance carriers. Case studies will be provided to simulate a realistic experience in completing insurance forms.

Prerequisites: MED208, MED201

Number: MED212
Credits: 3.00
Type: Allied Health

This course introduces students to the health information management profession, the health information department and the health record. Basic concepts and techniques covered will include health record content, assembly, analysis, control, storage, retention, retrieval, form design and control, indices and registers, and filing systems for both paper and electronic health records.

Prerequisites: MED208 & GEN115 or permission of Chair

Number: MED215
Credits: 3.00
Type: Allied Health

This course introduces Excel spreadsheet concepts using software in the Windows environment. Topics to be covered include: creating the Excel worksheet, formulas, functions, enhancing spreadsheets with graphs and charts, analyzing spreadsheet data (what–if analysis) and working with large worksheets.

Number: ACC127
Credits: 3.00
Type: Allied Health

In this course, students will examine the concepts and applications of Microsoft Word & PowerPoint. Students will use these technology tools to create business documents, marketing materials, and develop effective business presentations that will prepare them for today’s information based business environment.

Number: BUS122
Credits: 3.00
Type: Business

Providing excellent customer service is key when it comes to relationship management and customer retention. Students will learn basic greetings and conversation starters, as well as how to maintain a professional presence when dealing with customers. We will look at the correlation between customer service and the increase of sales and revenue. A variety of communication tools will be examined and evaluated to determine what methods may be appropriate in keeping in touch with your client base. The term project will require students to create a Customer Service training manual for a company/industry of their choice.

Number: BUS279
Credits: 3.00
Type: Business

In this course, students develop their reading comprehension and written communication skills. Different styles of writing are examined as students develop writing proficiency through practice in planning, outlining, drafting, revising and editing. In addition to regular class meeting times, Day Division students are required to participate in a ten-week Writing Lab component which counts as ten percent of the grade for English Composition. For the Day Division, the Writing Lab is graded as Pass or Fail.

Note: Writing Lab is not required in the Evening division or for fully online programs.

Prerequisite: Proficiency Examination and/or ACE108

Number: GEN125
Credits: 3.00
Type: General Education