Administrative Support Technology: Health Information Management Specialization, AAS

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Degree: Associate of Applied Science in Business and Office in Administrative Support Technology and a Specialization in Health Information Management.

Length: Four-semester (two-year) program

Purpose: The Health Information Management Specialization is designed to train health information specialists to work with health care professionals and administration to organize, analyze and preserve medical information used to evaluate patient care, diagnose and treat illnesses and substantiate reimbursement. It provides students with a unique blend of courses in information technology, business management and clinical knowledge. Students who possess an interest in studying disease and therapies but who prefer not to work in a direct patient care setting find this career very rewarding. An interest in using computers to manage data is very important.

Occupational Objectives:
Medical Insurance Coders
Medical Office Supervisor
Office Manager
Transcriptionists
Administrative Assistant
Administrative Support specialist
Medical Secretary

Admission Requirements: In addition to the admission requirements established for the college, entry into the Administrative Support Technology: Health Information Management Specialization program requires competency in English and Math Essentials MTE 1-3 as demonstrated through the placement and diagnostic tests, or by satisfactorily completing the required MTE units or equivalent.

The following list is a suggested sequence in which students may plan their class schedules to ensure graduation in two years.

First semester

AST 101 Keyboarding I 3 credits ¹
AST 136 Office Record Keeping 3 credits
AST 160 Learning the Internet for Business 1 credits
AST 260 Presentation Software 2 credits
ENG 111 College Composition I 3 credits
HIM 113 Medical Terminology and Disease Processes I 3 credits
SDV 100 College Success Skills 1 credits

Suggested Credits for Semester: 16

Second Semester

AST 102 Keyboarding II 3 credits
AST 236 Specialized Software Applications 3 credits (Excel)
Elective Humanities Elective 3 credits ²
Elective Natural Science, AST, or IT Elec 3 credits ⁴
Elective Social/Behavioral Science 3 credits ³
CST 126 Interpersonal Communication 3 credits ⁶

Suggested Credits for Semester: 18

Third Semester

AST 107 Editing/Proofreading Skills 3 credits
AST 141 Word Processing I 3 credits (Word)
AST 234 Records and Database Management 3 credits (Access)
AST 243 Office Administration I 3 credits
ELE HIM Elective 4 credits⁷
ELE HLT/PED Elective 1 credit⁵

Suggested Credits for Semester: 17

Fourth Semester

AST 245 Medical Machine Transcription 3 credits
AST 298 Seminar and Project in Administrative Support Technology 3 credits *
HIM 151 Reimbursement Issues in Medical Practice Management 2 credits
Elective HIM Elective 3 credits⁸
MTH 132 Business Mathematics 3 credits
HLT/PED Health/Physical Education 1 credit⁵

Suggested Credits for Semester: 15

Total Minimum Credits Required for this Curriculum: 66

¹Students who possess keyboarding skills may petition for advanced placement with Credit by Examination.

²Humanities Electives: ART 101 , CST 151 , HUM 100 , HUM 260 , MUS 121 , PHI 101 , PHI 220 , REL 200 , REL 210 , REL 230

³Social Science Electives: ECO 201 , ECO 202 , GEO 210 , HIS 101 , HIS 102 , HIS 121 , HIS 122 , PLS 211 , PLS 212 , PSY 200 , PSY 215 , PSY 216 , PSY 230 , SOC 200 , SOC 215 , SOC 250

⁴Recommend NAS 150 . Students may take BIO 141 which can substitute for the NAS 150.

⁵Recommend HLT 145 can be taken. This course is also required in the Medical Coding and Medical Transcriptionist Career Studies Certificate programs.

⁶Students may take CST 110 which can substitute for the CST 126.

⁷HIM 253 Health Records Coding or HIM 101 Health Information Technology

⁸HIM 254 Advanced Coding/Reimbursement or HIM 150 Health Records Management

*This is a capstone course and should be taken the last semester.