Health Information Technology: A.A.S.

Associate in Applied Science

CIP Code: 51.0707

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Mission

The mission of the Health Information Management Program is to prepare confident, innovative, contributing professionals who can identify and use a variety of information resources and technologies to accomplish the objectives of diverse practice environments. It provides students with the knowledge and skills necessary to become self-directed learners who possess critical-thinking and problem-solving abilities, as well as communication and interpersonal skills. It instills a commitment to life-long learning and important ethical values. As practitioners, graduates of this program will serve society and the profession through collaborative practice, innovative teaching, and the generation and application of new knowledge about health information management.

Program Learning Outcomes

1. Communicate effectively in the healthcare environment, while being respectful of cultural, ethnic, gender, and lifestyle differences.
2. Comply with appropriate legal regulations, standards, policies, and procedures, for control and management of the health record, and for protection, security, and release of health information.
3. Demonstrate appropriate use of management principles, technology, and decision support tools to effectively manage human, physical, and financial resources in performance improvement.
4. Apply healthcare reimbursement principles by understanding the complexities of reimbursement systems and how they affect providers and payers.
5. Code diagnoses and procedures according to current legal, ethical, and federal standards for reimbursement, analysis, and improved patient care.
6. Perform data analytic functions for quality improvement, risk management, utilization review, and compliance.
7. Maintain and utilize the electronic health record, and various indexes, storage, and retrieval systems.
8. Demonstrate by scoring at or above the national average on all competencies on the mock RHIT exam.
9. Demonstrate understanding by explaining the impact of continuing education on professional growth and competence.

Accreditation

The Health Information Management accreditor of SUNY Broome Community College is the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM). The College’s accreditation for its associate of applied science degree in Health Information Management has been reaffirmed through 2022. 

All inquiries about the program’s accreditation status should be directed by mail to CAHIIM, 233 N. Michigan Avenue, 21st Floor, Chicago, IL, 60601; by phone at +1 (312) 233-1134; or by email at info@cahiim.org.

Program Supervisor

Holly Jones, Chairperson
Office: Decker Health Science Center, Room 217
Telephone: +1 (607) 778-5063
E-mail:  joneshr@sunybroome.edu

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Health Information professionals play a critical role in maintaining, collecting and analyzing the data that doctors, nurses and other healthcare providers rely on to deliver quality healthcare. They are experts in managing patient health information and medical records, administering computer information systems and coding the diagnosis and procedures for healthcare services provided to patients and for reimbursement and research. HIM professionals work in a multitude of settings throughout the healthcare industry including hospitals, physician offices and clinics, long-term care facilities, insurance companies, government agencies and home care providers.

Practice in the college health information laboratory as well as in health information departments of various healthcare facilities, provides opportunities of additional educational experience.

Students who graduate from the program are eligible to take the National Certification Examination to become a Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT). Graduates may continue health information management education toward a baccalaureate degree at four-year colleges.

Sequence of Courses

The following coursework must be successfully completed to earn the A.A.S. degree in Health Information Technology. Courses are sequential and have prerequisites.