Health Information Technology

The Associate of Science in Health Information Technology program prepares the student for employment in the health information management field, and students are eligible to sit for the national certifying examination to become a Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT). The program will also provide the student the eligibility to sit for the AAPC or AHIMA coding credentialing examinations. Responsibilities include coding of diagnoses and procedures; as well as processing, storage and retrieval of health information in ether paper or electronic health records. Areas covered in the course work include, but are not limited to, confidentiality of protected health information, health information and electronic health records systems, legal aspects, statistical reporting, reimbursement methodology, healthcare informatics, performance improvement, and supervision of daily department activities comprise other functions taught in the program.

Applications for Fall 2019 will begin being Accepted in January.

Begin a Rewarding Future in Health Care

Do you see a future for yourself in the health care field? Are you excited about where information technology is headed? Broward College’s Health Information Technology Management Program is designed for you, whether you have health care-related experience or none at all.

After completing this program, you will earn an Associate’s degree (A.S.) in Health Information Technology Management, and be eligible to take the national credentialing examination for Registered Health Information Technicians (RHIT) and the Certified Coding Association (CCA).

Broward College’s Mission Statements

“The mission of Broward College is to achieve student success by developing informed and creative students capable of contributing to a knowledge- and service-based global society. As a public community college accredited to offer associate degrees, selected baccalaureate degrees, and certificate programs, the institution and its District Board of Trustees are committed to fostering a learning-centered community that celebrates diversity and inclusion by empowering and engaging students, faculty, and staff.”

The mission of the Health Information Technology Management Program is to prepare competent, ethical and culturally sensitive entry-level Health Information Technology Professionals capable of functioning in ever-changing health care delivery, health informatics and information management systems as a result of being dedicated to lifelong self-directed learning. The program exists to provide a technical education program to all segments of the community that is committed to quality instruction delivered by dedicated faculty engaged in continued professional development.

The program is committed to accomplishing its mission through the use of effective and diverse instructional methods that encompass traditional as well as technology-based strategies (e-learning including online courses, podcasting, virtual labs, lab simulation activities, student self-paced learning, video conferencing, etc.).

Student Satisfaction Rate is 90% 2018

Rentention Rate 85%

Employer Satisfaction 100% 2018

Request Information

HIT Information Session Dates

Location: North Campus Building 41 room 145

September 13th @ 10:00am

October 11th @ 10:00am

November 1st @ 10am

December 6th @ 10am

Classroom Experience

The classroom experience focuses on both concept and theory delivered by experienced professionals who are able to help you connect between the academic experiences to the real world application. Students will participate in team projects and capstone projects that will help solidify theory and concepts.

Typical responsibilities of an RHIT include (but are not limited to) maintaining and using a variety of:

Health information data for reporting vital statistics, required reports and indices, special registries,
Storage and retrieval systems,
Electronic health record systems concepts,
Abstracting data using various data sets,Inputting and retrieving computerized health data,
Codification of clinical and reimbursement data utilizing ICD-10-CM, ICD-10-PCS and CPT coding systems manually and with encoders/groupers
Controlling the release of health information.

Classes are usually taught during the day on BC’s North Campus only. Approximately 50 percent of the program is currently online or blended (some online courses require mandatory on-campus meetings). If you are already a student at Atlantic Technical Center or Sheridan Technical Center’s Medical Billing Coding and Medical Transcription Programs, we offer articulation that may award a limited amount of credits towards the HIT degree. Experiential learning credits are also available for AAPC or AHIMA active credentialed coders.

Please click on the Program Sheet below to see the curriculum.

Program Sheet

Career Path

The Health Information Technology Program is a challenging program that prepares you to enter the health care field. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a 21 percent increase in jobs for health information technicians through 2020.

See the career path for HIT professionals.

Health Information Technology (HIT) graduates perform a variety of technical health information management functions including:

Managing confidential patient information
Compiling administrative and health statistics
Coding diseases, operations, and other procedures
Organizing, analyzing, and technically evaluating health information

The skill set learned in this program will open the doors for a variety of career paths, such as:

Physician Practice Management
Electronic Health Records Deployment
Hospital Health Information Management
Health Information Exchange Management
Ambulatory Health Information Management
Coding, Reimbursement and Compliance Management
Any other organization working with sensitive health information

The majority of health information practitioners work in acute care hospitals, ambulatory, long-term, and mental health facilities, physician practices, vendors, state and federal agencies, insurance companies, and colleges. Some are self-employed in businesses such as transcription services, billing services and consulting. Employment opportunities are extensive in both traditional and non-traditional health care settings.

Find HIT jobs now.

For more information on Health Information Technology, try these sites:

Health Information Technology and Management Career Paths

The Salary of an RHIT

Florida Department of Economic Opportunity

Is This Program Right for Me?

The health information management field is a highly ethical industry managing confidential and sensitive patient health information and coding clinical diagnoses and procedure that fiscally impacts healthcare organizations’ reimbursement.

If you are interested in health information management, you will need to commit to an academically demanding program. You will need to master a strong biomedical knowledge to be proficient in the use of ICD and CPT coding systems.

The prerequisite courses for this program are:

HSC 1531 Medical Terminology
BSC 1005 General Biology
SPC1024 Introduction to Speech or SPC1608 Introduction to Public Sep
ENC 1101 Composition I

Students must have a minimum of a 2.5 GPA to be considered for the program and maintain a GPA of 2.0 throughout the program.

To be successful in the program, you will need:

Basic computer literacy
Strong time management skills
Good reporting, writing and presenting skills
Knowledge of APA format
Strong working knowledge of office application systems, such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access
A background check, medical physical examination and drug screen cleared by the first day of class (required for all Health Sciences students at Broward College)

Students, who have completed the Medical Billing/Coding or the Medical Transcription Programs at Sheridan Vocational or Atlantic Technical Centers or if you currently hold an active coding credential from AHIMA or AAPC, please contact the Program Manager prior to submitting your Application to Health Science Admissions.

Accreditation

Broward College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges (SACS-COC).

The HIT Program is fully accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Health Information and Informatics Management Education (CAHIIM), which is the accreditation body of the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA).

Without the CAHIIM Accreditation, students are not eligible to sit for the RHIT Credentialing Exam with AHIMA.

CAHIIM
233 N. Michigan Avenue
Chicago, Il 60601-5800
Phone: 312-233-1100
www.cahiim.org

NCCA Accreditation
On April 16, 2010, the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) granted accreditation to AHIMA's Certified Coding Associate (CCA) program for demonstrating compliance with the NCCA Standards for the Accreditation of Certification Programs. NCCA is the accrediting body of the Institute for Credentialing Excellence (formerly the National Organization for Competency Assurance).

Faculty

The program faculty are all credentialed health information management professionals with extensive experience working in a variety of positions in the field, ranging from consultants to managers of coding and health information management departments.

Courses

This is a full-time program that takes two years to complete, or six full terms. Courses must be taken in sequence as they are only offered one time per year.

General education courses (those courses without the HIM prefix) are taught at varied times (days, evening, weekends, online) at most campus locations.

All HIM Program courses are offered only at the North Campus in the Health Science Building. Courses are day (once or twice a week) and/or online, and periodically coding courses may be offered on Saturday.

To remain in the program, you must carry no less than a 2.0 GPA in all course work, including general education courses.

See full course schedule.

For Alumni

If you graduated from Broward College’s HIT Program, please contact us. We would like to form an Alumni Organization and we need you to do that. Our students need your support and experience to help guide them. The future of our industry depends on you. We look forward to hearing from you.

Please contact:
Program Manager
954-201-2084

Join the Alumni & Friends Association for member benefits, group discounts, alumni-only events and more.

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