Welcome & Program Overview

 

Thank you for your interest in the Health Information Management Program offered at Broward College (BC).   The American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) requires each accredited health information technology Associate Degree program meet required entry-level competencies in their curriculum. These are referred to as Domains, Sub domains and Tasks. These competency standards are the basis for the national credentialing examination and represent the base knowledge the student should have at graduation.   We are a CAHIIM accredited program which qualified students graduating from this program to apply and take the national credentialing examination for RHIT (Registered Health Information Technician).  All faculty teaching in this program are credentialed health information management professionals, some are alumni of this Program.

 

All HIM classes are taught at the BC’s North Campus.  Classes are usually taught evening hours with some exceptions;  Professional Practice Experience courses have a portion of the course that may require day time hours, coding classes and labs are usually taught on Saturdays while some courses are taught as fully online or blended courses (which may require some on-campus meetings). The Health Information Technology Program is designed for students  who wish to pursue their studies and who may have healthcare related experience or have no healthcare related experience. We strive to meet the needs of the student, to foster self-confidence, and to provide a supportive, student-centered learning environment.

We offer:

• Articulation for ATD graduates from Atlantic and Sheridan Technical Centers within the first 3 years past graduation from the programs
• Two Professional Practice Experiences where the student has real-time work exposure in local healthcare facilities and/or case simulation
• Experiential Learning credits for AAPC or AHIMA active credentialed coders
• Associate in Science Degree in Health Information Management at completion of the 67 credit program.
• Preparation for the entry-level Certified Coding Associate (CCA) Exam with AHIMA.

Graduates are eligible to take the RHIT certification examination administered by the American Health Information Management Association. Passing the examination entitles a person to use the initials RHIT (Registered Health Information Technician) after his/her name

Program Overview

 

Quality information is critical to quality of care by physicians, nurses and other health professionals. Health information management combines a profession in health care with information technology.

 

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

• Organizing, analyzing, and technically evaluating health information;
• Compiling administrative and health statistics; and
• Coding diseases, operations, and other procedures.

Responsibilities also include:

• 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
  • Inputting and retrieving computerized health data, and
  • Codification of clinical and reimbursement data utilizing ICD-9-CM, ICD-10-CM, ICD-10-PCS and CPT coding systems manually and with encoders/groupers
  • Controlling the release of 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.

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 Management Program is to prepare competent, ethical and culturally sensitive entry-level Health Information Management Technicians who are 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.).

 

 

Charlee Bumgardner, BA, RHIT

HIM Program Manager

North Campus, Room 118, (954) 201 – 2084

The contents of this web site last revised October 2011