Curriculum

Updated 1/3/2010

The following career options within the Health Care Information Programs build upon or supplement each other. The curriculum plans are designed so that a student can enroll in more than one major if desired. Click on any of the following three career options to obtain further information.

Health Information Technology - Associate of Applied Arts and Sciences Degree
Medical Coding and Reimbursement Specialist - Certificate of Proficiency

Please consult with an HCI FACULTY ADVISOR prior to, or as soon as possible after you have received formal approval for entry into any of the three programs to assure that your curriculum plan allows you to finish your education at the earliest time.

Prerequisites:

The following are pre-requisite classes/skills needed prior to entry into any HCI program.

English: Students must have completed English 100 or ESL 100 with a grade of 2.0 or higher (not just a "P" or Pass grade), or have placement results on an Asset or COMPASS test indicating readiness for English 101.

ESL students with limited English proficiency will be required to complete all levels of the ESL curriculum prior to entry into any HCI program. ESL students not completing all levels of the curriculum must be assessed by the ESL program advisors to determine their readiness for English 101.

Mathematics: Students must have completed Math 080 Elementary Algebra or higher level math with a grade of 2.0 or higher (not just a "P" or Pass grade), or have placement results on Asset or Compass tests showing placement at Math 099 Intermediate Algebra or higher.

Computer Applications: Students must be computer literate, at least at the basic level. They must have keyboarding skills at a minimum of 30 words per minute, work with a PC Windows environment, do word processing with MS Word, send and receive e-mails with attachments, and have basic internet skills.

Students approved for the Health Information Technology or Medical Coding and Reimbursement Specialist programs should take HCI 134 Medical Terminology and BIOL&170 Human Biology prior to entering the program or during Fall Quarter of the first year since they are prerequisites to most HCI courses.

If students have taken classes at other colleges or universities and wish to have them evaluated by HCI program faculty advisors to determine whether or not they will be considered equivalent to HCI courses, then official transcripts must be sent to BOTH the Shoreline Admissions Office and HCI Program Director. It is not the responsibility of the Program Director to obtain copies from the Admissions Office. Please be aware that all of the following must be taken within ten years of entry into the HCI program or they must be repeated: Anatomy and Physiology (5 or more quarter credits, taught through a college/university Science Division) and the following courses taught by health care professionals: Medical Terminology (5 or more quarter credits, Pharmacology (3 or more quarter credits) and Human Diseases (5 or more quarter credits). There are challenge exams available for both HCI 134 Medical Terminology and BIOL& 170 for those individuals, including health care professionals, who believe they have equivalent knowledge and need not retake these courses again. The exams are $10 per credit, and if the individual passes the exam(s), he/she will have the course listed on his/her transcript as a credit course completed with a Pass grade. Please contact HCI Program Director for additional details if you believe you qualify. Some currently practicing health care professionals, including nurses, may possibly have pharmacology and human diseases courses waived; this will be determined by the HCI Program Director after review of appropriate transcripts and discussion with the applicant.

A 5-credit microcomputer applications course and a 5-credit database or Access course must be completed within 5 years of admission into any of the HCI programs unless the individual has used the programs on a routine basis after training. Many individuals have used the personal computer extensively without formal college credit courses. These courses may possibly be waived but only as determined by the HCI Program Director after discussion with the student. If the individual is waived from the computer courses, he/she will be expected to apply the PC skills and abilities immediately in required courses with only the same level of instructor assistance as that given to students who have taken CIS 105. Since both programs are taught on an online basis only, basic computer skills are essential.

Effective Fall 2009, the 3 credit PE course will no longer be required for HIT students. HCI 220 Quality Improvement in Health Care credits will be changed from 3 to 5 credits and HCI 226 Alternate Care Records credits will be changed from 3 to 4 credits.

Bachelor's Degree Programs in Health Information Management: There are a number of four-year degree programs in Health Information Management. For a complete list of accredited programs go to www.cahiim.org

The University of Washington in Seattle has a bachelor's and post-bachelor's degree program, on-campus, evenings. Go to http://depts.washington.edu/hihim/ for additional information. For more information, contact Gretchen Murphy, Program Director at gcmurphy@u.washington.edu.

The University of Cincinnati in Ohio has a totally online program for RHITs and RHIT eligible graduates of CAHIIM accredited HIT programs which does not require additional elective requirements. It has a 2 1/4 year curriculum. Go to www.HIMonline.UC.edu/docs/HIM_Brochure.pdf for a downloadable version of the brochure. For more information, contact Gail Smith, Program Director, at gail.smith@uc.edu.