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Submitter's Information
Tina Recalde
Dean, Health Sciences and Public Service
San Diego/Imperial
San Diego Mesa College
CTE Dean
Tina Recalde
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Program Details
Coding Specialist Certificate of Achievement (Health Information Technology)
Program Modifications (formerly substantial changes)
Health Information Coding (122310)
08/01/23
Award Description:
The Coding Specialist Certificate of Achievement is designed to provide students with the knowledge and skills required for an entry-level position as a coder in a variety of settings, including hospitals, outpatient clinics, behavioral health facilities, government health agencies, long term care facilities, and various health information industry vendors.
Award Notes:
Students who earn the Coding Specialist Certificate of Achievement are eligible to sit for the following American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) certifications: Certified Coding Specialist (CCS), the Certified Coding Specialist - Physician-based (CCS-P), and the Certified Coding Associate (CCA). Students who wish to become fully credentialed Registered Health Information Technologists (RHIT) must complete the Associate Degree requirements.
Program Description:
The Health Information Technology program offers various avenues for students interested in a career in the health information field. The program is designed to prepare students to work in a variety of settings, including hospitals, outpatient clinics, behavioral health facilities, government health agencies, long-term care facilities, and various health information industry vendors.
DIRECTED CLINICAL PRACTICE (DCP) REQUIREMENT
Most allied health students are required to successfully complete DCP, clinically-based courses held in health care facilities. These facilities may require background checks, including fingerprinting and drug screening, as a condition of placement at the clinic. Refusal to submit to a background check, or failure to meet clearance criteria established by the health care facility, may prevent placement in DCP courses and thus, it may not be possible to successfully complete the program. Health care facilities also require adherence to strict standards of conduct. Facilities may refuse educational access to any person who does not adhere to the facility's standards of safety, health and ethical behavior. This may be cause for removal from the program.
Student Learning Outcomes:
• Apply all required health care documentation policies and procedures that ensure the highest quality of healthcare delivery.
• Utilize the evolving information technology in the completion of health information management processes.
• Ensure compliance with all payment systems, such as Medicare, Medicaid, managed care, and other sources of reimbursement.
• Produce data required for healthcare quality improvement, utilization management, risk management and other related activities.
• Protect the privacy, confidentiality, and security of health information as well as promote legal and ethical standards of practice for health information professionals.
Program Goals:
Students who complete a Health Information Technology certificate or degree will be prepared for a career in the health information field.
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Program Proposal Attributes
- Certificate of Achievement: 16 or greater semester (or 24 or greater quarter) units (C)
Program Goals:
Students who complete a Health Information Technology certificate or degree will be prepared for a career in the health information field.
Program Emphasis:
The program curriculum prepares students to process and maintain the medical records of hospital and clinic patients in a manner consistent with medical, administrative, ethical, legal, and regulatory requirements of the health care system.
Career Options:
Upon successful completion of certificate or degree in the program, students may find employment in health information departments as a release of information specialist, document imaging specialist, entry-level coder, health information supervisor, clinical coding specialist, medical data analyst, data quality/integrity associate, clinical documentation specialist, cancer registry coordinator, or risk/compliance assistant.
Course Units and Hours
26-27
n/a
n/a
Course Report
Program Revision to reflect: 1) revision of HEIT 160 to HEIT 225 (increase from two to three units, and 2) addition of BIOL 160 as option to MEDA 055.
This results in an overall increase from 25 units to 26-27 units.
COURSES REQUIRED FOR THE MAJOR: | UNITS |
---|
MEDA 055 | Fundamentals Human Anatomy and Physiology *Active* | 3 | |
or | BIOL 160 | Elements of Human Anatomy and Physiology *Active* | 4 |
MEDA 110 | Medical Terminology *Historical* | 3 | |
MEDA 115 | Pathophysiology *Historical* | 3 | |
HEIT 110 | Introduction to Health Information *Active* | 4 | |
HEIT 130 | Basic Pharmacology *Active* | 1 | |
HEIT 214 | ICD Coding I *Active* | 3 | |
HEIT 215 | ICD Coding II *Active* | 3 | |
HEIT 155 | Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) Coding *Active* | 3 | |
HEIT 225 | Introduction to Revenue Cycle *Pending* | 3 |
Total Units | 26 - 27 |
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Supporting Documents
San Diego/Imperial Regional Questions
No questions to display.
Submission Details
08/17/22 - 04:34 PM
Recommended
Return to Drafts
Please list the reason(s) for returning "Coding Specialist Certificate of Achievement (Health Information Technology)". to Tina Recalde's drafts. This message will be sent to trecalde@sdccd.edu
Comments, Documents, Voting
Comments
All Comments
Efrain Silva · 09/08/22
IVC supports.
Shana Carr · 09/02/22
City supports
Cassandra Storey · 09/02/22
SDCCE supports program mod.
Dr. Javier Ayala · 09/02/22
Grossmont supports..
George Dowden · 09/01/22
Cuyamaca approves.
Dr. Al Taccone · 08/30/22
MiraCosta College endorses given this is a modification.
John Edwards · 08/29/22
SD Mesa college submitted the appropriate LMI from the COE. The COE does not recommend developing a *new* program for this occupation but supports a program modification because 1) LMI suggests that labor market demand is met with existing programs; 2) entry-level wages are above the living wage; and 3) the majority of awards for these occupations are supplied by noncommunity-college institutions in the region.