Health Information Management (AAS)

The Health Information Management Program prepares the student for a variety of job opportunities including medical coder, department manager/supervisor, data analyst, and clerks who process records verifying accuracy and completeness. This program blends knowledge and skills from health information and business management, with computer applications and medicine to provide the necessary foundation for success.

Topics of study include medical coding (ICD-9-CM and CPT-4 with an introduction into ICD-10-CM), legal and ethical issues in health care, quality and performance improvement, health care statistics, reimbursement concepts, indexes and registries related to health care, and the management aspects of health information.

This associate’s degree program incorporates the Medical Coding Specialist Certificate program as the first year. Completion of that portion of the program, along with relevant work experience, can prepare a person to take the certification examination offered by the American Health Information Management Association to become a Certified Coding Associate (CCA) and after further experience, the Certified Coding Specialist (CCS). Individuals skilled in clinical coding are employed as coders for hospitals, physician’s offices, peer review organizations, clinics, consulting firms, and/or insurance companies.

The HIM/HI (degree level) program is in Candidacy Status, pending accreditation review by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM).

The director is Dianna Foley. To reach her, dial 740.264.5591 x228.

The graduate will be able to:

1. Apply for the national certification examination for Certified Coding Associate (CCA) through AHIMA.
2. Code, classify, and index diagnoses and procedures for the purpose of reimbursement, standardization, retrieval, and statistical analysis.
3. Apply legal/ethical principles, policies, regulations, and standards for the control and use of health information.
4. Demonstrate knowledge of Health Insurance Portability Accountability Act (HIPAA) principles in a professional work place setting.
5. Understand the future application of ICD-10-CM and ICD-10-PCS coding.
6. Manage health care indexes/registries.
7. Collect, analyze, and present healthcare statistics.
8. Participate in quality and performance improvement.
9. Apply the management functions of planning, organizing, leading, and controlling.

Eastern Gateway Community College's Student Success Plan/Assessment is available for view in PDF format.

This information is presented as a general program overview. Students are advised to follow the more detailed college catalog for program requirements.