The Health Information Management Technology program is a sequence of courses designed to provide students with the technical knowledge and skills necessary to process, maintain, analyze, and report health information data according to legal, accreditation, licensure and certification standards for reimbursement, facility planning, marketing, risk management, utilization management, quality assessment and research. Program graduates will develop leadership skills necessary to serve in a functional supervisory role in various components of the health information system.
Employment Opportunities
Graduates of the Associate of Applied Science Degree Program in Health Information Management Technology are prepared for professional positions in hospitals, physicians’ offices, state and federal health care agencies, clinics, managed care organizations, behavioral health facilities, consulting and law firms, ambulatory care facilities, information system vendors, insurance companies, and long-term care facilities.
Accreditation/Approval
The Health Information Management Technology Associate of Applied Science program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM). CAHIIM may be contacted at 233 N. Michigan Ave., 21st Floor, Chicago, IL 60601-5800, Phone 312.233.1100 or email: info@cahiim.org.
Licensure/Certification
Students completing the Associate of Applied Science degree in Health Information Management Technology will be eligible to take the American Health Information Technology National Examination for certification as a Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT).
Admissions Criteria
- Submit a completed application and application fee;
- Be at least 16 years of age;
- Submit official high school transcript or GED transcript;
- Submit official college transcripts, if applicable;
- Meet the following assessment requirements:
| Test |
Reading |
Writing |
Numerical |
Algebra |
| Accuplacer |
64 |
70 |
NA |
57 |
| Accuplacer (Next Gen) |
236 |
249 |
NA |
245 |
| Compass |
79 |
62 |
NA |
37 |
| SAT |
17 |
17 |
NA |
21 |
| SAT |
290 |
290 |
NA |
380 |
| ACT |
16 |
14 |
NA |
17 |
| ASSET |
42 |
41 |
39 |
42 |
| PSAT |
17 |
17 |
NA |
21 |
| GED |
NA |
145 |
NA |
145 |
Health Information Technology Curriculum
The curriculum for the Health Information Management Technology degree program is designed for the semester system. A student may enter the program any semester. To graduate, degree-seeking students must earn a minimum of 66 semester credit hours. The program requires a minimum of 1185 contact hours and generally takes 6 semesters to complete.
Program Courses
General Education Core (15 Credits)
Area I – Language Arts/Communication (3 Credits)
Area II – Social/Behavioral Sciences (3 Credits)
Select one
Area III – Natural Sciences/Mathematics (3 Credits)
Select one
Area IV – Humanities/Fine Art (3 Credits)
Select one
Program-Specific Requirements (3 Credits)
Occupational Courses (51 Credits)
HIMT 1400: ICD Basic
HIMT 1410: ICD Advanced Coding
HIMT 2400: CPT/HCPCS Coding
NOTE: “C” or higher grade is required for all the above courses.
Program Costs
Tuition/Fees: $6,970
Books/Supplies: $2,000
Uniform Costs: $50
Liability Insurance: $10 per fiscal year
Certification Exam: AHIMA Member $229/Non-member $299
Physical Exam: $150
TB Test: $40
Hepatitis B Series: $265
Criminal Background Check: $39-$80
Drug Screening: $30
(Costs are estimates and are subject to change.)
Clinical Education
Number of Clinical Sites: 10
General Location of the Clinical Sites: Bulloch, Candler, Chatham, and Screven
Special Requirements of the Clinical Sites
- A medical exam stating that the student is in good health. This must include documentation of TB skin testing, all required immunizations, and including Hepatitis B. Students who refuse the Hepatitis B vaccination series must sign a declination form and be aware that clinical sites may refuse to accept them. Forms will be provided by the instructor;
- Facility Orientation;
- Criminal Background Check;
- Urine Drug Screen
Clinical Education Courses
The Health Information Management Technology practicum experience provides students an opportunity for in-depth application and reinforcement of principles and techniques in a health information department setting. The clinical practicum allows the student to be in a work situation at a professional level of technical application and requires observation, practice, and follow through.
The practicum requires that the student spend a minimum of 9 hours a week in a supervised work setting, for a total of 135 hours. Students may not receive pay from the clinical site for practicum hours. If the student misses more than 9 hours, he/she will automatically be dropped from the course. Students are evaluated by the clinical site preceptor and the course instructor.
Clinical Assignments
Clinical times may range 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Monday-Friday. However, some clinical sites may be scheduled to include shift work. Clinical sites are selected by the program coordinator. Students are responsible for having reliable transportation to the site.