This is a Limited Admission Program
Mission Statement
The mission of the Health Information Technology (HIT) Program at Florida SouthWestern State College is to prepare students with the skills, knowledge, and qualities needed to fill the diverse roles in the health information management field and to develop the attitudes and principles which will encourage continuing growth in the Health Information Profession.
Program Overview
The Associate in Science Health Information Technology (HIT) degree will give students the skills and knowledge to perform health information management duties in multiple healthcare settings. Graduates are prepared to enter the workforce as health information professionals and to become credentialed as Registered Health Information Technicians (RHIT) after successful completion of the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) national certification exam. Health information professionals, a STEM profession, play a critical role in collecting, analyzing, and protecting the data that doctors, nurses, and other health care professionals rely on to deliver quality health care. Health information professionals are the connection between clinical care, business, and information systems within a healthcare organization.
Program Goals:
To prepare graduates who are proficient in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) entry-to-practice competencies of a Health Data and Information Management professional.
Program Student Learning Outcomes (PLOs) Students will:
- Compile, validate, and analyze data to support patient care outcomes and organizational health care initiatives.
- Plan and implement health information technologies, standards, and policies to ensure appropriate governance of health data and information.
- Evaluate diagnostic and procedural codes as outlined by the official guidelines in conjunction with the appropriate regulatory requirements and reimbursement systems.
- Assess legal policies and procedures to address regulatory compliance with health data and information management.
- Determine the impact of regulatory policy on healthcare for individuals, communities, and populations.
- Protect the access, use, and disclosure of health information within the scope of regulatory compliance.
- Monitor and audit for trends and report on issues related to quality, risk management, and patient safety.
- Practice organizational management and leadership skills while being a team member, supporter, and problem solver.
- Demonstrate professional and ethical values consistent with the current health information profession standards of practice.
Accreditation
The Florida SouthWestern State College Health Information Technology Program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM). The College’s accreditation for the Associate of Science degree in Health Information Technology has been reaffirmed through 3032. All inquiries about the program’s accreditation status should be directed by mail to CAHIIM, 200 East Randolph Street, Suite 5100, Chicago, IL, 60601; by phone at (312) 235-2355; or by email at info@cahiim.org.
CAHIIM is the accrediting organization for degree-granting programs in health information management, health informatics, and health sciences as well as various healthcare certificates. CAHIIM serves the public interest by establishing effective and consistent quality standards for the monitoring of academic degree programs. Being a CAHIIM-accredited program means that the program has voluntarily undergone a rigorous review process and has been determined to meet or exceed the accreditation standards.
Program Outcomes 2022 - 2023
The following information represents Program Outcomes as they pertain to graduation rate, gainful employment in the field of Health Information Management, and student retention rate:
RHIT Exam First-Time Pass Rate: 86% (National 80%) Graduation Rate: 100% Employment Rate: 50% (6 months post-graduation) Student Retention Rate: 72%
Professional Associations:
Program Application Deadline
Applications will be accepted continually throughout the year for a Fall or Spring semester start. (Please see the Official Academic Calendar for Admission and Registration Deadlines)
Program Admission Information
Admission to the Health Information Technology, AS program is selective and based on the following criteria.
To be considered for acceptance, students must:
- Be admitted to FSW.
- Be 18 years of age or older.
- Cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher for all college credit.
- Complete the Health Information Technology, AS program application.
- Complete and pass a college-approved criminal background check and drug testing at the applicant’s expense.
Upon acceptance into the program, students must meet with the School of Allied Health student advisor before enrolling in classes.
After acceptance to the program and before enrollment in the internship courses (HIM 2814C and HIM 2940), students must provide the following:
- Provide a current (within 12 months) college-approved criminal background check and urine drug testing at the applicant’s expense.
- Provide documentation of a health physical and functional evaluation from a healthcare provider including all required immunizations.
- Provide evidence of tuberculosis (TB) screening.
- Provide proof of personal health insurance.
- Provide evidence of current Basic Life Support Provider Certification (CPR and AED).
Embedded Certificate
The four-semester Medical Information Coder/Biller Certificate incorporates selected courses from the Health Information Technology, AS degree program. Students will be awarded the Medical Information Coder/Biller Certificate upon completing the required coursework while continuing their studies in the Health Information Technology, AS Degree.
Certifications/Stackable Professional Credentials
Graduates of the Health Information Technology, AS degree program are eligible to take the following certification exams:
Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) is offered by the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA). Learn more about the RHIT certification at https://www.ahima.org/certification-careers/certification-exams/rhit/.
Certified Coding Associate (CCA) is offered by the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA). Learn more about the CCA certification at https://www.ahima.org/certification-careers/certification-exams/cca/.
Certified Coding Specialist (CCS) is offered by the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA). Learn more about the CCS certification at https://www.ahima.org/certification-careers/certification-exams/ccs/.
Certified Coding Specialist – Physician (CCS-P) is offered by the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA). Learn more about the CCS certification at https://www.ahima.org/certification-careers/certification-exams/ccs-p/.
Certified Professional Coder (CPC) is offered by AAPC. Learn more about the CPC certification at https://www.aapc.com/certifications/cpc, and AAPC at https://www.aapc.com/.
Other Occupations/Job Titles:
HIM Manager Coding Supervisor Clinical Data Manager Insurance Claims Specialist Medical Coding Specialist EHR Support Specialist Release of Information Specialist Medical Office Manager Health Informatics Specialist Health Data Analyst
Curriculum Sequence, Health Information Technology, AS - 70 Credits
This program is a planned sequence of instruction consisting of 70 credit hours that includes 20 credit hours of General Education Requirements and 50 credit hours of Health Information Technology (HIT) Program Requirements. The program can be completed in 5 semesters by college-ready students (i.e., completed all developmental coursework). Students should progress through the HIT program as a cohort and courses must be taken in sequence which includes a summer semester. Withdrawing from a course will result in a delay in the completion of the program. HIT courses are only offered one time per academic year.
| FALL SEMESTER 1 - 14 Credit | |
|---|---|
| ENC 1101 Composition I | 3 credits |
| BSC 1085C Anatomy and Physiology I | 4 credits |
| HSC 1531 Medical Terminology | 3 credits |
| HIM 1140 Essentials of Pharmacology | 2 credits |
| HIM 1430 Principles of Diseases | 2 credits |
| SPRING SEMESTER 2 - 15 Credit | |
|---|---|
| BSC 1086C Anatomy and Physiology II | 4 credits |
| CGS 1100 Computer Applications for Business | 3 credits |
| HIM 1000 Introduction to Health Information Management | 3 credits |
| HIM 1800C Health Information Simulation | 2 credits |
| HIM 2724 Basic ICD-10 Coding | 3 credits |
| SUMMER SEMESTER 3 - 11 Credit | |
|---|---|
| Mathematics Core General Education Course (MGF 1130 or STA 2023) | 3 credits |
| HIM 2279 Medical Insurance and Billing | 3 credits |
| HIM 2253 Basic CPT Coding | 3 credits |
| HIM 2723 Inpatient Procedural Coding | 2 credits |
| FALL SEMESTER 4 - 15 Credit | |
|---|---|
| HIM 2012 Healthcare Law | 3 credits |
| HIM 2210 Healthcare Information Systems | 3 credits |
| HIM 2510 Quality Management in Healthcare | 3 credits |
| HIM 2729 Advanced Coding and Reimbursement | 3 credits |
| HIM 2814C Coding Office Experience | 3 credits |
| SPRING SEMESTER 5 - 15 Credit | |
|---|---|
| Humanities Core General Education Course (HUM 2020 or PHI 2010) | 3 credits |
| Social Science Core General Education Course (AMH 2020 or POS 2041) | 3 credits |
| HIM 2215 Healthcare Statistics and Data Analytics | 3 credits |
| HIM 2512 Management Foundations in Healthcare | 3 credits |
| HIM 2940 Health Information Technology Capstone Experience | 3 credits |
Internship Requirements
The HIT program includes three (3) professional practice virtual lab simulation and/or in-person experience (internship) courses. The HIM 1800C Health Information Simulation course will provide a virtual lab simulation of a real-world work environment in which students will experience the use of an electronic health record.
The HIM 2814C Coding Office Experience course will provide a virtual lab simulation of a real-world medical coding work environment. Students will also complete a total of 30 hours of professional practice experience in a healthcare setting. Students are responsible for transportation to and from the clinical sites.
The HIM 2940 Health Information Technology Capstone Experience course will provide a real-world environment in which to integrate the knowledge, theory, skills, and behaviors of a Health Information professional. Students will complete a total of 40 hours of professional practice experience in a healthcare setting. Students are responsible for transportation to and from the clinical sites.
- Student assignment to facilities or lab simulation is made by the Health Information Technology Faculty and is based upon site availability.
- Facilities may be selected from within the Southwest Florida region which includes Lee, Collier, Charlotte, DeSoto, Hendry, Glades, and Sarasota Counties.
- Clinical sites are usually open during normal business hours (8 a.m. – 5 p.m.), and they are usually closed evenings and weekends. Students are expected to be at their clinical sites Monday through Friday during normal business hours.
- As part of this program, the student cannot receive compensation from the clinical site.
Course Prerequisites
Many courses require prerequisites. Check the description of each course in the list below for prerequisites, minimum grade requirements, and other restrictions. Students must complete all prerequisites for a course before registering for a course.
Graduation Requirements
Students must fulfill all requirements of their program to be eligible for graduation. All courses within the HIT Program must be passed with a grade of “C” or higher.
Articulation
The next logical step in the education advancement pathway would be to articulate into a bachelor’s of science completion program. For more information, contact the School of Allied Health Student Advisor.
In addition, courses from this program may transfer to other colleges and universities that allow students to transfer into a four-year program. For more information, contact the college or university to which you wish to transfer.
Career Information
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, "Employment of health information technicians is projected to grow 16 percent from 2023 to 2033, much faster than the average for all occupations." The demand for health services is expected to increase as the population ages and will lead to an increased need for health information specialists to update clinical registries, abstract relevant details, and convert data into meaningful information. Healthcare organizations will continue to rely on these professionals for insight into improving the quality of care and controlling costs. Current occupational and wage data for Health Information Technicians/Registrars are published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Health Information Technologists and Medical Registrars, at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/health-information-technologists-and-medical-registrars.htm (visited January 02, 2025).
Upon completion of coursework, Florida SouthWestern State College does not guarantee employment or salary in a given field of study. Any jobs or salaries mentioned are given as examples of potential employment not a representation of guaranteed income. Graduates may need to seek employment outside the local area.
Downloads and Links
Program Contact Information
For any additional program information, email us at alliedhealth@fsw.edu
Susan L. Foster, EdD, MBA, RHIA, CHPS, CHC, CHPC, CIPP/US, CC, FAHIMA Program Director Email: susan.foster@fsw.edu Phone: (239) 489-9403
Alexis Augustenborg Advisor Email: Alexis.Augustenborg@fsw.edu Phone: (239) 432-7358