Skip to Content

2024 - 2025 Catalog Year
Health Information Management Technician (Part-time)

Degree: One-year Technical Certificate
Division: Health Sciences

This Sample Program Pathway is designed to provide an example of course selections in a term by term sequence. Please see an Academic Advisor for a plan specific to your academic needs.

Fall Semester (First Year)
Hours
 

Description: Basic prefixes, roots and suffixes; terminology including anatomic, diagnostic, symptomatic, procedural, eponymic terms and standard abbreviations required for a working knowledge and understanding of the language of medicine.

Description: The first course in a two-semester sequence studying the structure and function of the human body. Topics include introductory terminology, biochemistry, cytology, the integumentary system, the skeletal system, the muscular system, the nervous system and the endocrine system. Two classroom, two lab hours per week.

Prerequisites: MAT 0050 or MAT 1120 or MAT 1130

 

Term hours subtotal:

8

Spring Semester (First Year)
Hours
 

Description: Foundations of health information management, the Health Information Management profession, including health care systems and organization of HIM functions, data quality, access and retention, patient and healthcare data and data collection methodologies. Discussion of classification systems, clinical vocabularies and nomenclatures. Two classroom, two lab hours per week.

Notes: Fall and Spring Only

Prerequisites: HIM 1101

Description: Introduction to principles, guidelines and conventions for assigning ICD-10-CM diagnostic codes and CPT procedure codes to patient encounters for physician services. Additional out-of-class assignments are required.

Prerequisites: HIM 1101 and BIO 1121

Description: The second course in a two-semester sequence studying the structure and function of the human body. Topics include the cardiovascular system, the lymphoid system, immunity, the digestive system, the urinary system and the reproductive system. Two classroom, two lab hours per week.

Prerequisites: BIO 1121

 

Term hours subtotal:

10

Summer Semester (First Year)
Important message signified by
Hours
 

Description: An in-depth look at the use of information systems technology in the health care delivery system. Includes information security, electronic clinical systems and health records. Two classroom, two lab hours per week.

Notes: Spring and Summer Only

Prerequisites: HIM 1110

Description: Planning, organizing, staffing, budgeting and analysis of management systems along with job standards and performance evaluations emphasizing development of supervisory management, leadership and communication skills. Two classroom, two lab hours per week.

Notes: Spring and Summer Only

Prerequisites: HIM 1110 and BIS 1221

 

Term hours subtotal:

6

Fall Semester (Second Year)
Hours
 

Description: An overview of the major drug classifications, common drugs in each class, conditions for which drugs are administered and their general effects to assist medical coders in analyzing health care documentation for coding and reimbursement applications.

Prerequisites: HIM 1101 and BIO 1107 or BIO 1121 or BIO 1141

Description: Evaluation of health care records as legal documents; special emphasis on policies and procedures concerning release of medical information and protecting patient confidentiality; principles and organization of the judicial system; health care fraud and abuse and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) regulations. Ethical issues in health care settings addressed. One classroom, two lab hours per week.

Notes: Fall and Spring Only

Description: Organization of health care delivery system including managed care and capitation. Theory and use of reimbursement systems such as Diagnostic Related Groups, Ambulatory Payment Classifications, Resource-based Relative Value Scale. Discussion of data flow from admission to billing and analysis of casemix. In addition, other external forces, such as Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act and Recovery Audit Contractors, will be discussed. Two classroom, two lab hours per week.

Notes: Fall Only

Prerequisites: HIM 1110 and HIM 1201

 

Term hours subtotal:

6

This information is for planning purposes only. Sinclair College will make every effort to offer curriculum listed above but reserves the right to change, add and cancel curriculum offerings for unforeseen circumstances. View current catalog.