Burlington County College
HEALTH INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
 

GENERAL EDUCATION

ENG101:  College Composition I (3)

This course is designed to help students develop skills in expository writing.  Emphasis is placed on the writing process, organization, methods of development, and diction.  A research essay using the MLA documentation format is required.

Prerequisite:  Successful completion of ENG075 or assessment

ENG102:  College Composition II (3)

This composition course is based on reading, analyzing and discussing literature.  Emphasis will be on reading skills, the expression of insights in writing and the pleasure of the literacy experience.

Prerequisite:  ENG101

PSY101:  General Psychology I (3)

This course is designed to provide a general understanding and application of the basic principles of psychology.  Topics will include history of psychology, scientific methods as employed by psychology, physiological basis of behavior, maturation, development, principles of learning, thinking and communication, perception, memory and creativity.

Prerequisite:  none

PSY102:  General Psychology II (3)

This course is offered to the student who anticipates majoring in liberal arts, education, or social sciences at a four-year institution.  It concentrates on helping the student achieve insight into human behavior using both personal and group studies.  Topics will include:  motivation, human sexuality, emotion and cognitive control, personality theory and assessment, abnormal behavior, psychotherapy, and social psychology.

Prerequisite:  PSY101 or permission

MTH107:  Introduction to Statistics (3)

This is a first course in basic statistical concepts. Topics include frequency distributions of empirical data, calculations of descriptive statistics, probability distributions, confidence intervals, hypothesis testing, chi square, regression and correlation.  Students may receive credit for either MTH107 or MTH143, but not credit for both courses.

Prerequisite:  MTH075 or equivalent skills

BIO110:  Fundamentals of Anatomy and Physiology (lecture) (3)

This course includes discussion of the skeletal system, muscular system, integument system, nervous system, and cell physiology studies.

Prerequisite:  High School science recommended

BIO111:  Fundamentals of Anatomy and Physiology (lab) (1)

This laboratory course provides laboratory experiences that apply to the topics and concepts covered in the Fundamentals of Anatomy and Physiology I lecture.  All dissections are performed via computer animation.

Prerequisite or Corequisite:  BIO110

CIS118:  Introduction to PC's with Windows (3)

The components and features of microcomputers are examined in this introductory course.  Students learn the concepts and applications of popular microcomputer software running under the graphical user interface Microsoft Windows including word processing, electronic spreadsheets, and data management.

Prerequisite:  CIS101
 

PROGRAM COURSES

BIO114:  Fundamentals of Anatomy and Physiology II (lecture) (3)

This course is a continuation of BIO110 and includes the circulatory system, respiratory system, urinary system, digestive system and reproductive system.

Prerequisite:  BIO110

BIO115:  Fundamentals of Anatomy and Physiology II (lab) (1)

This laboratory course provides laboratory experiences that apply to the topics and concepts covered in the Fundamentals of Anatomy and Physiology II lecture.  All dissections are performed via computer animation.

Prerequisite or corequisite:  BIO114

CIS132: MS Access Techniques and Programming (3)

This course is for students with some prior knowledge of Windows and data base management programs such as MS Access.  Topics covered include:  a review of basic Access operations, relational data base concepts and operations, complex query design, custom form and report design, macros and modules, integrating Access with other Windows applications and introduction to Visual Basic.  This course will cover specific techniques as well as concepts in data base design, data base programming and typical data base applications.

Prerequisite:  CIS118

HIT101:  Introduction to Health Information (4)

This course provides an overview of the organization of health care in the United States. It addresses the structure of health care organizations; accrediting and governmental bodies that provide standards for the provision of health care to include the current flow of the acute care medical record. HIT-101 includes an introduction to the allied health professions and the organizational structure of the medical staff and its composite members. Students will be provided an overview of payer organizations including, but not limited to, managed care and capitation. Finally, the health information management profession, the historical development, current structure and career applications, as well as the projected future roles will be explored. Students will be introduced to the library and to the development of research skills.

Prerequisite:  Acceptance into the HIT program.

HIT103:  Legal Aspects of Health Information (3)

This course introduces the legal aspects of the health record, health information and the health information department.  Implications of legal aspects for the health information practitioner are discussed.  It provides an in-depth study of the confidentiality of health information as well as standards, regulations and laws that govern release of information.  Students receive instruction regarding monitoring and implementing legislative changes.  Liability issues are addressed.  The risk management function is covered in this course.

Corequisite:  HIT101

HIT105:  Medical Terminology (2)

This course is the study of medical terminology, the language of medicine, focusing on prefixes, suffixes, word roots and their combining forms by review of each body system and specialty area.  Also included is word construction, spelling, usage, comprehension and pronunciation.  In addition to the terminology, students are provided with information regarding anatomy and physiology, symptomatology, pathology, diagnostic/surgical procedures and pharmacology.  Medical abbreviations are included.

Prerequisite:  None

HIT107:  Health Information in Nonacute Care (3)

This course will include thorough discussion of the different types of nonacute care facilities.  National and state accrediting, licensing and certifying standards regarding documentation and management of health information in the nonacute patient medical record will be discussed.  Course content will include development, content and management of health information in the nonacute setting.  Students will be developing policy and procedures and performing qualitative/quantitative analysis on medical records.  Release of information, record management, storage & retention, indexes and registers and other basic functions of the Information management Technologist in the nonacute care facility will be included.  Term paper completion will be facilitated by an off site visit of a nonacute care facility.

Prerequisite:  HIT103

HIT110:  Clinical I (2)

This course provides supervised professional practice experience in the acute care setting. Emphasis is placed on practical application of theory and concepts learned in HIT 101 and 103.  Students are responsible for completing clinical objectives specific to the health information management department, the medical staff and to other departments within the facility that work closely with the health information management department.

Prerequisite:  HIT101; HIT103

HIT115:  Pathology (3)

This course introduces students to the mechanisms of disease and disease's effect on the human body. The disease process, basic concepts and terminology are presented.  This course also includes an examination of the most common diseases of each body system, with normal anatomy and physiology compared to pathologic anatomy and physiologic malfunctioning due to the disease process.  Diagnostic methods, management, treatment modalities and prognosis are discussed.

Prerequisite:  HIT105
Prerequisite or Corequisite:  BIO114 & BIO115

HIT116:  Pharmacology in Allied Health (2)

This course provides the learner with a framework of thinking for healthcare professionals, laying a foundation of knowledge about drug treatment.  A general understanding of the actions and reasons for use of various groups of pharmacologic agents is introduced.  Medications are discussed according to major drug classifications and body systems.  Critical thinking is developed through the use of relevant case studies and actual chart analysis.

Prerequisite:  HIT115; BIO 110/111, BIO114/115, HIT105

HIT200:  ICD-9-CM Coding  (4)

This course is an introduction to nomenclatures and classification used in healthcare today.  DRG’s and the prospective payment system for reimbursement will be discussed.  Coding principles, conventions, clinical and technical guidelines, maintenance and referencing resources will be presented.  Students will apply knowledge of clinical pharmacology to coding cases.  The primary focus will be the International Classification of Diseases 9th Edition, Clinical Modification.  The course will address the review of medical records to identify diagnoses treated, procedures performed and correct sequencing for optimal reimbursement.  Computerized grouping system (Encoder) will be used.

Prerequisite:  HIT115, CIS118

HIT201:  Healthcare Statistics and Quality Improvement

Sources and uses of health data are discussed including health data collection through manual and automated systems, data retrieval, analysis and display.  Students will become familiar with and able to define and compute healthcare statistics.  Vital statistics and reportable diseases and conditions are included.  Quality assessment and improvement (QA&I) standards and requirements of accrediting, licensing, fiscal and other regulatory agencies will be presented.  This course will include a detailed review of healthcare reimbursement issues such as prospective payment methodologies, healthcare insurers and contracts, case-mix, and patient billing.  The use of coding & classifications systems in the study of healthcare quality and finance will be explored.

Prerequisite:  MTH107, HIT101

HIT204:  Management and Personnel (3)

This course present the HIT student with information regarding management and personnel skills necessary for entry level employment at the supervisory level.  Basic management functions of planning, organizing, directing and controlling are presented, using examples and situations specific to health information technology, personnel skills such as communication, motivation, and responsibilities such as job analysis, recruitment, discipline and federal/state laws regarding personnel management are discussed.

Prerequisite:  HIT107
Prerequisite or Corequisite:  HIT110

HIT205:  CPT-4 Coding (3)

Classification and nomenclature systems not addressed in HIT 200 are presented; CPT-4, DSM-IV, ICD-O.  Students are introduced to Physicians' Current Procedural Terminology, Fourth Edition with emphasis on evaluation and management, modifiers, and surgical procedure coding guidelines.  Students are presented with referencing resources specific to current conventional and federally administered CPT-4 coding guidelines.  Tumor and trauma registries are discussed.  Computerized classification system will be used and evaluated.

Prerequisite:  HIT200

HIT208:  Reimbursement Methodologies

The course is designed to give students exposure to Third Party Payer and Compliance issues Correct Coding Policy, RBRVS, and APC systems for reimbursement and other topics related to healthcare billing.  Students will learn how to conduct a review of billing practices for accuracy and compliance to established guidelines.

Prerequisite:  HIT201, HIT206, HIT207

HIT212:  Clinical II (2)

This course provides supervised professional practice experience in acute and non-acute settings.  Course objectives in the acute care setting are at the advanced level.  Practice objectives are designed to focus the student on management oriented activities, fostering development of observational skills, independent function, problem analysis and solution, as well as integration of a range of technical knowledge and skills previously acquired in didactic course.  In addition, students will have clinical practice in the non-acute (direct and non-direct care) settings as well.  This experience will provide the student with an opportunity to compare and contrast fundamental information management practices of alternative sites.

Prerequisite:  HIT110, HIT200, HIT204

HIT214:  MIS Applications in HIT (2)

This course is an intensive study of medical information systems.  Students acquire an understanding of health information systems and the application of those systems in the health care environment.  The final goal of a computer-based patient record will be targeted as the students investigate options via the internet.  Students will perform a needs assessment and propose selection of a system to meet those needs.  A plan to implement the selected system will be developed and managed as a component of a group project.  Security and confidentiality of information stored in the computer-based patient record will be addressed, as well as the logistics of monitoring and utilizing the information.

Prerequisites:  CIS111, CIS118, HIT204

HIT216:  Cancer Registry Principle & Practice (3)

An introduction to the field of cancer registries, their organization and management.  Including legal and ethical aspects of cancer data, regulation organization and agencies requirements, case ascertainment, standards for data collection and management, coding of neoplasms, staging, treatment, abstracting, follow-up, quality control, statistics and epidemiology, reporting and utilization of data.

Prerequisites:  Acceptance into program & successful completion of HIT115, 201, and HIT204.

HIT217:  Cancer Registry Coding and Staging I (3)

The principles of cancer registry case finding and abstracting are reviewed.  Cancer staging and coding will be reviewed in detail.  Students will learn on a site-by- site basis the coding, abstracting, and staging of neoplasms using the ICD-0-3 manual, AJCC Staging Manual, SEER Summary Staging Manual, and Collaborative Stage Manual.  Students will be given scenarios to learn the general principles of coding and staging.  This course is the first part of a two-part course.

Prerequisites:  HIT216, HIT215

HIT222:  Cancer Registry Coding and Staging II (3)

Continuation of HIT217 Coding and Staging I.  It is designed to expand student competencies in cancer abstracting, coding and staging with emphasis on the practical applications of each.  Students will apply what they learned in HIT 217 and learn to abstract from actual charts.  Physician guest speakers on the current standards of care for treatment of breast, prostate, lung, colorectal, lymphoma, and central nervous system cancers.  Students will also receive an in depth look at the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer Standards for approval and the New Jersey State Cancer Registry requirements.  Students will also learn how to generate sample reports that may be requested in the registry.

Prerequisite:  HIT217
Corequisite:  HIT223

HIT223:  Cancer Registry Clinical Practice (3)

This course will provide supervised clinical learning experiences in local health care facilities.  Emphasis will be placed on practical application of theory and concepts learned in HIT216 and HIT217.  Students will be responsible for completing clinical objectives specific to Cancer Registry organization and operation under supervision of a Certified Tumor Registrar (CTR).

Prerequisite:  HIT217
Corequisite:  HIT222

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