Distance Learning

Programs & Advising Pathways

Associate - Associate of Science in Health Information Technology

Degree At A Glance:

Number of Credits 70 - 71
Cost Per Credit $ 118
Total Tuition $ 8,260 - 8,378

Print Degree for Associate - Associate of Science in Health Information Technology

Health Information Technology

Are you searching for the formula to success? Consider combining these ingredients for a career with tremendous potential-healthcare and information technology.

The Health Information Management (HIM) field places you right where the expanding arena of healthcare meets the cutting edge of technology. As an HIM professional, you are the expert on patient data that doctors, nurses, and other providers rely on to perform their jobs. By maintaining, collecting, and analyzing health information, your work makes an important contribution to the delivery of quality care.

HIM professionals are highly trained in the latest information management technology applications and understand the workflow in any healthcare provider organization from large hospital systems to the private physician practice. They are vital to the daily operations management of health information and electronic health records (EHRs). They ensure a patient’s health information and records are complete, accurate, and protected.

Based on your skills, education, and interests, positions that may be available to you are:

  • Medical Staff Services
  • Supervisor
  • Health Data Analyst
  • Quality Improvement Analyst
  • Insurance Claims Analyst
  • Records Technician
  • Clinical Coding Specialist
  • Physician Practice Manager
  • Patient Information Coordinator
  • Medical Paralegal

Registered Health Information Technicians are employed by hospitals, clinics, health maintenance organizations, insurance companies, law firms, physicians, mental healthcare facilities, health data organizations, nursing homes, consulting firms, and information system vendors.

Graduates of Albany State University’s Health Information Technology Program are eligible to write the national certification examination given by the American Health Information Management Association to become Registered Health Information Technicians.

The Health Information Technology Program at Albany State University is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education in association with the American Health Information Management Association.

Please Note:

The courses to be completed for the degree will vary based on the student’s preferred area of study which is referred to as the “pathway” for the career program of choice.

All career programs have a selective admissions process. This means that a seat in any program is awarded only to the top applicants. Simply meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission to a program.

Upon admission to the institution, you will be given a dual major. The primary major will be listed as an Associate of Science in the Health Science Advising Pathway and the secondary major will be the career program of choice.  You will then begin working on any pre-requisites required for your career program of choice and when complete, you will then submit an application to the career program director you have chosen in hopes for a seat in that particular program.

If you are selected, we will drop the dual major and the Associate of Science in the Health Science Advising Pathway will be removed. You will then be a major in the program for which you were accepted.  If you are not selected, you will have some options to consider such as:

  • You can still continue with the Associate of Science in the Health Science Advising Pathway. This is an Associate Degree in core curriculum and allows you to continue your education and pursue a Bachelor Degree
  • You can change your major to a Bachelor Degree in Organizational Leadership with a concentration in Health Care Management – this is a fully online program.  Depending on your previous education and/or experience this will help you prepare for a career as a health administrator through the study of leadership issues specific to the healthcare industry. Health administrators may find employment in various areas including hospitals, long term care facilities, medical practices, outpatient centers, government agencies, insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies, and many more
  • You can apply for your program of choice during the next round of applications for that career program
  • Depending on the pre-requisites, you might be eligible to apply to another career program if you are interested in another career program

 

Program Code: 0370

Program Contact Information
Program Advisor Misty Neal   (229) 500-2244
Online Specialist Distance Learning Schedule Now with Distance Learning 229-500-2907

Albany State University recommends the following course track for transfer students.
If you would like to use a different track, please contact your Online Support Specialist.

Pre-Requisites Required for Completion before student can submit application for program: ENGL 1101 BIOL 2411k BIOL 2412k ALHE 1120 BUSA 2101

Course Listing for Pre-Requisites and
Course Title Credits
ALHE 1120 Medical Terminology 2 hours
BIOL 2411K Human Anatomy and Physiology I 4 hours
BIOL 2412K Human Anatomy and Physiology II 4 hours
BUSA 2101 Survey of Computer Applications 3 hours
ENGL 1101 English Composition I 3 hours

MATH 1111, POLS 1101 and COMM 1000

Course Listing for Other Required Core (can be taken BEFORE or while IN Program)
Course Title Credits
COMM 1000 Cultural Diversity in Communication 2 hours
MATH 1111 College Algebra 3 hours
POLS 1101 American Government 3 hours

Must take: HITE 2100, HITE 2400, HITE 2137 and PSYC 1101

Course Listing for First Year - Fall Semester
Course Title Credits
HITE 2100 Health Record Content and Structure 3 hours
HITE 2137 Fundamentals of Health Information Management 3 hours
HITE 2400 Pathophysiology & Pharmacology 3 hours
PSYC 1101 General Psychology 3 hours

Select ACCT 2101, HITE 2150, HITE 2250 and ARTS 1100 or MUSC 1100

Course Listing for First Year - Spring Semester
Course Title Credits
ACCT 2101 Principles of Accounting I 3 hours
ARTS 1100 Art Appreciation 3 hours
HITE 2150 Coding I 3 hours
HITE 2250 Legal and Ethical Issues in Health Information 2 hours
MUSC 1100 Music Appreciation 3 hours

Must Select HITE 2110, HITE 2160, HITE 2200 and HITE 2600

Course Listing for First Year - Summer Semester
Course Title Credits
HITE 2110 Organization and Supervision in Health Information Management 2 hours
HITE 2160 Coding II 2 hours
HITE 2200 Healthcare Statistics 2 hours
HITE 2600 Professional Practice I 2 hours

Must Select: HITE 2170, HITE 2500, HITE 2550, HITE 2610 and HITE 2650

Course Listing for Second Year - Fall Semester
Course Title Credits
HITE 2170 Advance Coding and Reimbursement 4 hours
HITE 2500 Health Information System Applications 3 hours
HITE 2550 Quality Assessment 3 hours
HITE 2610 Professional Practice II 2 hours
HITE 2650 Seminar on Health Information Technology 1 hours

Depending on your enrollment status you may be required to take ASU 1101 (1 credit hour) ASU 1101 is required for first-time college students or transfer students bringing in less than 12 transfer credit hours.

Course Listing for Institutional Requirements
Course Title Credits
ASU 1101 First Year Experience/Pathway to Success 1 hours

The following program details are intended to help you make an informed decision about the college that’s right for you.

Table of Completion Rates
Tuition and Fees Information Table
Tuition & Fees as of July 30, 2018
Tuition $8,260-8,378
Institutional Fee $225 / per semester
Technology Fee $65 / per semester

For more information on jobs related to this program, please click on the below links to the O*NET website sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.

Table of related jobs to this degree/program
11-9111.00 Medical and Health Services Managers
29-2071.00 Medical Records and Health Information Technicians
29-9012.00 Occupational Health and Safety Technicians

This program is designed to prepare graduates to pursue a job in this field or related fields. Although career and professional development services are available to students and graduates, finding a job is the individual responsibility of the student. We do not guarantee that any student will be placed in any particular job, or at all.

Total Credits (70 - 71 Hours)