Associate of Applied Science Degree

Health Information Technology

Associate of Applied Science Degree

Proposal

In Partnership with

ColumbiaStateCommunity College

Submitted to

South Central TN Workforce Board

February 2010

VolunteerStateCommunity College appreciates the opportunity to submit this proposal to the South Central TN Workforce Board for review and consideration.

VolunteerStateCommunity College(VSCC) will deliver the Health Information Technology Associate of Applied Science Degree Program at the GM at Spring Hill Northfield facility as described herein. VolunteerState will partner with ColumbiaStateCommunity College(CoSCC) for the delivery of specific courses as outlined in this proposal.

Proposal Contents

• Health Information Technology Program Associate of Applied Science Degree Description

• Program Start Date

• Admission Requirements

• Criteria for Acceptance into the HIT Program

• Selection and Notification

• Health Information Technology General Education Course Requirements

• Health Information Technology Major Core Course Requirements

• Sequence of Classes

• Minimum/Maximum Number of Participants

• Course Descriptions

• Orientation

• Tuition, Fees, Books and Materials Costs

• AdditionalStudent Costs

• Facilities, Equipment, Etc. Necessary to Accommodate Instruction

• Contact Information

• Attachments

Health Information Technology

Associate of Applied Science Degree Program

The Health Information Technology (HIT) program at Volunteer State Community College is specifically designed to prepare students for employment in the healthcare industry in maintaining health records in many kinds of agencies such as: hospitals, ambulatory healthcare facilities, industrial clinics, state and federal health agencies, skilled nursing facilities, group practice clinics, community health centers, student health centers, veterinary facilities, and other areas. The Health Information Technology program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM) in cooperation with the sponsoring professional association, the American Health Information Management Association.

Program Start Date

This two-year associate of applied science degree program is scheduled to begin Summer 2010 and culminate Spring 2012. ColumbiaStateCommunity College classes begin May 24. VolunteerStateCommunity College classes begin June 1.

The semester calendar for subsequent semesters will follow the established calendar for each institution.

Admission Requirements

To be considered a “Pre-HIT” student, the following criteria must be met:

1. Formal application must be submitted to both VolunteerStateCommunity College and ColumbiaStateCommunity College.
2. All high school transcripts, GED scores, and previous college transcripts must be submitted to Admissions at ColumbiaStateCommunity College and VolunteerStateCommunity College. Transcripts must be official. Copies will not be accepted.
3. New and returning students will be required to take the COMPASS or ASSET placement exam unless recent ACT/SAT scores are satisfactory. The placement exam is used to evaluate proficiency in reading, writing, and math.
4. Complete and submit the Health Information Technology Letter of Intent.

Note: ColumbiaStateCommunity College will provide all placement assessment and developmental coursework as necessary. It is expected that students would submit applications to ColumbiaState and complete any required placement testing by April 30, 2010. To be eligible, students must place at the Elementary Algebra level, Developmental Reading level, and Developmental Writing level, not below those levels. These developmental courses will be offered Summer 2010, as needed, based on placement or recent ACT/SAT scores. The developmental courses are listed below.

Criteria for Acceptance into the HIT Program:

1. Any required developmental courses must be successfully completed in order to be considered for admission into the Program.
2. Successful completion of the following courses with a grade of “C” or better:
3. HIT 115 – Introduction to Health Information Technology
4. CIS 109 – Computer Applications
5. BIOL 2010 – Human Anatomy & Physiology I
6. BIOL 2020 – Human Anatomy & Physiology II
7. OFA 240 – Medical Terminology
8. Submission of an official application to the Health Information Technology Program due no later than March 15, 2011.
9. Cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 or better.
10. Completion of an interview for screening purposes.

Preference is given to students who have completed all general education requirements including social science, fine arts, and English Composition I.

Selection and Notification

The selection process is scheduled once per year. The maximum class size is 24. Formal admission into the program is a competitive process. The Program adheres to the College’s equal opportunity policy.

The following weighted criteria are used to determine acceptance into the Program:

1. BIOL 2020 (Human Anatomy & Physiology II) grade
2. Number of successfully completed pre-HIT (required general education) courses for the Associate of Applied Science in Health Information Technology
3. Interview score
4. GPA of Pre-HIT (general education) courses
5. Strength of personal references

The HIT Admissions Committee will select each year’s class from the pool of applicants who meet minimum admission criteria. No applicant will be considered unless the minimum admission criteria are met. The student will be notified of acceptance in writing prior to the summer semester.

Formal acceptance will only be confirmed after the required background check* has been completed successfully. After formal acceptance into the program, three consecutive semesters of study are required for graduation.Students are expected to follow the established plan of study. Deviation from the established plan of study will require a longer period of time to complete the program.

* Background Checks

Prior to official acceptance into the HIT Program, all students are required to pay for background checks. There are certain convictions that will prevent an individual from being eligible to participate in clinical experiences and, as a result, not accepted into the Program. If a student does not have a clear background check, he/she will not be accepted into the Program.

The background check includes, but is not limited to, the following:

1. Name and Social Security Number verification
2. Seven-year multi-county or statewide felony and related misdemeanor criminal record search
3. Violent Sexual Offender and Predator Registry Search
4. Tennessee abuse registry maintained by the TN Department of Health pursuant to T.C.A. Section 68-11-1004
5. HHS/OIG list of excluded individuals/entities –
6. GSA list of parties excluded from federal programs
7. U.S. Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC)
8. List of Specially Designated Nationals (SDN)

Health Information Technology Program

General Education Course Requirements

Health Information Technology

Major Core Course Requirements

Sequence of Classes

A complete semester-by-semester sequence of classes with the delivery format identified is provided in Attachment A. Some of these courses are offered online or in a hybrid format requiring that students have access to the Internet. Specific days and times for on ground classes will be determined at a later date. Deviation from the proposed sequence could result in additional costs or savings.

Please note that the Professional Practice Experience will be scheduled on weekdays during the daytime hours due to clinical site availability.

Minimum/Maximum Number of Participants

The minimum number of participants as well as the maximum allowable enrollment is provided in Attachment A. If the minimum number of students is not realized in any semester, there may be an additional per student cost to deliver the program. In any case, the institutions will negotiate with the South Central TN Workforce Board to continue to provide the instruction for students in the cohort.

Course Descriptions

Course descriptions for all courses listed are provided in Attachment B.

Orientation

A mandatory orientation for students will be scheduled by VolunteerStateCommunity College and ColumbiaStateCommunity College prior to the start of classes. The date and time will be mutually agreed upon by all parties.

Tuition, Fees, Books and Materials Costs

A one-time, non-refundable application fee of $10 is required by ColumbiaStateCommunity College and by VolunteerStateCommunity College (total of $20 in application fees). The estimated cost of tuition, fees, books and materials is provided below for each institution.

* An assumption of a 5% rate increase has been used. The colleges, in conjunction with the Tennessee Board of Regents, reserve the right to add, delete or change tuition and fees. Actual charges for tuition and fees would be those in effect at the college at the time of course enrollment. As indicated, textbook estimates are based on Spring 2010 costs. The actual cost, however, could be higher.

AdditionalStudent Costs

Upon acceptance into the HIT Program, students are responsible for additional costs not covered by tuition and fees:

Facilities, Equipment, Etc. Necessary to Accommodate Instruction

The South Central TN Workforce Board will provide the following to accommodate the instructional needs of the HIT Program, specific classrooms, supplies and equipment, etc. are necessary for course delivery at the GM at Spring Hill Northfield facility. These include:

Contact Information

Proposal ContactsVolunteer State Community College

Hilary Marabeti

Assistant Vice President, Continuing Education

Phone: 615.230.3355

Email:

ColumbiaStateCommunity College

Joni Lenig

Associate Vice President, Faculty, Curriculum, & Programs

Phone: 931.540.2750

Email:

HITProgram ContactValerie Bowling

Director, Health Information Technology

Phone: 615.230.3337

Email:

Attachment A

VolunteerStateCommunity College

Health Information TechnologyAssociate of Applied Science Degree

For SouthCentral TNWorkforce Board

Proposed Sequence of Offerings

VolunteerStateCommunity College

And

ColumbiaStateCommunity College

VolunteerStateCommunity College = 42 credit hours

ColumbiaStateCommunity College = 23 credit hours + DSP (as needed)

Attachment B

VolunteerStateCommunity College

Health Information Technology Associate of Applied Science Degree Program

In Partnership With

ColumbiaStateCommunity College

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

Columbia State Community College will deliver the following courses, 23 credit hours, for the South Central TN Workforce Board in support of VolunteerState’s Health Information Technology Associate of Applied Science Degree Program. The developmental courses listed will be offered as needed, based on placement or ACT/SAT scores.

Course Descriptions:

BIOL 2010Human Anatomy & Physiology I4 credits

Fundamentals of cellular biology are introduced to the student in preparation for later emphasis on the human integumentary, skeletal, muscular, digestive, and respiratory systems. Lab/Lecture Hours:3 hrs. lecture, 2 hrs. lab.

BIOL 2020Human Anatomy & Physiology II4 credits

A study of the structure and function of the human excretory, reproductive, endocrine, circulatory, and nervous systems with final emphasis on the interrelationships of the various systems. Prerequisites: (Prerequisites: Successful completion of BIOL 2010.) Lab/Lecture Hours: 3 hrs. lecture, 2 hrs. lab.

CIS 109Computer Applications3 credits

This course provides hands-on experience using commercial software packages for business applications. Topics include microcomputer system components, operating systems, word processing, spreadsheets, and presentation software. Keyboarding skills are highly recommended.

ENGL 1010Composition I3 credits

Development of essays by various rhetorical patterns; reading and discussion of selected essays; introduction to basic research and documentation. Prerequisites: (Prerequisite: satisfactory ACT or placement test scores.)

OFA 240Medical Terminology3 credits

A study of the language of the allied health sciences and medicine with emphasis on body systems, prefixes, suffixes, root terms, pronunciation and spelling.

PHIL 2030Introduction to Ethics3 credits

This course is designed to introduce the student to various ethical theories and to show how they apply in both personal and social situations. Emphasis will also be placed on different types of professional problems involving ethical concerns.

SOC 201Introduction to Sociology3 credits

Sociology is the systematic study of human society. This introductory course will provide an assessment of how social forces, institutions, and inequality influence human interaction. Topics of study include: culture, crime, economy, government, media, family, religion, education, healthcare, race, ethnicity, poverty, and gender.

Developmental Studies Courses, As Necessary

DSPR 0800Developmental Reading (Institutional Credit)2 credits

Acourse which focuses on comprehension and vocabulary skills needed for general college reading and reading expository text. Major topics include vocabulary development, main idea and details, critical reading, flexible rate and strategies for organizing textbook information. Prerequisites: (Prerequisite: DSPR 0700 or entry assessment.) Lab/Lecture Hours:2 hrs. lecture, with additional individual and group conferences.

DSPW 0800Developmental Writing (Institutional Credit)2 credits

Focuses on writing competencies necessary for successfully completing Composition I. Topics include conceiving ideas, organizing, proofreading, revising, rewriting, and determining the most effective writing style for different readers and purposes. Microsoft Word is utilized for some word processing. Upon earning a grade of “C” or better, the student advances to college-level English courses. Prerequisites: (Prerequisite: DSPW 0700 or entry assessment.)

DSPM 0800Elementary Algebra (Institutional Credit)3 credits

Topics for instruction include integers, algebraic operations, linear equations, inequalities, functions, graphing techniques, and systems of equations. Methods for solving real-world applications are integrated throughout the course content. Upon earning a grade of “C” or better, the student advances to Intermediate Algebra, DSPM 0850. Prerequisites: (Prerequisite: DSPM 0700 or entry assessment.)