Degree Plans

Health Information Technology, Associate of Applied Science


  • Academic Year: 2019-2020
  • Division / Department: Business Programs / Health Information Technology
  • Degree Code: HITE.AAS
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Accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM) 200 East Randolph St.,Suite 5100, Chicago, IL 60601), www.cahiim.org, 312-235-3255.

The Health Information Technology program is a two-year associate degree program. A student completing the program will sit for the national qualifying examination for certification as a Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT). If developmental courses are needed for Texas Success Initiative requirements, such courses must be completed before entry into the program. In addition, applicants are encouraged to complete support courses, such as Anatomy and Physiology and Medical Terminology, early on since new classes begin each fall semester and courses should be taken sequentially for progression in the program.

The Health Information Technology Program is designed to prepare the graduate to perform technical duties vital to the health-care industry. The health information technician is responsible for the compilation, inspection, preservation and appropriate disclosure of patient information for patients, health care institutions and the public. Typical job functions include health data collection, analysis, monitoring, maintenance, retrieval and reporting of quality health information. In addition, health information technicians are responsible for maintaining and submitting patient data used for reimbursement, quality of care studies, research and the compilation of statistics for health care organizations. Supervising day-to-day operations of a health information department and sustaining the flow of health information within the organization also encompass roles of the health information technician.

Numerous career opportunities exist for the profession, such as employment in hospitals, physician clinics, insurance companies, governmental agencies, pharmaceutical companies, mental health, long-term care and an array of other health-related agencies.

A student has five years to complete requirements for the Associate of Applied Science degree in Health Information Technology after official enrollment into the program. Contact the program director for more information.

NOTE: This degree is available completely online and includes a required clinical/practicum experience. Ask your advisor or visit www.mclennan.edu\online for more details.

Marketable Skills

1. Evaluate the revenue cycle management processes.

2. Determine accuracy of computer assisted coding assignment and recommend corrective action.

3. Develop appropriate physician queries to resolve data and coding discrepancies. 4. Interpret compliance with local, state, and federal labor regulations.

5. Comply with ethical standards of practice.

6. Evaluate the consequences of a breach of healthcare ethics.

7. Assess how cultural issues affect health, healthcare quality, cost, and HIM.

8. Create programs and policies that support a culture of diversity.

Semester I

BIOL 2401 Anatomy & Physiology I 4 hours
HITT 1301 Health Data Content & Structure 3 hours
HITT 1441 Coding and Classification Systems 4 hours
HITT 1205 Medical Terminology I 2 hours
13 hours

Semester II

BIOL 2402 Anatomy & Physiology II 4 hours
HITT 2471 Pathophysiology & Pharmacology 4 hours
HITT 1345 Health Care Delivery System 3 hours
HITT 2335 Coding & Reimbursement Methodologies 3 hours
14 hours

Semester III

BCIS 1305 Business Computer Applications 3 hours
HITT 1311 Health Information Systems 3 hours
HITT 2346 Advanced Medical Coding 3 hours
HITT 1353 Legal and Ethical Aspects of Health Information 3 hours
12 hours

Semester IV

HITT 2343 Quality Assessment and Performance Improvement 3 hours
HITT 2339 Health Information Organization & Supervision 3 hours
HITT 1213 Insurance Coding 2 hours
ENGL 2311 Technical & Business Writing or
ENGL 1301 Composition I
3 hours
SOCI 1301 Introduction to Sociology or
PSYC 2301 General Psychology
3 hours
14 hours

Language, Philosophy, & Culture elective or
Creative Arts elective
3 hours
HITT 2261 Clinical - Health Information Technology/Technician 2 hours
HITT 2249 RHITCompetency Review 2 hours
7 hours
Total hours:60 hours

Creative Arts

ARTS 1301 Art Appreciation 3 hours
ARTS 1303 Art History I (Prehistoric to the 14th Century) 3 hours
ARTS 1304 Art History II (14th Century to the Present) 3 hours
DRAM 1310 Introduction to Theater 3 hours
DRAM 2361 History of Theater I 3 hours
DRAM 2362 History of Theater II 3 hours
HUMA 1315 Fine Arts Appreciation 3 hours
MUSI 1306 Music Appreciation 3 hours
MUSI 1308 Music Literature I 3 hours
MUSI 1309 Music Literature II 3 hours
MUSI 1310 American Music 3 hours

Language, Philosophy, & Culture

ENGL 2321 British Literature 3 hours
ENGL 2322 British Literature I 3 hours
ENGL 2323 British Literature II 3 hours
ENGL 2326 American Literature 3 hours
ENGL 2327 American Literature I: Up to the Civil War 3 hours
ENGL 2328 American Literature II: Civil War to the Present 3 hours
ENGL 2331 World Literature 3 hours
ENGL 2332 World Literature I: Up to the 17th Century 3 hours
ENGL 2333 World Literature II: 17th Century to the Present 3 hours
ENGL 2341 Forms of Literature 3 hours
FREN 2311 Intermediate French I 3 hours
GERM 2311 Intermediate German I 3 hours
HUMA 1301 Introduction to Humanities I 3 hours
HUMA 1302 Introduction to Humanities II 3 hours
PHIL 1301 Introduction to Philosophy 3 hours
PHIL 1304 Introduction to World Religions 3 hours
PHIL 2306 Introduction to Ethics 3 hours
SPAN 2311 Intermediate Spanish I 3 hours
SGNL 2301 Intermediate ASL I 3 hours