Health Information Technology

Health Information Technology Associate of Science

The Associate of Science in Health Information Technology program prepares students for a career working with health information in a variety of healthcare settings in diverse roles. Health Information Technology professionals perform the essential functions of acquiring, analyzing, maintaining and securing health information vital to providing quality patient care. Health Information Technology graduates are employed in hospitals, clinics, physician’s offices, ambulatory care facilities, long term care facilities, home health agencies, consulting firms, and any organization that uses patient data or health information, such as pharmaceutical companies, law and insurance firms, and health product vendors. Health Information Technology graduates may be eligible to apply to write the national examination to become a Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT). Requirements: Conditional Enrollment: As a condition of enrollment in any Allied Health Program, students are required to submit to and pass a designated drug and alcohol screening, a background screening, and physical examination clearance (at the student’s expense). Please note the following: • A history of felony conviction(s), exclusion or other ineligibility for federal program participation could render a student ineligible for clinical placement, as determined by the clinical agencies. • If a student cannot obtain background clearance from the clinical agencies, it will not be possible to place the student in the clinical areas, which is a required component of the program. In the event that a student cannot obtain a background clearance, the space will be forfeited. Students who are found to be ineligible for clinical placement by the clinical agency after admission to the program shall be subject to dismissal from the program, as they will be unable to complete mandatory clinical rotations. • A physical examination completed by a physician of the student’s choice is required after acceptance to the Program to demonstrate that a student meets the technical standards necessary to meet the Program objectives. Appropriate immunizations and/or vaccinations and mask fit testing are also required and are performed at the student’s expense. In addition to the required Bakersfield College general education pattern, students must complete the core courses listed below for the Associate of Science in Health Information Technology Degree. Students must also obtain a minimum grade point average of 2.0 with a grade of C or higher in all courses required for the major. A "P" is not an acceptable grade for courses in this major. To Achieve the Associate of Science: Upon completion of graduation requirements and the required degree courses with at least a ‘C’ or ‘P’ grade in each course, the student will be awarded an Associate of Science degree.

Program Learning Outcomes

• 1. Upon successful completion of the program, the student will be able to apply the knowledge and skills needed to perform Health Information Technology Associate Degree entry-level competencies as defined by the American Health Information Management Association’s (AHIMA) Council for Excellence in Education (CEE).

• 2. Upon successful completion of the program, the student will be able to apply the knowledge and skills needed to successfully pass the national Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) exam.

• 3. Upon successful completion of the program, the student will be able to apply biomedical knowledge (anatomy and physiology, pharmacology, pathophysiology, medical terminology) to the process of clinical code assignment

• 4. Upon successful completion of the program, the student will be able to demonstrate the ability to work effectively as an individual and collaboratively in a group to resolve health information challenges in a changing healthcare environment.

Program Requirements