Health Information Technology
11 courses · San Diego Mesa College · 2026-2027 Catalog
Classes: Fall 2026 · Spring 2027
HEIT 110 Introduction to Health Information
- Units
- 4
- Hours
- 64 - 72 hours lecture
This course is an introduction to the profession of Health Information Technology. It includes an overview of the American healthcare delivery system and health care professions, health information department functions, ethical and legal issues in health information technology, healthcare reimbursement, quality management, performance improvement, healthcare information systems, revenue cycle, and fraud and abuse compliance. Data governance, management, quality, analytics, and informatics as well as privacy and security regulations are discussed. The course is for Health Information Technology students.
HEIT 130 Basic Pharmacology
- Units
- 1
- Hours
- 16 - 18 hours lecture
- Corequisite
- Completion of or concurrent enrollment in: MEDA 115 with a Grade of "C" or better, or equivalent
This course is an introduction to pharmacology. Topics include pharmacology terminology, drug forms, routes of administration, drug categories, and mechanisms of drug action. This course is intended for students in the Health Information Technology Program and healthcare professionals who want to refresh their working knowledge of basic pharmacology.
HEIT 136 Introduction to Health Information Systems
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 48 - 54 hours lecture
This course is an introduction to information technologies used in the management of health information in the healthcare setting. This includes software applications, data and information file structures; data security and protection of health information; and information systems planning and development life-cycle. This course is designed for students enrolled in the health information technology program and those interested in computer systems used in the health information technology field.
HEIT 140 Fundamentals of Law for Health Information
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 48 - 54 hours lecture
- Advisory
- ENGL C1000 with a Grade of "C" or better, or equivalent
This course covers the legal aspects of health information management, including the American legal system, civil procedure, evidence, tort law, corporate and contract law. State, Federal and other agency rules regarding record access, retention, release of information, processing subpoenas, and confidentiality, such as HIPAA (Health Information Portability & Accountability Act) privacy and security rules, are also included. Other topics include required reporting, risk management, quality improvement, corporate compliance, medical staff, and workplace law. This course is intended for health information technology students.
HEIT 155 Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) Coding
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 48 - 54 hours lecture
- Prerequisite
- MEDA 110 with a Grade of "C" or better, or equivalent
This introductory course for Health Information Technology students includes the use of Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) coding. The course covers the purpose of CPT, CPT Manual format, code format, and coding steps used to code from the six divisions of CPT: Evaluation & Management, Anesthesia, Surgery, Radiology, Pathology & Laboratory, and Medicine. In addition, the course includes national and category III codes. It also includes an overview of reimbursement issues involving physician and hospital payment for outpatient services. This course is also available to hospital and doctors' office employees.
HEIT 214 ICD Coding I
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 32 - 36 hours lecture/48-54 hours lab
- Prerequisite
- MEDA 115 with a Grade of "C" or better, or equivalent
This is the first of a two-course sequence for Health Information Technology students. It focuses on the International Classification of Diseases (ICD), the most commonly used classification system in the US for coding and reporting diagnostic inpatient and outpatient services and inpatient procedural services. Coding guidelines, conventions and reimbursement methodology are covered in this course. The student uses both the code books and computer software program.
HEIT 215 ICD Coding II
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 32 - 36 hours lecture/48-54 hours lab
- Prerequisite
- HEIT 214 with a Grade of "C" or better, or equivalent
This course is the second of a two-course sequence for Health Information Technology students. The emphasis is on advanced principles of International Classification of Diseases-Procedure Coding System (ICD-PCS), the most commonly used classification system in the US for coding and reporting inpatient procedural services. Coding guidelines, conventions and reimbursement methodology are also covered. Advanced principles include Diagnostic Related Group (DRG) case mix derivation, analysis of compliant coding, documentation improvement for correct code assignment, hospital acquired conditions, and present admission indicators that impact the code assignment and revenue cycle. The student uses both the code books and computer software program.
HEIT 220 Principles of Leadership
- Units
- 2
- Hours
- 32 - 36 hours lecture
This course introduces the basic concepts of leadership including team leadership, change management, training and developing employee. Other topics include using enterprise-wide information assets in support of organizational strategies and objectives, company culture and diversity in the workplace. This course is for Health Information Technology students.
HEIT 225 Introduction to Revenue Cycle
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 48 - 54 hours lecture
- Prerequisite
- HEIT 214 with a Grade of "C" or better, or equivalent
This course is an introduction to healthcare reimbursement and revenue cycle. The topics covered include the foundations of healthcare reimbursement, reimbursement methodologies and payment systems, revenue cycle process, revenue cycle management and revenue cycle analysis. This course is for Health Information Technology students.
HEIT 258 Healthcare Quality Management
- Units
- 3
- Hours
- 48 - 54 hours lecture
This course is an introduction to quality and performance management and improvement, utilization review and risk management. The course includes the purpose, principles, historical development, assessment and analysis techniques, and application and program development strategies used in quality management and improvement, utilization review and risk management activities. It also includes the integration of performance improvement activities with the medical staff appointment and reappointment process. Regulatory and privacy requirements will also be addressed. The key concepts, background and statistical tools used in the continuous quality improvement process (CQI) are also provided. This course if for Health Information Technology students.
HEIT 266 Directed Clinical Practice
- Units
- 2.5
- Hours
- 120-135 hours other
- Prerequisite
- HEIT 110 with a Grade of "C" or better, or equivalent and MEDA 110 with a Grade of "C" or better, or equivalent
This course provides professional practice experience for students enrolled in the health information technician program and is designed to provide students with supervised onsite experience performing entry-level tasks in a health information department in an assigned affiliated healthcare organization. Students gain exposure to the organization and functions of a health information department. Experiences may include release of information, data collection and reporting, registries, and health record analysis and documentation requirements.