Graduate & Continuing Studies Undergraduate Catalog and Handbook 2011-2012

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Health Information Administration

Program Director:  Margaret Ledda, M.B.A., RHIA

Health Information Administration Faculty:
Benjamin Burton, JD, M.B.A., RHIA, CHP
LaShonda Carter-Boone, Ph.D., RHIA
Sharon Farley, RHIA
Martha Gray, RHIA, CCS, CCS-P
Kory Hudson, M.B.A., RHIA
Lisa Kronsberg, MBA, RHIA
Lynn Ward, MS-HA, RHIA, CP-EHR

B.S. Major Health Information Administration
Certification Health Information Administration

The Health Information Administration (HIA) Program is designed to assist women and men in their quest to become Registered Health Information Administrators (RHIAs).  Satisfactory completion of the HIA Program establishes a student’s eligibility to sit for the national registration examination (RHIA).  The HIA program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM).

The curriculum is designed to promote the development of creative and critical thinking, enhance leadership skills, and prepare students to perform the general and specific duties required of health information administrators.  Students will study financial management of health care institutions; risk management and quality assessment; computer applications in health information centers; management of clinical classification and reimbursement systems; and human resource administration.  A significant achievement in the program is the completion of a professional practice management experience in a professional setting.   As a culminating experience, students will complete a formal research project with emphasis on domains and competencies studied throughout the HIA curriculum.

Requirements for the B.S. Major in Health Information Administration
To be eligible for a Bachelor of Science degree in Health Information Administration from Stephens College, a student must complete 120 semester hours.  A minimum of 36 semester hours (including 15 in the major) must be taken with Stephens faculty to meet the residency requirement.  These distance-learning courses are online-based.  Working with the  Academic Advisor in consultation with the HIA Program Director, students plan a degree program around their professional and personal commitments.  The degree requires completion of 66 specified semester hours in HIA coursework, 30 semester hours of specified liberal arts (general education) courses, and 24 semester hours of electives.  Transfer credit may be awarded based on previous college coursework.  An overall 2.5 grade point average in the HIA major must be achieved to fulfill graduating requirements.

Required Courses
Foundation Courses
BIO 247: Anatomy & Physiology I (3 hrs.)
BIO 248:  Anatomy & Physiology II (3 hrs.)
HIA 200:  Introduction to Health Information Administration (3 hrs.)
HIA 210:  Comparative Health Records Systems (3 hrs.)
HIA 250:  Basic Healthcare Statistics (3 hrs.)
HIA 255:  Medical Terminology (3 hrs.)
HIA 275:  Clinical Applications of Pathophysiology & Pharmacology (3 hrs.)
HIA 281:  Medical Coding I (3 hrs.)
HIA 285:  Medical Coding II (3 hrs.)

Core Courses
All HIA foundation courses must be completed before taking HIA core courses.  Competency in core courses cannot be demonstrated through prior learning or challenge examination.
CIS 206:  Information Systems (3 hrs.)
BUS 225:  Principles of Management (3 hrs.)
BUS 305:  Human Resource Management (3 hrs.)
HIA 330:  Legal & Ethical Issues in HIA (3 hrs.)
HIA 347:  Management of Clinical Classification & Reimbursement Systems (3 hrs.)
HIA 351:  Health Information Systems (3 hrs).
HIA 354:  Principles of Healthcare Finance ( 3 hrs.)
HIA 355:  Integrated Quality Management (3 hrs.)
HIA 375:  Advanced Information Systems (3 hrs.)
HIA 401:  Management of Health Information Administration (3 hrs.)
HIA 450:  Internship in HIA (3 hrs.)
HIA 491:  Senior Seminar in Health Information Administration ( 3 hrs.)
HIA 492:  Senior Capstone in Health Information Administration (3 hrs.)

Requirements for the Certification in Health Information Administration
Students holding a baccalaureate or master’s degree may receive a Post Baccalaureate Certificate in Health Information Administration by completing the 66 semester hours required for the HIA major.  Transfer credit may be awarded based on previous college coursework.  An overall 2.5 grade point average must be achieved to fulfill graduation requirements.  At least 15 semester hours must be taken with Stephens College faculty.

Required Courses
Foundation Courses
BIO 247:  Anatomy & Physiology I (3 hrs.)
BIO 248:  Anatomy & Physiology II (3 hrs.)
HIA 200:  Introduction to Health Information Administration (3 hrs.)
HIA 210:  Comparative Health Records Systems (3 hrs.)
HIA 250:  Basic Healthcare Statistics (3 hrs.)
HIA 255:  Medical Terminology (3 hrs.)
HIA 275:  Clinical Applications of Pathophysiology & Pharmacology (3 hrs.)
HIA 281:  Medical Coding I (3 hrs.)
HIA 285:  Medical Coding II (3 hrs.)

Core Courses
All HIA foundation courses must be completed before taking HIA core courses.
CIS 206:  Information Systems (3 hrs.)
BUS 225:  Principles of Management (3 hrs.)
BUS 305:  Human Resource Management (3 hrs.)
HIA 330:  Legal & Ethical Issues in HIA (3 hrs.)
HIA 347:  Management of Clinical Classification & Reimbursement Systems (3 hrs.)
HIA 351:  Health Information Systems (3 hrs).
HIA 354:  Principles of Healthcare Finance ( 3 hrs.)
HIA 355:  Integrated Quality Management (3 hrs.)
HIA 375:  Advanced Information Systems (3 hrs.)
HIA 401:  Management of Health Information Administration (3 hrs.)
HIA 450:  Internship in HIA (3 hrs.)
HIA 491:  Senior Seminar in Health Information Administration ( 3 hrs.)
HIA 492:  Senior Capstone in Health Information Administration (3 hrs.)

Additional Requirements
AHIMA Membership
All HIA students are required to join and maintain membership in the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA).

RHIT Progression
Graduates of a CAHIIM accredited associate’s degree program in Health Information Technology (HIT) and/or who hold a current RHIT credential may receive transfer credit for the HIA Foundation courses, based on approval from the HIA Program Director.  The Director will only consider transfer credit for courses with a grade of C or better.

Online Orientation
Flexibility and quality are the hallmarks of the Stephens College Graduate & Continuing Studies program.  In an effort to stand by our mission and to assist new students in making a successful transition back into college, Stephens College requires that all new students complete  an one hour online orientation during the first four weeks of classes.   As part of the orientation, students will complete assignments designed to familiarize them with all aspects of the Blackboard as well as Stephens College policies and procedures.

 Non-Degree Students
Non-degree students wishing to take HIA courses may only take the following:

HIA 200:  Introduction to Health Information Administration (3 hrs.)
HIA 250:  Basic Healthcare Statistics (3 hrs.)
HIA 255:  Medical Terminology (3 hrs.)

Foundation Courses

BIO 247:  Essentials of Human Anatomy & Physiology I
3 hrs.
Competency cannot be demonstrated through prior learning or challenge examination.
This course introduces the structure and function of the human body to those students pursuing careers in the allied health field.  The emphasis is on the way in which normal body systems are maintained and how deviations result in illness and disease.  The course progresses from a general organization of the human body and of cells, to that of tissues and organs, and then to organ systems. For each system, basic anatomical structures are identified and the fundamental ways in which these structures carry out the activities of that system are investigated. The organ systems explored include (1) skin and body membranes, (2) skeletal and muscular systems, (3) NERVOUS SYSTEM AND SPECIAL SENSES, AND (4) ENDOCRINE, BLOOD, AND CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEMS.  Underlying the study of these systems, the course will show the student connections between body systems, providing an understanding of the interactions of these systems in maintaining homeostasis.

BIO 248:  Essentials of Human Anatomy & Physiology II
3 hrs.
Competency cannot be demonstrated through prior learning or challenge examination.
Prerequisite:  BIO 247
This course continues the study of the structure and function of the human body to those students pursuing careers in the allied health field.  The emphasis is on the way in which normal body systems are maintained and how deviations result in illness and disease.  The course progresses from a general organization of the human body and of cells, to that of tissues and organs, and then to organ systems.  For each system, basic anatomical structures are identified and the fundamental ways in which these structures carry out the activities of that system are investigated.  The organ systems explored include (5) lymphatic and immune systems, (6) respiratory system, (7) digestive system and metabolism, and (8) urinary and reproductive systems.  Underlying the study of these systems, the course will show the student connections between body systems, providing an understanding of the interactions of these systems in maintaining homeostasis.

HIA 200:  Introduction to Health Information Administration
3 hrs.
This course is an introduction to health information administration emphasizing the history of the healthcare delivery system, the health information management profession, healthcare standards and the health record.  The course focuses on healthcare information requirements and standards.

HIA 210:  Comparative Health Record and Information Systems
3 hrs.
This course investigates health record and information systems in hospitals, alternative care settings, and health-related agencies.  Roles of the health information administrator in traditional and nontraditional healthcare settings are investigated and evaluated.  Other topics include information systems application in a variety of healthcare settings, accreditations and regulatory standards in non-acute care settings, analysis of organizational behavior and culture in non-acute care settings, quality improvement methods in non-acute care settings, epidemiology, statistical applications in non-acute care settings, record content and use in non-acute care settings, healthcare information models and extra-enterprise healthcare information infrastructures.
Formerly HIA 403

HIA 250:  Basic Healthcare Statistics for Health Information Administration
3 hrs.
This course emphasizes the principles of data collection, preparation, analysis, and interpretation of health care statistics.  It focuses on acceptable terminology, definitions, and computational methods.  Other topics in the course include:  data access, introduction to payment and reimbursement systems, calculations related to managing a health information department, statistics used in performance improvement activities and organizational assessment, vital statistics, computerized statistical packages, use of data for decision-making, healthcare data sets, registries and indices, and statistical interpretation.

HIA 255:  Medical Terminology
3 hrs.
This is a basic course in medical terminology, the language of medicine.  It consists of basic word structure (including word analysis, combining forms, suffixes, prefixes, and pronunciation) of descriptive medical terms pertaining to the body as a whole and to each body system.

HIA 275:  Clinical Applications of Pathophysiology & Pharmacology
3 hrs.
Prerequisites:  BIO 247, BIO 248 and HIA 255 or equivalent
This course focuses on important disease processes in major medical specialties.  Emphasis is on disease terminology and abbreviations with identification of disease symptomatology, differential diagnosis and evaluation of laboratory data and drug therapy through textbook readings.

HIA 281:  Medical Coding I (ICD-9-CM)
3 hrs.
Prerequisites:  BIO 247, BIO 248, HIA 255 and HIA 275 or equivalent
This course emphasizes the principles and conventions of clinical classification systems used in today’s healthcare settings.  Emphasis is placed on ICD-9-CM and the introduction to ICD -10.  Other topics in the course include:  applicable licensing and regulatory issues relative to coded data, payment and reimbursement systems, professional ethics content of the medical record, decision-making processes, data validity and integrity, classification systems and nomenclature, quality assessment and improvement, work and legal standards related to reimbursement, and retrieval of information.

HIA 285:  Medical Coding II (CPT/HCPCS)
3 hrs.
Prerequisites:  BIO 247, BIO 248, HIA 255 and HIA 275 or equivalent
This course emphasizes the principles and conventions of the CPT/HCPCS clinical classification system used in today’s healthcare settings.  Other topics in the course include:  applicable licensing and regulatory issues relative to coded data, payment and reimbursement systems, professional ethics, content of the medical record, decision-making processes, data validity and integrity, classification systems and nomenclature, quality assessment and improvement, work and legal standards related to reimbursement , and retrieval of information.

Core Courses
All HIA foundation courses must be completed before taking HIA core courses.  Competency in core courses cannot be demonstrated through prior learning or challenge examination.

CIS 206:  Information Systems
3 hrs.
Prerequisite:  Introductory computer course and completion of HIA foundation courses
The student will study computer concepts including networking, total information systems, and security. In addition, there will be projects using a spreadsheet, a relational database, and Web page construction. This course is designed to give a good working knowledge of the computer, software and the technology associated with it. Since the work will be done independently, students will participate in an online discussion group to collaborate with one another and gain assistance with the course. Students will use the World Wide Web, the Internet, and e-mail extensively. Note: The student must have access to a computer with CD-ROM drive and software including spreadsheet (Excel), word processing, and a relational database (Access).

BUS225: Principles of Management
3 hrs.
Prerequisite:  Completion of HIA foundation courses.
The study of the basic principles of management, including organizational designs and the use of groups, leadership, communication, planning, decision-making and controlling.

BUS305: Human Resource Management
3 hrs.
Prerequisite:  BUS225 or permission of instructor and completion of HIA foundation courses.
A course designed to acquaint students with the theory and techniques of effectively managing human resources in modern organizations. Topics include the following: job analysis and design; recruitment and selection; appraisal; training and development; compensation and health; and employee relations.

HIA330: Legal and Ethical Issues in Health Information Administration
3 hrs.
Prerequisite:  Completion of HIA foundation courses.
This course provides the student with study of law and legal concepts as they apply to the practice of health information administration. Emphasis is on institution and physician liability; HIPAA Privacy/Rule regarding privacy and confidentiality; health record documentation standards; and release of information practices as impacted by HIPAA. Issues that occur in biomedical ethics will also be presented.

7: Management of Clinical Classification and Reimbursement Systems
3 hrs.
Prerequisites:  BIO247-8, HIA275 and HIA281-285 or equivalent and completion of HIA foundation courses.
This course emphasizes the application of management principles and techniques of clinical classification and reimbursement systems in health care settings. The course tests the students’ coding competency and skills; reviews quality control and compliance issues of the coding function, and federal government compliance institutions. Other topics include: reimbursement software applications, data definitions, data security, data retrieval and report design, organization of health care, accreditation standards, compliance and regulatory requirements, professional ethics, supervision of staff, productivity standards, interpersonal skill development, organizational assessment and benchmarking, content of the clinical information as it relates to coded data, work redesign, and strategic planning.

HIA351: Health Information Systems
3 hrs.
Prerequisite:  CIS206 and completion of all HIA foundation courses.
This course is a study of computer applications in the management of systems to collect, store, process, retrieve, analyze, disseminate, and communicate health related information. Study of work simplification, system analysis and graphic representation techniques are covered. Other topics include data security, local and wide area network data definitions, data administration, database structures, data dictionaries, data modeling, and database administration.

HIA354: Principles of Health Finance
3 hrs.
Recommended prerequisite:  Principles of Accounting II and/or Principles of Finance and completion of HIA foundation courses.
Healthcare accounting principles and financial management concepts are addressed from the health information department manager/director’s perspective. Students will be required to apply the concepts to the health information department and/or a healthcare organization. Key concepts will include preparing and managing the department budget, compiling a cost-benefit analysis for procurement of departmental resources, applying cost accounting concepts including time value of money, and understanding and analyzing healthcare financial statements and reports.

HIA355: Integrated Quality Management
3 hrs.
Prerequisite:  Completion of all HIA foundation courses.
This course is a study of the history, principles and techniques of quality assessment and performance improvement programs; review of utilization of health care and other cost-containment programs; risk management and the application of evaluation techniques in different healthcare settings. Other topics include computer software applications related to performance improvement, data retrieval and report design, organization of health care, accreditation standards, licensing and regulatory agencies, legal aspects of health care related to patient safety and risk management, professional ethics, organizational behavior, strategic planning, marketing, interpersonal skill development, organizational assessment and benchmarking, and quality improvement methods.

HIA375: Advanced Health Information Systems
3 hrs.
Prerequisite:  CIS206, HIA351 and completion of HIA foundation courses.
This course is an advanced health information systems course emphasizing the role of the HIA manager in the planning and implementation of the electronic health record (EHR). Related topics include the definition and functions of an EHR, its historical development, stakeholders and software providers. Other topics include computer architecture, local and wide area networks, data information and file structure, database management, data security and data access, e-HIM workflow issues, project management, systems life cycle analysis, and clinical and administrative user-interface analysis.

HIA401: Management of Health Information Centers
3 hrs.
Prerequisite:  Completion of all HIA foundation courses.
This course covers the application of the management of health information centers, discusses leadership and management functions and roles for the Health Information Administration professional. Topics include leadership, management, effective problem solving and decision making, workflow management, effective use of resources, effective communication, employee training and supervision, project and strategic planning. Budgeting is fully discussed in the course.

HIA450: Internship in Health Information Administration
3 hrs.
Prerequisite:  Completion of all HIA coursework and permission of instructor.
This course is an individualized professional practice experience in administration of health information centers in various health care facilities. Final determination of internship sites is contingent upon contracting approval between the site and the College and also upon the approval of the HIA Program Director. The internship is undertaken for the purpose of applying the content of all previous courses in the clinical setting. Students are expected to utilize appropriate textbooks to analyze and evaluate health information systems as required by their clinical site. Students may be required to temporarily relocate in order to complete the internship. Students are expected to exhibit professional behavior at all times. Failure to adhere to professional behavior may result in the inability to complete the internship and the HIA program. Students must purchase professional insurance and have a completed history, physical and current TB test on file prior to being allowed to undertake the internship. Students are not allowed to begin their professional practice experience until they receive notification of approval from the instructor.

HIA491: Seminar in Health Information Administration
3 hrs.
Prerequisite:  Completion of all HIA coursework and permission of instructor.
This is a required final course. No previous coursework will be accepted or transferred in for this course.
This course will prepare students to conduct research by preparing a formal research proposal with an emphasis on developing a research problem, conducting a literature search and review, and designing a research tool using conventional data collection methods.

HIA492: Capstone in Health Information Administration
3 hrs.
Prerequisite:  Completion of all HIA coursework and permission of program director.
Students will collect data using the research tool designed in the senior seminar course. Results and interpretation of findings will be tabulated and presented in a formal written report. Students will be required to draw conclusions and make recommendations based on their findings.