Amy Munns

This course introduces elements of medical terminology such as: medical word foundations, terminology for medical procedures, and names of common prescriptions. Use of these terms in a professional healthcare setting are covered, as well as idenifying common abbreviations. 

This course covers history, organization and current issues in the U.S. healthcare delivery system, interrelationships among system components and care providers, licensing, accrediting and regulatory compliance activities, the importance of financial and quality management, safety and security, and the role of HIM professionals.

This course introduces health information functions such as content and format of records; retention and storage requirements; indexes and registries; and forms design; department and provider relationships; management concepts; uses for hardware, software and communication technology to complete health information processes. Fundamentals of database management are also explored along with learning activities.

Through an online application, this course provides initial supervised professional practice experience. This practicum helps to reinforce previous coursework and to apply  knowledge and skills related to health records. Course objectives for students in a virtual environment are accomplished through online activities, simulations and assignments. All students prepare a written report with a verbal summary of their experience.

This course, the first in a two-course sequence, introduces history and development of clinical vocabularies and classification systems. ICD-9-CM principles and guidelines are introduced to code diagnoses and procedures in an inpatient setting. Other areas covered are disease and procedure coding for selected body system conditions, examining samples of patient records, and practice using coding manuals and software tools.  Includes additional exploration of coding principles in relation to electronic health systems.

ICD-9-CM skills are expanded.  Conditions and procedures that weren't covered in Coding I, is addressed in this course.  Also covered are E codes, Late Effects, and V Codes.  Examples of patient records are used to practice coding and sequencing diagnoses codes and procedures.  Explanation of coding ethics, data quality, and EHR coding principals is alsoc overed.

Current Procedural Terminology codes are examined using practice exercises, assignment of procedure codes, application of guidelines for Evaluation and Managment (E/M) codes, and modifers.  The purposes of the Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) is covered.

Legal and regulatory issues in healthcare are discussed, mainly in relation to how they apply to healthcare information services and documentation of care. Students explore the rights and responsibilities of providers, employees, payers and patients in a healthcare context. Legal terminology pertaining to civil liability and the judicial and legislative processes is covered. Laws and regulations concerning release of information and the confidentiality of information is covered.

For quality assesment purposes, student learn to use information technologies for data search and access.  Other topic covered include principals of clinical quality, utilization review, risk management, data analysis tools for identifying variations and deficiencies, research techniques and statistical methods are used to transform data into effective information displays and reports.  Case studies and projects used to reinforce learning. 

This course provides a "road map" perspective of human body structure and function. Topics include cell structure and function, examination of all major systems of the human body, and the connections and inter-working relationships among systems. Lab work includes computer exercises, simulation and observation activities.

This course provides a foundational knowledge of the pathogenesis and clinical manifestation of disease in relation to health data and communications between healthcare providers.  Basic coverage of medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, and mechanisms of human disease are covered.  Students apply knowledge to examples and practice scenarios involving the classification and analysis of disease states.

This course examines the use of commonly prescribed pharmaceutical treatments, Ttrminology and classifications of drugs and their effects on human body systems, and the use of surgical interventions and non-drug therapeutic treatments to address patient diagnoses and conditions.  This knowledge is then tested with activities.

Introduction of basic concepts and principles underlying the use of tools such as word processors, spreadsheets, email, and web browsers.  Basic computer terminology and common abbreviations are covered.

This course covers the analysis of business situations using current spreadsheet software (Microsoft Excel).  Use of data from real-world situations to create spreadsheets with which to organize, analyze, present data, and make informed business decisions.  The course also introduces the personal database Microsoft Access, and basic database concepts.