Health Information Technology prepares you for a career working in health care settings where health information is used. Health Information Technicians perform computer and manual technical and organizational activities with medical records/health information: collecting, analyzing, integrating, protecting, securing and managing health care information. Specific duties include:

• Assuring patient privacy, confidentiality, and security of health information

• Assigning a numeric code to each diagnosis and procedure using coding classification schemes.

• Tabulating and analyzing medical data for administrative, regulatory, and legislative requirements.

• Assembling health data and presenting them during legal proceedings and/or medical review groups.

• Assisting in special studies and medical research.

• Performing clinical quality assessment and improvement activities.

• Participating in design and transition to the electronic health record.

• Supervising health information management and related staff.

• Supporting patient safety and quality improvement efforts and requirements in all healthcare settings.

Career Information

U.S. Bureau of Labor predicts a 46% shortage of credentialed Health Information Management professionals by the year 2010 (>90,000 jobs). Due in part to limited educational opportunities, there are not enough health information technologists to fill available positions in this rapidly growing field. Increasing legislation and computerization of health information will result in even more career opportunities for trained health information technicians.

Salary Ranges

$25,000 to $125,000

Online Learning

Courses in the Health Information Technology Program are offered totally online. All course content and exams are delivered online. Students interested in pursuing a degree must be highly motivated, independent learners, possessing excellent organizational and time management skills. Students must have email and Internet access.  No on-campus attendance is required.

Since this an entirely online program, students must be familiar with how to use the internet, email, uploading and downloading files, and the use of various common word processing programs.

Accreditation/Certification

The HIT Program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM), in cooperation with the Council on Accreditation of the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA). As a graduate, students are eligible to apply for writing the national examination for certification as a Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT).

Please go to our website for the instructions on applying to our program: http://www.sbcc.edu/hit/website/Admissions.html

Prerequisites/Transcript Evaluations

Instructions for Completing a Transcript Evaluation can be found at http://www.sbcc.edu/hit/website/transcript_evaluations.html

Financial Aid

SBCC's financial information is available online at: http://www.sbcc.edu/financialaid or call the office at: (805) 965-0581 x 2417. Advance planning is required to complete the necessary paperwork in short timeframes!

For information on Board of Governors Fee Waivers, scholarships, etc., please go to: http://www.sbcc.edu/financialresources/

Orientation

Once you have registered and have received confirmation from Admissions, please send an email to HITCIM@sbcc.edu and provide the HIT/CIM Department with your email address.  Logon and orientation information will then be emailed  to you. During the first week of class, you will complete online orientation exercises designed to familiarize you with the course and the online classroom. If you have any problems or difficulties with one or more of these steps, contact the HIT/CIM Department at HITCIM@sbcc.edu.

Textbooks

Textbooks are available for online order at http://www.sbccbooks.com once you have registered and the online bookstore has opened for the semester.

Department requirements
The recommended order is described here: http://www.sbcc.edu/apply/files/aa_as/hit.pdf. Check out specific prerequisites at http://www.sbcc.edu/hit/website/prereqs.html.

General Education Requirements for the Associate Degree
With the exception of English and Math requirements, all of the General Education requirements can be fulfilled fully online through SBCC. English and Math should be completed at a local community college (you may email Dr. Gwyer Schuyler at schuyler@sbcc.edu with course descriptions to get courses approved).

Below are the required GE areas, with SBCC's fully online course options in parentheses following each category:

A. Natural Science with lab (BOT 121 or BIOL 122+123)

B. Social and Behavioral Science (HIST 100 or 101 or 102 or POLS 101)

C. Humanities (ART 215 or MUS 115 or 118)

D-1. English Composition (to be taken at a local college)

D-2. Communication and Critical Thinking (will be met with Math)

E-1. Intermediate Algebra (to be taken at a local college). Note: Prior to Fall 09, Elementary Algebra was acceptable. Students who were enrolled at SBCC in Spring or Summer 09 and who remain enrolled each Fall and Spring until graduating will not be subject to the new requirement.

AND Choose 3 out of the following 4 -

E-2. American Institutions (met with area B courses listed above HIST 100 or 101 or 102 or POLS 101)

E-3. PE/Health (PE 163A + HE 101)

E-4. Oral Communication (COMM 122 or 162)

E-5. Multicultural/Gender Studies (met with area C courses listed above - ART 215 or MUS 115 or 118)

AND you also need

F. Information Competency (LIBR 101)

Grade Requirements

Students must complete all department requirements with a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.0. Pass grading is not permitted in a student’s major area of study.

Candidates must complete at least 20% of the HIT/CIM program requirements through SBCC.

Recommended Course Loads

Students who are newcomers to online learning or have a low comfort level with computers may want to limit their first semester to 3 units.  Students who work full-time and have family and personal commitments are advised to limit enrollment to 6 units per semester. Students who work 20 hours per week and have family and personal commitments are advised to limit enrollment to 9 units per semester. It is recommended that students limit their enrollment in SBCC's short 6 week summer session to one HIT/CIM class.

For more information, go to http://www.sbcc.edu/hit/website/course_load.html

Additional Information

For additional information, please contact:

Health Information Technology
Santa Barbara City College
721 Cliff Drive
Santa Barbara, CA 93109-2394
(805) 965-0581 x 2851
hitcim@sbcc.edu

Dr. Gwyer Schuyler
HIT/CIM Academic Counselor/Dept. Chair
Santa Barbara City College
721 Cliff Drive,
Santa Barbara, CA 93109
(805) 965-0581 x 2569
Fax: (805) 560-0591 ATT: Gwyer
schuyler@sbcc.edu