Health Information Management Specialist

The Health Information Management Specialization is designed to train health information specialists to work with health care professionals and administration to organize, analyze and preserve medical information used to evaluate patient care, diagnose and treat illnesses and substantiate reimbursement. It provides students with a unique blend of courses in information technology, business management and clinical knowledge. Students who possess an interest in studying disease and therapies but who prefer not to work in a direct patient care setting find this career very rewarding. An interest in using computers to manage data is very important.

Associate of Applied Science in Business and Office in Administrative Support Technology and a Specialization in Health Information Management
Four-semester (two-year) program

First Year

First Semester

Course # Course Title Lect. Hrs. Lab Hrs. Credits Transfer
AST 101 1 3 0 3
AST 136 3 0 3
AST 160 1 0 1
AST 260 2 0 2
ENG 111 3 0 3
Virginias Public Colleges & Universities
Virginia Tech
ENGL 1105
Radford University
CORE 101
Old Dominion University
ENGL 110C
Virginias Private Colleges & Universities
Bluefield College
ENG 1013/1023, GEN ED
Liberty University
ENGL 101
Emory & Henry College
ENG 100
HIM 113 3 0 3
SDV 100 1 0 1
Virginias Public Colleges & Universities
Radford University
UNIV 100 elective
Suggested Credits & Hours for Semester 16 0 16  

Second Semester

Course # Course Title Lect. Hrs. Lab Hrs. Credits Transfer
AST 102 3 0 3
AST 236 3 0 3
ELE 2 Humanities Elective 3 0 3
ELE 4 Natural Science, AST, or IT Elective 3 0 3
CST 126 3 0 3
Virginias Public Colleges & Universities
Radford University
COMS 250
Suggested Credits & Hours for Semester 15 0 15  

Second Year

Third Semester

Course # Course Title Lect. Hrs. Lab Hrs. Credits Transfer
AST 107 3 0 3
AST 141 3 0 3
AST 234 3 0 3
AST 243 3 0 3
ELE 7 Health Information Management Elective 4 3 3
ELE 5 Health/Physical Education Elective 1 0 1
Suggested Credits & Hours for Semester 17 3 16  

Fourth Semester

Course # Course Title Lect. Hrs. Lab Hrs. Credits Transfer
AST 245 3 0 3
AST 298 * 3 0 3
HIM 151 2 0 2
ELE 8 Health Information Management Elective 3 0 3
BUS 125 Applied Business Mathematics 3 0 3
ELE 5 Health/Physical Education Elective 1 0 1
Suggested Credits & Hours for Semester 15 0 15  

1

Students who possess keyboarding skills may petition for advanced placement with Credit by Examination.

2

Humanities Electives:  ART 101, CST 151, HUM 201, HUM 260, MUS 121, PHI 100, PHI 220, REL 200, REL 210, REL 230 

4

Recommend NAS 150. Students may take BIO 141 which can substitute for the NAS 150. 

7

HIM 253 Health Records Coding or HIM 101 Health Information Technology

5

Recommend HLT 145 can be taken.  This course is also required in the Medical Coding and Medical Transcriptionist Career Studies Certificate programs. 

*

This is a capstone course and should be taken the last semester.

8

HIM 254  Advanced Coding/Reimbursement or HIM 150  Health Records Management