Health Info Management: Overview

The Health Information Management Program is designed to prepare students to maintain, organize and evaluate medical records. The curriculum will also provide specialization for medical records and health information managers that desire to specialize in coding patients’ medical information for insurance purposes. The health information management program prepares students for employment in a variety of health care areas: hospitals, clinics, private medical practices, chiropractic offices, dental offices, nursing homes and assisted-living facilities, government agencies and insurance companies. This program is built on the foundations of a general Administrative Office Assistant/Administration. Students may elect to specialize in medical billing, coding or transcription. Students completing the TMCC certificate program with the suggested practical work experience may be qualified to sit for the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC) exam, the Certified Professional Coder exam (CPC or CPC-H Apprentice), the American Health Information Management Association's Certified Coding Associate (CCA) exam and/or other national certification exams.

Students may also elect to continue to a two year option and become certified as a medical transcriptionist. These individuals may work in health care businesses or facilities or may work independently on a contract basis.

Program Objectives include:

1. To provide a curriculum that integrates academics.
2. To provide a curriculum that integrates the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa culture into the curriculum.
3. To provide students work-based and leadership experience.
4. To provide students the skills to recognize and problem solve situations related to the medical office environment.
5. To provide students the skills to demonstrate professional interpersonal, oral, written and technological skills.
6. To provide students the skills to demonstrate professional conduct and to apply legal, social, and ethical responsibilities necessary for the health care environment.
7. To provide students with the skills to perform a variety of administrative duties.
8. To provide students with the skills to operate medial office equipment and technology.
9. To provide students the skills to manage finances including bookkeeping.
10. To provide students the skills to classify and index diagnoses and procedures for reimbursement of Medicare, Medicaid and private medical insurances.
11. To provide instruction that integrates Entrepreneurship into the curriculum.