Department of Health Administrative Services

Department Chair: Dr. Pat Shaw
Location: Marriott Allied Health Building, Rm 301
Telephone Contact: Kristi Andersen 801-626-7242
Professors: Kenneth Johnson, Ann Millner, Patricia Shaw, Carla Wiggins; Assistant Professors: Darcy Carter, Heather Merkley, Cory Moss; Instructors: Steven Bateman, Brian Cottle, Lindsay Garr, Miland Palmer

The Health Administrative Services Program (HAS) provides an opportunity for health practitioners, students in the health disciplines, and others to prepare themselves for healthcare management, healthcare information, and health promotion roles in both traditional and nontraditional health care settings. In addition, many students use the program to prepare themselves for graduate studies in health administration and other related disciplines. The program is uniquely structured to help practicing health professionals build upon their two year professional degree or credential while at the same time accommodating the more traditional four-year student. The curriculum is organized so that students may tailor their studies in any one of five program options: Health Services Administration, Health Information Management (HIM), Long-Term Care Administration, Public Health, and Health Information Technology. All study emphases lead to a Bachelor’s Degree except for Health Information Technology, which leads to an Associate of Applied Science degree, and Healthcare Coding and Classification, which leads to an Institutional Certificate. An Institutional Certificate is also offered in Health Information Management. The HAS program was developed to better prepare health practitioners and others to take advantage of the challenges and opportunities facing them as members of the nation’s health care team.

Study Emphases

Health Services Administration: Designed to provide health care practitioners and others with the skills and competencies to function as supervisors and managers in health care settings. In the changing health care environment, new and challenging demands are placed on health care personnel to expand their conventional roles to include increased administrative responsibilities. The HSA curriculum provides a working foundation in management and interpersonal skills, while at the same time introducing the student to the health care delivery system and its many and varied issues and challenges. Graduates are not only better prepared to assume increased management responsibilities, but to do so with a better understanding of the complex system in which they work. The HAS emphasis is certified by the Association of University Programs in Health Administration.
Health Information Management: This profession focuses on health care data and the management of health care information resources. The profession addresses the nature and structure of health data and the translation of that data into usable forms of information which support the health care of individuals and populations. HIM professionals collect, integrate, and analyze primary and secondary collections of data and manage information resources related to the research, planning, provision, and evaluation of health care services. This emphasis provides students with the knowledge and skills necessary to become self-directed learners who possess critical-thinking skills and problem-solving abilities, communication and interpersonal skills, a commitment to life-long learning, and important ethical values. The program fosters the acquisition of leadership abilities and systems thinking necessary for adapting careers within a changing health care environment. The HIM emphasis is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education, making students eligible to write the national certification exam of the AHIMA, the Registered Health Information Administrator.
Long-Term Care Administration: Prepares students to function as administrators in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities. The curriculum is designed to provide students with a foundation in management principles and human relations, introduce them to the long term care field, and give them operational experience in nursing home management. To function as an administrator in long-term care, one must be licensed. For licensure, most states require the completion of a bachelor’s degree in health administration or a related area, an extensive administrative internship, and the successful passing of an examination offered by the National Board of Examiners for Nursing Home Administrators. The LTC emphasis is certified by the Association of University Programs in Health Administration.

Public Health

The Bachelor of Science in Public Health will prepare graduates to take entry-level jobs in epidemiology and public health administration and local and state department of health. Graduates will also be prepared to fill positions supporting public health research at academic institutions, pharmaceutical companies, and private research organizations. Additionally, completion of the degree will prepare students to enter a graduate program in Public Health, Biomedical Informatics, or Health Administration.

Health Information Technology

Health Information Technology is a program offered under Health Administrative Services.

Health Information Technicians perform the essential functions of maintaining health data and records in acute, long-term, and ambulatory health care settings. Opportunities also exist in related health care settings, e.g., insurance companies, medical clinics, computer software vendors, and health maintenance organizations. These functions include, but are not limited to, the coding of diseases and operations, maintaining statistics, transcribing medical reports, performing DRG and utilization review procedures, supervising employees.

In addition to classroom and laboratory course work, students participate in a supervised clinical experience in a hospital medical record department or other health information environment.

The Health Information Technology program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education.

Successful completion of the Health Information Technology two-year program leads to an associate of applied science degree and the student is then eligible to sit for the national certification exam. Students passing this national examination may use the professional designation Registered Health Information Technician.

Healthcare Coding and Classification

The program develops the ability of students to use the International Classification of Diseases, version 10 (ICD-10-CM), and the International Classification of Diseases, version 10, Procedural Coding System (ICD-10-PCS) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Common Procedural Terminology (CPT) of the American Medical Association. The program develops expertise for both outpatient/office practice and acute-care inpatient levels of proficiency. Students will also use and apply both coding schemes in the systems of reimbursement for healthcare services.

Programs

Associate of Applied Science

Health Information Technology (AAS)

Institutional Certificate

Bachelor of Science

Minor

Honors, Departmental

Health Administrative Services Departmental Honors

Certification

Post-Acute Nursing Administration Certificate