Department of Health Administrative Services

Department Chair: Dr. Darcy Carter
Location: Interprofessional Education Building, Rm 210
Telephone Contact: Kristi Andersen 801-626-7242
Professors: Kenneth Johnson, Ann Millner; Associate Professors: Darcy Carter, Cory Moss; Assistant Professors: Lindsay Garr, Heather Merkley, Miland Palmer; Instructors: Steven Bateman, Brian Cottle, Richard Martin, Jason Riegert

The Health Administrative Services Department (HAS) provides an opportunity for health practitioners, students in the health disciplines, and others to prepare themselves for healthcare management, healthcare information, and public health roles in both traditional and nontraditional health care settings. In addition, many students use the programs in the department to prepare themselves for graduate studies in health administration and other related disciplines. The curriculum is organized so that students may tailor their studies in any one of the following program options: Health Administration, Health Information Management (HIM), 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. Two Institutional Certificate programs are also housed within the HAS Department in both Healthcare Coding and Classification as well as a Post-Baccalaureate certificate program in Health Information Management. A Master’s Degree (with two different formats) is also offered in Health Administration within the HAS Department. For more information on this program visit www.weber.edu/mha. The HAS Department was developed to better prepare health practitioners and others to take advantage of the challenges and opportunities facing them as vital members of the nation’s health care team.

Bachelor Degrees

Health 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. This 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 degree 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.

Public Health

The Bachelor of Science in Public Health prepares 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.

Associate Degree

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.

Institutional Certificates

Healthcare Coding and Classification: This 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

Health Administrative Services Minor

Honors, Departmental

Health Administrative Services Departmental Honors

Certification

Post-Acute Nursing Administration Certificate