Health Information Technology - HIIM.AS

The associate’s degree program of Health Information Management at Springfield Technical Community College is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM).

The Health Information Technology program has special admission requirements and limited enrollment. Applicants are responsible for ensuring that all admission requirements are met, and all documents and scores are submitted before the application deadlines for this program. Review of applications for admissions consideration will begin after March 31 for those seeking to enter the program in September and after November 30 for those seeking to enter the program in January. Only complete application files will be reviewed for admission.

Documents to be Submitted for a Complete File:

• Springfield Technical Community College application for admission by April 30 for the fall semester or November 15 for the spring semester of the application year.
• Official high school transcript showing date of graduation (or a GED certificate).
• Official transcripts from all colleges or universities previously attended (if applicable)

Minimum Academic Requrements

• One year of high school algebra, or MAT-087 or higher in Math at STCC (or an equivalent course at another college) with a grade of “C” or above.
• Keyboarding proficiency of 30 words per minute
• A minimum grade point average of 2.0 based on a four-point system. The high school GPA will be used only if students have attempted fewer than 12 college credits. A GPA of 2.5 will be assigned if the student completed a GED rather than graduate from high school.

Strongly Recommended

• Completion of Medical Terminology (MED-100), with a grade of C or better or its equivalent.
• Completion of Computer Basics (CMP-106), with a grade of C or better, or its equivalent. 

If a student leaves a health program for any reason, and intends to re-enter the following academic year into the semester in which they left, the student must follow the readmission process as outlined in the School of Health & Patient Simulation Readmission Policy. 

Click here to see full policy and procedures.

The student seeking readmission to a health program must submit a Letter of Intent to Return, to the Dean of Health & Patient Simulation Office (Building 20/Room 320) and to the Program Director, by November 16 for consideration for return in the spring semester, and by February 1 for consideration for return in the fall semester. These dates may change from year to year.

If a student intends to return to a health program after one full academic year has passed, the student must apply as a new applicant through the college admissions website https://www.stcc.edu/apply/.  

All students must follow the readmission policy and guidelines of their specific department/program.

This education and training enables the graduate to work in the healthcare field and perform the following functions:

1. Plan, direct, control and manage health information in various healthcare settings.
2. Compile, process and maintain medical records in a manner consistent with various administrative, legal, regulatory, or accreditation standards.
3. Ensure that patients’ healthcare information is complete, accurate, protected, and readily available to healthcare providers when needed.
4. Analyze medical information vital to quality medical care, using and understanding both traditional and electronic records.

A Professional Practice Experience (PPE) is required of all students in their final semester of the program.  Sites may vary in their requirements; however, students must be prepared to provide or perform the following requirements to be cleared to participate in a PPE.

• All health requirements must be met for both Commonwealth of Massachusetts and individual PPE site (where you go for hands on experience)
• A Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) and Sex Offender Record Information (SORI) or a National seven-year background check including all aliases will be performed prior to PPE assignment.  These checks will be performed prior to being assigned to a site.  A site may perform a second background check through their facility.
• Sites may require a drug test.
• PPE activities will be scheduled according to the site and program needs. That means your site may be outside of Springfield, including but not limited to Western or Central Massachusetts or Northern Connecticut and in some special circumstances, out of Massachusetts. The actual hours of the experience will be during the day and mutually agreed upon between the site and the facility coordinator. The cost of traveling to a site is your responsibility.
• Sites have the right to refuse your participation if you have not met all their requirements, including but not limited to immunizations, background checks, flu vaccinations, PPD, non-smoking status and drug testing.
• Malpractice insurance may be required at your cost and will be arranged with the College.
• Sites will have a dress code typically business casual, they may have additional requirements like having to use their identification badge.
• Visible body piercings and tattoos are generally not allowed at sites.

Program Outcomes

Reporting Period:	Retention Rate	Job Placement Rate	RHIT Exam Pass Rate
2019-2020	100%	83%	100%

Student must achieve a “C” (73%) or better in all HIT, MED, and BIO courses. Students unable to meet the minimum requirements will be withdrawn from the program.
 

 

Name	Title	Office	Phone	Email
Laura Piquette, MHA, RHIA, CDHP, CDIP	Program Chair/Assistant Professor	02/231	413-755-5461	lpiquette@stcc.edu
Louise Corcoran, MBA, RHIA, CCS, CPHI	Adjunct Faculty			lgcorcoran@stcc.edu
Tracey McKethan	Adjunct Faculty			tmckethan@stcc.edu
Melissa A. Pereira, RHIA, CCS, CCS-P	Instructor	02/228	413-755-4680	mapereira2001@stcc.edu