Allied Health: Medical Support (AHMS)

AHMS 105 Health Care Delivery

Credits: 2

Term: (F, S)

This introductory course acquaints students with an overall view of the healthcare system. Topics include organization, financing, and delivery of healthcare through various types of facilities, agencies, health organizations, and hospitals. Medical ethics, professional behavior, and patient rights are also covered.

AHMS 108 Health Data Content & Structure

Credits: 3

Term: (F, S)

This course provides orientation to the health information department and its organization interrelationships in healthcare facilities. This course also covers the content and format of the health record (both conventional and alternative formats), quantitative and qualitative analysis of the record according to regulatory and accreditation standards, numbering, filing, retention, storage, and destruction of records. Application will be provided using extensive discussion and assignments designed to approximate real life situations.

AHMS 144 Medical Terminology

Credits: 3

Term: (F, S, Su)

The goals of this course are to promote knowledge of the elements of medical terminology for professional and personal development, the ability to spell and pronounce medical terms, an understanding of medical abbreviations, and an appreciation of the logical method found in medical terminology. This includes word analysis and word building. Knowledge of terms relating to body structures, positions, directions, divisions, and planes will be required. An awareness of current health events is encouraged, as is knowledge of basic scientific and specialty areas in healthcare practice.

AHMS 157 Healthcare Reimbursement Methodologies

Credits: 4

Term: (F, others based upon sufficient demand)

Prerequisite OR Corequisite: AHMS 144 and AHMS 108

This course covers healthcare reimbursement, revenue cycle, chargemaster, compliance regulations, and activities related to revenue management (coding compliance, fraud, and abuse).

AHMS 158 Legal and Regulatory Aspects of Healthcare

Credits: 3

Term: (S)

Prerequisite: WRIT 095 or higher

This course covers basic knowledge of the legal, regulatory, and ethical aspects of healthcare including: doctrines, principles, and processes of civil law; state licensure and national accreditation standards; and professional requirements for personal liability, confidentiality, and documentation of the health record. Application will be provided using extensive discussion and assignments designed to approximate real life situations.

AHMS 160 Beginning Procedural Coding

Credits: 3

Term: (F, S)

Prerequisite OR Corequisite: BIOH 104 or BIOH 112 or both BIOH 201 and AHMS 201

The structure, format, and use of CPT coding for physician and non-physician services is the purpose of this course. Case studies and lab exercises are used to develop basic procedural coding skills that cover all sections of the CPT coding manual, with a focus on the interpretation of CPT manual section guidelines and proper modifier usage.

AHMS 164 Beginning Diagnosis Coding: ICD-10

Credits: 3

Term: (F)

Prerequisite: BIOH 104 or BIOH 112 or BIOH 201

Prerequisite OR Corequisite: AHMS 201

This course covers basic and intermediate levels of theory and application of ICD-CM principles and guidelines for coding and sequencing diagnoses and procedures. Students perform basic and intermediate coding using real health records, case studies, and scenarios. Application will focus on the use of the electronic ICD-10-CM with an overview of encoder software. This coding class involves hands-on coding, and knowledge of basic use of applicable coding books or the electronic ICD-10-CM.

AHMS 201 Medical Science

Credits: 3

Term: (F, S)

Prerequisite: AHMS 144 and either BIOH 112 or BIOH 201

This course provides basic knowledge of the most common diseases, anomalies, treatments, and procedures needed to analyze healthcare documentation for various health science support functions including abstracting, coding, transcription, auditing, and reimbursement. Drug classification, diagnostic tests, pathology, laboratory, radiology, nuclear medicine, and ultrasound procedures are also included.

AHMS 208 Healthcare Statistics

Credits: 2

Term: (F, others based upon sufficient demand)

Prerequisite OR Corequisite: M 088 or M 090

This course will include gathering, compilation, and computing of healthcare-related statistics, and the use of research, surveys, and statistical methods for developing healthcare data into information for various requesters.

AHMS 212 CPT Coding

Credits: 3

Term: (F, S)

Prerequisite: AHMS 160

A basic understanding of the CPT and coding principles should already be established. This course covers extensive procedural coding protocols that apply to interpreting and abstracting data from case studies and authentic outpatient-based medical records. Proper use of HCPCS level II codes, ASC modifiers, and code sequencing is stressed. Applications include the use of encoder software to determine APC and RBRVS calculations, as well as CCI compliance.

AHMS 213 ICD-10 Coding

Credits: 3

Term: (S)

Prerequisite: AHMS 164

Basic understanding of diagnostic and procedural coding principles should already be established. The course requires interpreting ICD-10-CM coding and reporting guidelines to sequence and assign appropriate diagnostic codes for both inpatient and various outpatient settings. Compliance issues associated with various IPPS reimbursement systems such as MS-DRGs, as well as APCs are covered. Encoder software will complement the ICD-10-CM manual in the application of coding processes. Clinical information will be interpreted from brief case studies and progress to the coding of health record excerpts.

AHMS 227 Health Information Management

Credits: 3

Term: (F, others based on sufficient demand)

Prerequisite OR Corequisite: AHMS 108

General and financial management topics are studied in this course. The management functions of planning, organizing, directing, and controlling are related to the healthcare environment. Specific healthcare examples of budgeting, managerial accounting and selection, procurement, and maintenance of equipment and supplies are provided through extensive application of healthcare-related case studies and student projects.

AHMS 240 Clinical Quality Assessment

Credits: 3

Term: (S, others based upon sufficient demand)

Prerequisite: M 088 or M 090

The principles and procedures of quality, utilization, risk, and compliance processes used to improve the quality of patient health care are taught in this course. Quality assessment and improvement standards and requirements of licensing, accrediting, fiscal and other regulatory agencies are presented. Methods for identifying variations and deficiencies for follow-up action will be achieved using extensive discussion and assignments designed to approximate real life situations.

AHMS 275 HIT-Professional Practice Experience

Credits: 1

Term: (S)

Prerequisite: AHMS 108, AHMS 157, AHMS 158, AHMS 160, AHMS 164, AHMS 208, and AHMS 227

All main HIT courses must be completed before taking this course. Students in this course will gain professional practice experience in their program of study, create written records of their experiences, and complete assigned projects as indicated. The student is required to locate a site, and complete all preclinical requirements (e.g., contract, clearance, site paperwork) prior to the start date of the course.

AHMS 285 HICS/Coding Professional Practice Experience

Credits: 2

Term: (S)

Prerequisite: AHMS 108, AHMS 157, AHMS 160, and AHMS 164

Corequisite: AHMS 212 and AHMS 213

Lab based course in which students utilize the Automated Coding Software. The Automated Coding Software exposes students to software utilized in health information management and healthcare reimbursement. This course is a mastery-level course, where students utilize skills acquired in previous programmatic courses. Coding of authentic records will be included. This course serves as a virtual practical experience.

AHMS 288 HIT Exam Preparation

Credits: 1

Term: (S)

Prerequisite OR Corequisite: AHMS 275

The course provides a forum for students to prepare for the Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) national examination sponsored through AHIMA. Reviewing and integrating new knowledge, regulations, and standards in the field of health information technology will be achieved. Guidance on the completion of job applications, preparing a resume, writing cover and follow-up letters, and job interviews (as both applicant and interviewer) are studied and practiced.