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HEALTH INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (0370)
Health Science Division
RECOMMENDED COURSES FOR CAREER
ASSOCIATE OF SCIENCE DEGREE PROGRAM
The online associate degree program in Health Information Technology at Darton State
College is designed to prepare the student for entry-level employment as a health information
technician who performs tasks related to the use, analysis, presentation, abstracting, coding,
storage and the retrieval of health care data in manual or electronic form.
The program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and
Information Management Education.
Graduates are eligible to apply for the national examination given by the American Health
Information Management Association. Upon successful completion of the examination, the
health information technician is awarded the professional credential of a Registered Health
Information Technician (RHIT) by the American Health Information Management
Association.
This program begins once a year in the fall semester. Applications are accepted
January 1 to May 31 for consideration.
Admission Requirements:
For full consideration for admission to the Health Information Technology program, the
student must:
1. Be admitted to Darton State College.
2. Complete all required Learning Support courses.
3. Complete all pre-requisite courses with a “C” or better.
4. Have a minimum GPA of 2.5.
5. Complete and submit an application for admission to the program to the Program
Director by May 31.
Additional Requirements:
1. Students with 2 unsuccessful attempts in program course are ineligible for program
re-admission. Withdrawing from an HITE course is considered an unsuccessful
attempt. A course grade of “D” or “F” is considered an unsuccessful attempt.
2. High speed internet connection is highly recommended for optimal use of AHIMA’s
Virtual Lab applications.
3. Professional liability insurance is required. The cost of this insurance is
approximately $17.50 per year and is included in the fees.
4. Because of the nature of the profession, the student is required to sign and abide
by a statement that the student will honor the confidential nature of health/medical
records (HIPPA). A charge of breach of confidentiality will be treated according to
the procedures outlined in the Student Handbook, "Code of Conduct.”
5. Student membership in the American Health Information Management Association
is recommended. The cost of student membership is $35 per year.
6. A student may be denied permission to continue in the program if, in the opinion
of the faculty, the Dean of Health Sciences, and the Vice President for Academic
Affairs, the student does not demonstrate the necessary qualifications for a health
information technician.
7. To satisfactorily complete the curriculum and to develop the skills required of an
entry level health information technician, the student must demonstrate:
a. Visual Acuity (with or without corrective lenses): to read paper,
microfilm, and electronic documents.
b. Physical Ability: to process reports and records, to operate equipment
necessary for record keeping (for example, manually operated filing