The Health Information Technology Associate of Applied Science Degree Program is offered through the Southern Illinois Collegiate Common Market (SICCM) and is a cooperative program with John A. Logan College, Kaskaskia College, Rend Lake College and Shawnee Community College. 

    

Students are admitted to the Health Information (HIT) Program and register for all courses on their home campus. General education courses are taken on the home campus, but HIT core courses are taught at the Southern Illinois Collegiate Common Market Regional Instructional Center. After all classes and clinical internships are completed within the HIT program, students graduate from their entering college.  

Because the regions of the five cooperating colleges are large, traveling is an integral element of the consortium program. Time commitment is significant in this intense curriculum, and includes travel to HIT classes and clinical assignments. Efforts are made to minimize travel where possible, accomplished by grouping classes together.  

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Graduated from an approved high school, or shall demonstrate equivalent competency (G.E.D. examination).

Fulfill admission policies for the institution to which application is made. Each participating institution in SICCM has its own admission procedure. Please follow these directions.  Admission to the program is based on the ASSET test.  Students may apply at only one community college for entrance into a program.

The SICCM HIT Program admission process does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, sex, age or the presence of a non-job related condition or disability. Each college does give preference to its in-district students.

OBJECTIVES

Upon completion of this Health Information Technology Program, the technician must be able to demonstrate the entry- level competencies for Health Information Technicians. The graduate should possess the technical skills needed to:

1	Maintain health record systems consistent with medical, legal, ethical, and administrative requirements;
2	Interpret and implement various regulations of the modern health care delivery system;
3	Apply specific standards in analyzing and evaluating records;
4	Compile various statistical reports and analyze and validate data;
5	Code diseases, systems, operations, and procedures;
6	Design, select, implement and evaluate departmental operations and information systems;
7	Monitor healthcare reimbursement systems by analyzing case-mix payment rates to determine reimbursement optimization;
8	Maintain and utilize a variety of health record indexes, storage and retrieval systems;
9	Understand the importance of confidential communications and apply the principles of release of information.

10	Develop and maintain the electronic health record.

ACCREDITATION STATUS

The SICCM/HIT Program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education. Graduates of the SICCM/HIT Program will qualify to sit for the national certification examination. This examination is given throughout the year. Successful completion of this exam confers the title of Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT).
 

For more information concerning the HIT Program, contact your local campus admissions office:

John A. Logan College, Carterville, IL  
618/985-3741
618/542-8612
618/549-7335
1-800-851-4720

Kaskasia College, Centralia, IL  
618/545-3000
 

Rend Lake College, Ina, IL
618/437-5321
1-800-369-5321

Shawnee Community College, Ullin, IL
618/634-3247
1-800-481-2242

Mary Sullivan Ph.D, RHIA
sullivan@siccm.com
Director of the Health Information Technology Program
3213 South Park Avenue Herrin, IL 62948
618/942-6902 Fax 618/942-6658

Chris Froemling, RHIT, CCS
cfroemling@siccm.com
Assistant Director of the Health Information Technology Program
3213 South Park Avenue Herrin, IL 62948
618/942-6902 Fax 618/942-6658