Program Description
This blended format course series prepares students to sit for the certification exam for Certified Associate in Healthcare Information & Management Systems (CAHIMS). Health IT professionals assist in the implementation and utilization of Electronic Health Records in various healthcare settings, while operating within state and federal guidelines. They analyze, improve, and implement technology and workflow solutions to improve patient care, and support the growing use of technology throughout all aspects of healthcare.
Program Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this Continuing Education Workforce Certificate, students will be able to:
1. apply the knowledge and skills to be an effective IT team member in a healthcare setting,
2. demonstrate the knowledge of critical privacy and security standards for the Health IT industry,
3. prepare for the certification exam for Certified Associate in Healthcare Information & Management Systems, and
4. prepare to gain employment in the Health IT field.
Program Credentials
CCBC Credential: Students will receive a Continuing Education Workforce Certificate, and will have access to a Continuing Education academic record (transcript).
External Credential: Students will be prepared to sit for the certification exam for Certified Associate in Healthcare Information & Management Systems (CAHIMS).
Certifying Organization: Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society; www.himss.org
Financial Aid and Payment Options
CCBC currently offers Continuing Education (CE) financial aid to those who qualify. We package public and private funding options to benefit students which include COVID-19 relief funding, the Maryland Sequence Scholarship, CCBC Opportunity Grant funding, Maryland Promise, and Baltimore County College Promise. Financial aid funding is available for select CE courses and programs.
Additional opportunities for financial support include partial payment options through Nelnet Business Solutions and tuition waivers for those who qualify. Resources outside of CCBC may also be available through employer/sponsor paid tuition, the Department of Rehabilitation Services (DORS), and your local office of workforce development.
For more information about funding resources and how to apply for them, please contact the CCBC Continuing Education Information Center at 443-840-4700.
Program Length
13 months. Courses start in the fall and spring at CCBC Essex
Program Requirements
Information/Orientation:
Orientation sessions are held in the fall and the winter.
Please see the Continuing Education Class Schedule for details
Requirements:
Degree or certification in healthcare field or IT field or 5 years related work experience. Prior completion of AHE 534 Medical Terminology for Health Occupations or AHL 717 Challenge Exam for Medical Terminology. Students must be computer literate and have computer access.
Application Process
To apply, go to www.ccbcmd.edu/apply and complete the CCBC Continuing Education Workforce Certificate application. An email will then be sent with program information and any additional requirements necessary to apply for the program.
Provisional Entry – Documentation of healthcare or IT background: degree or certification in the healthcare field or IT field or 5 years related work experience. Documentation of completed medical terminology course AHE 534 or AHL 717 or AHE 124.
Prior Learning Assessment
This program has potential options for waiving select courses based on previous coursework or articulated coursework from an approved curriculum. Maximum number of program hours that may be earned from prior learning: 52
Program Course Sequence
AHL867
|
Foundations of Health Information Technology
(online course)
|
30
|
1) “Health IT and EHR’s: Principles & Practice, 6th ed.”; $120;
2) ”Health Information Management Technology: An Applied Approach, 5th ed.”; $150
|
$399
T-$120/F-$279
|
AHL 823
Or
AHE 641
|
Introduction to IT & Computer Science – for students with Healthcare background
Introduction to Healthcare Systems – for students with IT background
|
20
15
|
AHL 823 – None
AHE 641 – Introduction to Health Care; 4th Edition; $170
|
$199
T-$60/F-$139
|
AHL 819
|
Working in Teams
(online course)
|
6
|
None
|
$109
T-$33/F-$76
|
AHL 943
|
Health Management Information Systems
|
40
|
1) Same as AHL 867;
2) AHIMA Virtual Lab pass; $110
|
$589
T-$177/F-$412
|
AHL 825
|
Quality Management
(online course)
|
12
|
None
|
$199
T-$60/F-$139
|
AHL 944
|
Information Technology Vendor Management
(online course)
|
12
|
None
|
$199
T-$60/F-$139
|
AHL 820
|
EHR Process, Design & Implementation
|
60
|
Same as AHL 867
|
$869
T-$261/F-$608
|
AHL 827
|
Public Health IT
(online course)
|
6
|
None
|
$109
T-$33/F-$76
|
Course Series Totals:
|
181-186
|
$550
|
$2672
T-$804/F-$1868
|
Additional Information
Additional Expenses:
CAHIMS Certification exam $250
Skills for Success:
Candidates must be self-motivated, independent learners, as the program is a mixture of fully online and blended format (both online and face-to-face classroom) courses. They need strong writing and analytical skills. In the workplace, they will need strong analytical, communication and management skills, as well as the ability to work both independently and in teams
Career Opportunities:
Depending on prior educational and work experience, there are a range of job opportunities as Systems Analysts, Workflow Specialists, Software Specialists, and Implementation Support Specialists.
Career Coach
Research your career interests, explore live job postings, take a career assessment, discover which companies in the Baltimore region are hiring, and more. View a brief tutorial video on how to use Career Coach at: https://youtu.be/C7KpznbPYfA . Explore career and training opportunities at: https://ccbcmd.emsicc.com/.
Program Contact Information
Director: Lynette Higgins | lhiggins@ccbcmd.edu | 443-840-5716 |Owings Mills | Suite 302
Administrative Assistant: 443-840-4483 |Owings Mills | Suite 302