Self-Study
Health Information
Management Programs Review
Bachelor of
Science in Health Information Administration
Associate of
Science in Health Information Technology
Healthcare Coding
Certificate
College of
Business and Information Systems
Site Visit April
26, 2007
Table of Contents
Part 1:
Institutional History
Part 2: Trends in
the Discipline
Part 3: Academic Program
and Curriculum
Part 4: Program
Enrollment and Student Placement
Part 5: Faculty
Credentials
Part 6: Academic
and Financial Support
Part 7: Facilities
and Equipment
Part 8: Assessment
and Strategic Plans
PART 1:
INSTITUTIONAL HISTORY
DSU History
service since its founding in 1881 as the first teacher education institution in the Dakota
Territory. For most
of its history, DSU has been identified with teacher preparation, first as a
normal school and later as a four-year public college. The University has had
several different names, among them Madison Normal,
century. In order to provide its academic programs to a broader audience, DSU has
promoted the use of distance education to deliver academic courses and programs.
2004, DSU was one of ten colleges in the country named a National Center of Academic
Excellence in Information Assurance Education by the National Security Agency. The
university recently installed the first iris recognition
system in the state of
as part of a biometrics initiative that is tied to academic programs in computer security.
DSU is the first university in the state and one of the few in the country to implement a
wireless mobile computing initiative using the Gateway
Notebook. As society’s educational needs change,
DSU
The
Legislature established
in programs in computer management, computer information systems, and other related
undergraduate and graduate programs as outlined in SDCL 13-59-2.2. A special emphasis
is the preparation of the elementary and secondary teachers with expertise in the use of
computer technology and information processing in the teaching and learning process.
The Board implemented SDCL 13-59-2.2 by authorizing undergraduate and graduate
programs that are technology-infused and promote excellence in teaching and learning.
These programs support research, scholarly and creative activities and provide service
to the State of
College
Organizational Structure and
The Health Information Management Programs are located
within the
The
|
BIS Coordinator/Director |
Academic Areas |
|
Business Coordinator |
Business Administration
Business Education Business Management |
|
Health Information Management (HIM) Director |
Health Information Administration Health Information Technology Healthcare Coding Certificate |
|
Information Technology Coordinator |
Computer Science Application Programming |
The mission
of the
“The
mission of the
Also, the
“In
addition to individual teaching, advising, scholarship and service the college
will focus on the following initiatives: To encourage and facilitate regional
recognition and leadership in information technology management; to encourage
and facilitate effective teaching within a dynamic learning environment; to encourage
and facilitate professional development of the faculty and staff; and to
encourage and facilitate service to the university and other
stakeholders.”
Health Information Management Programs
It is the mission of the Health Information Management Programs to prepare students for professional and technical areas of health information management in hospitals, clinics, and related health facilities and agencies. Our goals are to encourage and facilitate a dynamic, positive and effective learning environment for students, encourage and facilitate professional development and scholarship of the faculty and staff, and to develop and promote faculty and student relationships with professional organizations and health facilities and agencies.
History of
Health Information Management Programs
Dakota State University (DSU) has been offering degrees in health information management (HIM) since 1975. We started with an associate's degree in medical record technology and have evolved to providing an associate's degree in health information technology (HIT) and a bachelor's degree in health information administration (HIA) as well as a certificate in healthcare coding and a specialization within the MSIS and D.Sc. in IS graduate degrees.
Both the Health Information Technology Program and the Health
Information Administration Program have been continuously accredited since
The HIM Programs first became involved in distance education by offering
the HIM 300-400 level courses electronically via the internet in 1997. The 100-200 level HIM courses were added to
the distance delivery courses in the Fall 2003 by
using webcasting technologies via the internet.
It is now possible for students to obtain the HIT degree, HIA degree
and/or healthcare coding certificate without traveling to the DSU campus
through the use of distance courses offered by DSU and the other
Program Reviews
The Health Information Administration Program and the Health Information Technology Program are accredited by the Commission on the Accreditation of Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM). Both programs have been continuously accredited since their initial accreditation.
The process for accreditation reviews has been modified by the accrediting body over the years. At one time, accreditation review required a self-study document and site visit at a designated time period; for example, a program could be accredited for a period of 8 years, and at the end of that time, the next review would be due. The time frames varied depending on the quality of the results of the review. Then the process changed to require programs to submit a Report of Current Status, similar to a self-study document, on a biannual basis; and site visits were required only when problems were identified. There were no longer varying lengths of accreditation periods. The most recent accreditation process change now requires programs to submit data annually; with more comprehensive documentation and site visits required when problems are identified.
On our last accreditation reviews for the HIT and HIA programs under the initial process of varying time frames, both programs were awarded the maximum length of accreditation with no deficiencies. Our last accreditation reviews by the Report of Current Status reports were submitted in November of 2001 with satisfactory results. The outcomes for both the HIT and HIA programs under the accreditation review process now in place, called Annual Program Assessment Report (APAR), have been satisfactory.
The Healthcare Coding Certificate was initially approved by the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) in the Fall of 2003 through a process of submitting a self-study document. The next comprehensive evaluation of the program by the AHIMA Approval Committee for Certificate Programs (ACCP) is scheduled to occur in 2008-2009.
The South Dakota Board of Regents also requires all academic programs to participate in an external review process called the Institutional Program Review on a periodic basis. The last review of the Health Information Management Programs for this process was completed in the 2000-2001 academic year. At that time only the health information administration and health information technology programs were reviewed as the healthcare coding certificate had not been started.
Recommendations from the Institutional Program Review included suggestions
to increase promotion/marketing to other HIT programs, expand course offerings
via distance delivery, and explore offering master’s level health information
management curriculum. Since that time,
marketing efforts have included distributing information regarding our distance
courses to all accredited HIT and HIA programs, particularly noting the
progression opportunities for HIT graduates to obtain the HIA degree, as well
as advertising in national venues such as the magazine “Advance for Health
Information Professionals” with distribution at national conventions for both
the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) and the
Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS). There has been significant growth in the
number and variety of distance courses offered by all of the
Recommendations from the Institutional Program Review related to curriculum included a suggestion to reduce the amount of content related to medical transcription and to increase the amount of content related to healthcare reimbursement. Curriculum changes were made to eliminate the medical transcription course from the required courses for the HIT and HIA degree and additional time and credit were added to the healthcare coding and reimbursement class. In addition, it was suggested that we continue curriculum assessment to ensure that the required knowledge cluster content is evident and at the appropriate competency level for both the baccalaureate and associate degree levels. This is an on-going process and all faculty members of the HIM Programs are involved in reviewing course content in relation to accreditation standards.
PART 2: TRENDS
IN THE DISCIPLINE
Health Information
Management
The push for electronic health records (EHRs) and their physician-originated counterpart, electronic medical records (EMRs), has gained significant momentum. We can expect the implementation of some versions of the EHR.-including portable EHRs, payer-based EHRs, ambulatory EHRs and inpatient EHRs-to become more widespread.[1] According to Weber, clearly, electronic storage and exchange of health data represent the wave of the future.[2]
Health information management expanded into electronic health records management in conjunction with the advancement of new technologies. Health records are no longer made up of just discharge summaries, progress notes, physicians' orders, and flow sheets. Electronic reports from the laboratory and pharmacy, e-mail and voice messages containing protected health information (PHI), digital x-rays, digital photographs from the emergency department, material received from other facilities, video files of cardiac catheterizations, and audio recordings of heartbeats are all part of the clinical data gathered about patients. Consequently, all electronic information that is generated about patients in healthcare organizations—regardless of the record type and medium—may be classified as part of the electronic health record. As such, all the different, electronic types of records, such as e-mail and voice mail records, and all the different data types, such as discrete, free-text, diagnostic image, document image, vector graphic, audio, and video data that are part of the EHR must be well understood and well managed.[3]
Nationally, according to the US Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment of health information technicians is expected to grow much faster than average for all occupations through 2014:
Job prospects should be very good.
Employment of medical records and health information technicians is expected to
grow much faster than average for all occupations through 2014 because of rapid
growth in the number of medical tests, treatments, and procedures that will be
increasingly scrutinized by health insurance companies, regulators, courts, and
consumers. Also, technicians will be needed to enter patient information into
computer databases to comply with Federal legislation mandating the use of
electronic patient records.
Although employment growth in
hospitals will not keep pace with growth in other health care industries, many
new jobs will, nevertheless, be created. The majority of new jobs is expected in offices of physicians as a result of
increasing demand for detailed records, especially in large group practices.
Rapid growth also is expected in home health care services, outpatient care
centers, and nursing and residential care facilities. Additional job openings
will result from the need to replace technicians who retire or leave the
occupation permanently.
Technicians with a strong background in medical coding will be in particularly high demand. Changing government regulations and the growth of managed care have increased the amount of paperwork involved in filing insurance claims. Additionally, health care facilities are having difficulty attracting qualified workers, primarily because of the lack of both formal training programs and sufficient resources to provide on-the-job training for coders. Job opportunities may be especially good for coders employed through temporary help agencies or by professional services firms.[4]
In addition, the job outlook for managers in the health care field are also showing that employment is projected to increase:
Employment
of medical and health services managers is expected to grow faster than average
for all occupations through 2014, as the health care industry continues to
expand and diversify. Job opportunities will be especially good in offices of
health practitioners, general medical and surgical hospitals, home health care
services, and outpatient care centers. Applicants with work experience in the
health care field and strong business and management skills should have the
best opportunities. Competition for jobs at the highest management levels will
be keen because of the high pay and prestige.
Managers in all settings will be
needed to improve quality and efficiency of health care while controlling
costs, as insurance companies and Medicare demand higher levels of
accountability. Managers also will be needed to computerize patient records and
to ensure their security as required by law. Additional demand for managers
will stem from the need to recruit workers and increase employee retention, to
comply with changing regulations, to implement new technology, and to help
improve the health of their communities by emphasizing preventive care.
Hospitals will continue to employ
the most medical and health services managers over the 2004-14 projection period. However, the number of new jobs created is expected
to increase at a slower rate in hospitals than in many other industries because
of the growing utilization of clinics and other outpatient care sites. Despite
relatively slow employment growth, a large number of new jobs will be created
because of the industry’s large size. Medical and health services managers with
experience in large facilities will enjoy the best job opportunities, as
hospitals become larger and more complex.
Employment will grow fastest in
practitioners’ offices and in home health care agencies. Many services
previously provided in hospitals will continue to shift to these sectors,
especially as medical technologies improve. Demand in medical group practice
management will grow as medical group practices become larger and more complex.
Managers with specialized experience in a particular field, such as
reimbursement, should have good opportunities.
Medical and health services managers also will be employed by health care management companies that provide management services to hospitals and other organizations, as well as to specific departments such as emergency, information management systems, managed care contract negotiations, and physician recruiting. [5]
Healthcare Industry
As noted by Wilson and Lankton (2004)[6] , the healthcare industry accounted for 14% of the U.S. GDP ($1.31 trillion) and is projected to rise to $2.6 trillion. Moreover, the industry is experiencing significant changes with the introduction of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), mergers and acquisition, proliferation of online healthcare information (e-health), and increasing demand for technology support such as electronic access to health records, and clinical information systems. Clearly, such changes will impact the demand for health information management professionals to support the demands of this industry.
There
will be an increasing demand for health care professionals as the population of
South Dakota ages [from 110,000 persons 65 years and older in 2000 to 188,000
in 2025], as new technologies in the medical field require further
specialization, and as the health care delivery sector of South Dakota grows.
There currently exists clear shortages of nurses and pharmacists in
Just
some of the data from the
- South Dakota’s health care
industry is a major source of employment and earnings in South Dakota,
accounting for nearly 43,850 workers (or 11.7 percent of all wage and
salaried workers) and 14.5 percent of employer payrolls statewide in 2005.
- The number of workers in South Dakota’s health care industry increased by 24.3 percent over the last 10 years, significantly higher than the 12.8 percent increase among all industries. Average annual pay of health care workers also increased faster than for their counterparts in all industries combined, at 45.0 percent compared to 40.7 percent.
- The health care and social
assistance industry is projected to be
- Nearly all health care
occupations are projected to have favorable or very favorable job outlook
in
- Almost all health care
professions in
Distance Education
Place-bound, non-traditional adult students will continue to
be a population requiring additional services from public higher education in
Curriculum Implications
The trends in the healthcare industry and health information management indicate an increasing need to prepare graduates to work as health information managers. Clearly these students must also be ready to work in a field that is becoming more technological with electronic health records.
Distance delivery of courses will help to reach students that have time constraints or are geographically unable to attend campus classes; thus increasing the pool of students and potential graduates to work in the health information management field.
There is also a need to remain current with the technology utilized by the practitioners in the field; this means obtaining and using software products for the health information functions. The health information management program uses Microsoft Office products, such as Word, Access, and Excel to simulate a number of tasks as well as using HIM-specific applications, such as 3M encoder and grouper and 3M Health Data Management. Medical records have been scanned into electronic files and students are no longer using paper-based records for laboratory experiences.
PART 3: ACADEMIC
PROGRAMS AND CURRICULUM
Curriculum
Health Information Management at
|
Course |
Credits |
Coding Certificate |
Associate Degree |
Baccalaureate Degree |
|
|
ACCT 210 |
Principles Accounting I |
3 |
|
|
X |
|
BADM 220 |
Business Statistics |
3 |
|
|
X |
|
BADM 360 |
Organization & Management |
3 |
|
|
X |
|
BADM 460 |
Human Resources Management |
3 |
|
|
X |
|
BIOL 151 |
General Biology |
4 |
X |
X |
X |
|
BIOL 323 |
Human Anatomy and Physiology |
4 |
X |
X |
X |
|
CIS 130 or CSC 150 |
Visual Basic Programming or Computer Science I |
3 |
|
X |
X |
|
CIS 325 |
Management Information Systems |
3 |
|
X |
X |
|
CSC 105 |
Introduction to Computers |
3 |
X |
X |
X |
|
CSC 206 |
Adv. Computer Applications: Access |
1 |
|
|
X |
|
ENGL 101 |
Composition I |
3 |
|
X |
X |
|
ENGL 202 |
Composition 2 |
3 |
|
|
X |
|
HIM 130 |
Basic Medical Terminology |
2 |
X |
X |
X |
|
HIM 150 |
Intro. to the Health Info. Management |
3 |
X |
X |
X |
|
HIM 160 |
Health Care Coding Systems |
3 |
X |
X |
X |
|
HIM 170 |
Legal Aspects of Health Info. Mgmt |
3 |
X |
X |
X |
|
HIM 250 |
Alternative Site Health Info. Mgmt |
2 |
X |
X |
X |
|
HIM 252 |
Basic Foundations of Health Data Systems |
3 |
|
X |
X |
|
HIM 260 |
Fundamentals of Human Diseases |
5 |
X |
X |
X |
|
HIM 262 |
Advanced Coding & Reimbursement |
4 |
X |
X |
X |
|
HIM 265 |
Management of Quality/Funct. of HIM |
4 |
|
X |
X |
|
HIM 285 |
Supervised Professional Practice |
2 |
|
X |
X |
|
HIM 286 |
Supervised Professional Practice |
1 |
|
X |
X |
|
HIM 287 |
Supervised Professional Practice |
3 |
|
X |
X |
|
HIM 291 |
Coding Experience |
1 |
X |
|
|
|
HIM 360 |
Management of Health Info. Centers I |
3 |
|
|
X |
|
HIM 361 |
Management of Health Info. Centers II |
3 |
|
|
X |
|
HIM 443 |
Current Trends in Health Care Delivery |
3 |
|
|
X |
|
HIM 444 |
Advanced Health Data Systems |
3 |
|
|
X |
|
HIM 450 |
Research in HIA |
3 |
|
|
X |
|
HIM 485 |
Health Info. Administration Supervised Prof. Practice |
4 |
|
|
X |
|
MATH 102 |
College Algebra |
3 |
|
X |
X |
|
OED 344 |
Business Communications |
3 |
|
|
X |
|
WEL 100 |
Wellness for Life |
1 |
|
|
X |
|
WEL 100L |
Wellness for Life Lab |
1 |
|
|
X |
|
*Select from list |
General Education Natural Sciences course |
3 |
|
|
X |
|
*Select from list |
General Education Oral Communication course |
3 |
|
X |
X |
|
*Select from list |
General Education Social Science course |
3 |
|
X |
X |
|
*Select from list |
General Education Social Science course |
3 |
|
|
X |
|
*Select from list |
General Education Arts & Humanities course |
3 |
|
X |
X |
|
*Select from list |
General Education Arts & Humanities course |
3 |
|
|
X |
|
*Select from list |
Institutional Graduation Written Communication course |
3 |
|
|
X |
|
|
Electives |
9 |
|
|
X |
|
|
Total Credits |
|
34 |
67 |
128 |
* Healthcare Coding Certificate (HCC)
The Health Care Coding Certificate program prepares students with entry-level skills needed to code, classify, and index diagnoses and procedures for the purpose of reimbursement, standardization, retrieval and statistical analysis. Principles in ICD-9-CM coding, CPT coding, and third-party reimbursement will be emphasized. The courses within the Health Care Coding Certificate program are also applicable to the A.S. in Health Information Technology and the B.S. in Health Information Administration and students may wish to progress into those programs.
An important part of the Coding Certificate Program is the supervised professional practice. This internship is completed at a healthcare facility to provide for hands-on reinforcement of the classroom instruction.
Graduates of the health care coding certificate may wish to write American Health Information Management Association's certification examination to become a Certified Coding Associate (CCA).
* A.S. in Health Information Technology (HIT)
Students in this program are prepared for a technical area of service in hospitals, clinics and related health facilities, and agencies related to health care. Graduates are qualified to serve as entry level health information technicians performing tasks involved in the collection, retrieval, manipulation, analysis, and dissemination of health information utilizing clinical, computer, and business skills. The health information technician performs technical duties vital to the operation of a health information management/medical record department in any health care facility, as well as to a wide array of product and service companies supporting healthcare.
An important aspect of the Health Information Management Programs is the supervised professional practice (SPP) component. These field experiences provide students the opportunity to participate in supervised clinical activities in hospitals and other health care settings designed to reinforce the classroom and laboratory learning experiences. There are three SPP experiences within the HIT major. The first is an 80-hour experience usually completed in a small acute care general hospital, the second is a 49-hour experience completed in a non-acute care hospital setting, such as a clinic, long term care facility, health insurance company, specialty hospital or registry, home care, hospice, community health, etc., and the final SPP is a 120-hour experience at a medium-large acute care hospital.
Graduates of the HIT program are eligible to write American Health Information Management Association's certification examination to become a Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT).
* B.S. in Health Information Administration (HIA)
Students in this program are prepared with the technical skills, as well as the administrative knowledge and skills for a professional area of services in similar institutions as the technician. Graduates are qualified to serve as entry level health information administrators, who are responsible for the management of health information systems consistent with medical, administrative, ethical and legal requirements of the health care delivery system.
The HIA students also complete the very important supervised professional practice (SPP) experiences. They complete the three SPP’s that are included in the HIT degree program as well as an additional 160-hour management practicum at a large hospital.
Graduates of the HIA program are eligible to write American Health Information Management Association's certification examination to become a Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA).
Program Delivery
Although students may enter the HIM Programs at any semester, we have established sample schedules based upon a Fall entry. These sample schedules lay out a plan of study for students which allow the students to finish the coding certificate in 3 semesters (1 year), the HIT students to finish in 6 semesters (2 years), and the HIA students to finish in 12 semesters (4 years). Students who do not enter in the Fall semester, or who have transfer credits, or who need to take pre-general education math or writing courses will follow individualized programs of study based on their needs.
The majority of the HIM-specific courses are offered on a once-a-year basis, with the exception of HIM 130 which is offered in both Fall and Spring semesters and the supervised professional practice and coding experience courses which are completed as arranged for the student. The coding and reimbursement courses may also be offered in the Summer if needed by students at that time to ensure timely completion of their program. The majority of the students complete the supervised professional practices during the Summer term. This frequency of course offerings does meet the needs of the majority of students. However, due to the prerequisite requirements for some courses, this does present a challenge to students who do not start in the Fall semester.
The number of students in each of the courses is limited on both sides by policies and practices that have been established. Current Board of Regent policies require that undergraduate courses must have a minimum of 10 to be scheduled and the HIM Programs have limited our HIM course sizes to a maximum of 25 students per section. Although the instructor may give permission for the maximum limit to be increased to allow a few extra students, additional sections of a course have been added as needed to meet demand (also having the same minimum and maximum class size requirements).
A unique feature of the coursework
in the health information management programs is the distance delivery
component. The 100-200 level health
information management classes (with the exception of HIM 130) are offered for
on-campus students in the
Curriculum management
Curriculums for each program are overseen by working groups made up of faculty that teach in the particular program; therefore, the HIM faculty members are responsible for the curriculum in our coding certificate, health information technology associate degree and health information administration baccalaureate degree. Curriculum modifications initiated at this level are then brought to the college faculty as a whole for approval. They are then forwarded to the university curriculum committee and are acted on under the university policies. A recent change in the curriculum, which will be implemented in the coming year, is the change in coding courses. HIM 262 Advanced Coding and Reimbursement (a 4-credit, 5-hour contact course) has been modified. Reimbursement content has been incorporated into a new course HIM 264 Reimbursement Methodologies (a 1-credit, 2-hour contact course) and HIM 262 will continue to include the coding concepts related to CPT and alternate site coding. HIM 262 will now be a 3-credit, 4-hour contact course. This change allows for additional contact time to allow for more hands-on laboratory experience without increasing the credits required and will also enhance the instruction of reimbursement concepts.
Course content is continually updated and modified to reflect current practices in the health information management field, although this does not usually require formal curriculum modifications. For example, increased use of technology through utilization of scanned medical records, electronic databases, and electronic health record softwares have been incorporated within the classes. Course lectures utilize the most current textbook resources and resources such as the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) Communities of Practice and AHIMA publications are referenced in coursework.
The coding experience and the supervised professional practice experiences provide the students with hands-on field experiences in a variety of settings. Affiliations agreements are utilized with the facilities and providers of those experiences in order to outline the responsibilities of all parties involved. The sites are provided with guidance as to the expectations and learning outcomes for the experience and the effectiveness of the site in providing the experiences is evaluated by both the students and the clinical coordinator who facilitates and monitors the experience as well. The site supervisors are asked to evaluate the student and provide feedback regarding the preparation of the student and suggestions for curriculum.
The Health Information Management Programs have utilized the benefits of an informative and supportive advisory board. The advisory board is a group of professionals working in the health information management field and related fields and people who can provide input, suggestions, and advice for the HIM Programs. The HIM Programs Advisory Board meets at least one time each Fall and Spring semester and the members represent a variety of facilities and viewpoints. For example, we have included people from large and small facilities, from acute care, long term care, and ambulatory care settings, from HIM departments and other related departments. In the past, we have also included a high school counselor to the HIM Programs Advisory Board and someone involved with the post-secondary technical institute system; these people have been helpful in providing input and serving as a resource in helping us with recruitment efforts and transfer issues. They review the curriculum and other aspects of the HIM Programs and are encouraged to give feedback from their perspective.
Accreditation/Approval
The Health Information Management degree programs are accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM). Each program submits data for annual review in CAHIIM’s Annual Program Assessment Report in order to be awarded continuing accreditation. The healthcare coding certificate program has been approved by the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA). The next review is scheduled for 2008-2009.
The curriculum for these programs are guided by the accreditation standards and approval criteria. All courses are reviewed on an ongoing basis to ensure that all domains and subdomains and knowledge clusters required by the accrediting and approval bodies are included in the curriculum.
Dakota State University offers the only health information technology and health information administration programs in South Dakota that are accredited by CAHIIM and the only coding certificate program in South Dakota approved by AHIMA.
PART 4:
PROGRAM ENROLLMENTS AND STUDENT PLACEMENT
Admission standards
Undergraduate admissions requirements are set by the South Dakota Board of Regents. For admission, high school graduates must meet the minimum course requirements with a an average grade of C. Additionally, students must rank in the top 60% of their graduating class or obtain an ACT composite score of 18 or obtain a high school GPA of 2.6. As with most of the majors on campus, the Healthcare Coding Certificate and the associate degree in health information technology programs do not have any additional admission requirements. However, the baccalaureate degree in health information administration does have additional admission requirements and the students must be accepted through a formal admission process.
Formal application to the HIA Program is made during the spring semester while completing the second year courses in the HIT program. Timing will vary among transfer students without the HIT degree, but should coincide with the spring semester while completing the second year courses in the HIT program. Progression RHIT's (RHIT's returning to complete the HIA degree) will apply during their first semester of enrollment. Those students who demonstrate a potential for achievement are admitted to the HIA Program. The application process requires the student to:
1. Complete a questionnaire.
2. Obtain two letters of reference from non-family members and non-AHIMA credentialed faculty.
3. Be
interviewed, during which time the applicant will be presented with a problem
dealing with ethics, management or professional skills to which the student
will respond verbally. For distance education students, this will be done by a
telephone interview. A time will be set up with the panel and the student will
phone using the toll-free number (1-800-641-4309). Students on campus will
complete their interview in person at a scheduled time and site at
4. Complete a release form authorizing information to be reviewed by the HIA Admission Review Committee.
5. Possess a current RHIT certification or a cumulative GPA of 2.7 in all HIM courses within the HIT program as well as an overall cumulative GPA of 2.25 or above. The academic summary will be used to calculate the HIM GPA.
All documentation is to be provided to the HIM Program Director. Transcripts, letters of recommendation, and questionnaires can be faxed to 605-256-5208 or 605-256-5060.
The HIA Admission Review Committee will complete an assessment in which the student is expected to obtain an overall satisfactory rating of 30 points out of a maximum of 45 points.
The members of the HIA Admission Review Committee will include the Director of the HIM Programs, one or more of the members of the faculty of the HIM Programs, a representative from the university’s Career Services or Student Services departments, and a RHIA-credentialed practitioner working in the HIM field.
Program Enrollment
In Fall 2006 overall enrollment for
The students in the health information management programs have included both traditional freshman-age students as well as non-traditional students entering or returning to college at a later age. Overwhelmingly, the students have been female, although at times there have been a few males in our HIM programs. Many of the students in the HIM programs are also taking classes on a part-time basis.
When we started offering our
upper-level HIM courses via the Internet we experienced an increase in our applicant
pool for distance students who would not be coming to the
During the Spring 2007 semester, we have 81 students included on our
list of majors for HIA, HIT and Coding Certificate programs. Of these, 3 are men and the rest are
female. Our ethnic diversity among these
students is 74 white, 3 black, 1 Native American, and 3 unknown. The average age of these students is
35-years-old. Of the students, we have
45 students located in
Program Enrollments since 2002
|
Program |
2002 |
2003 |
2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
|
HIA |
30 |
39 |
35 |
43 |
41 |
|
HIT |
16 |
26 |
25 |
34 |
38 |
|
Certificate |
|
4 |
6 |
9 |
6 |
|
HIM Total |
46 |
69 |
66 |
86 |
87 |
Program
Graduation and Placement
The number of
graduates for each program are listed below. Frequently, the graduates earning the coding
certificate are also completing either the HIT or HIA degree, so they are
included in both the programs. In the
years listed below, in 2003-2004 all of the coding
certificate completers were also enrolled in either the HIT or HIA
programs. In 2004-2005 only two of the
coding certificate students were not in the HIT or HIA programs and in
2005-2006, only one student was not in the HIT or HIA programs. (Those adjusted numbers are shown in
parentheses in the table.)
|
Program |
2000 – 2001 |
2001 – 2002 |
2002 – 2003 |
2003 – 2004 |
2004 – 2005 |
2005 – 2006 |
|
HIA |
9 |
3 |
2 |
5 |
10 |
3 |
|
HIT |
4 |
4 |
6 |
2 |
9 |
7 |
|
Certificate |
|
|
|
3 (0) |
11 (2) |
7 (1) |
|
HIM Total |
13 |
7 |
8 |
10 (7) |
30 (21) |
17 (11) |
Placement for our graduates is excellent. The Career Services Office is responsible for
preparing
|
Program |
2003 |
2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
|
HIA |
100% |
100% |
100% |
100% |
|
HIT |
100% |
80% |
100% |
67% |
|
DSU Overall |
92% |
92% |
95% |
95% |
The Career Services Office maintains a website which is a centralized resource designed to assist all DSU students in all majors. They provide career counseling/coaching, career interest testing, job postings, periodic on-campus interviews for internships and permanent positions, a variety of workshops, internship assistance, and student employment opportunities.
PART 5: FACULTY
CREDENTIALS
The Director of the Health
Information Management Programs is directly supervised by the Dean of the
Faculty members assigned to
the Health Information Management Programs are listed in the table below. All HIM courses are taught or coordinated by
one of these AHIMA-credentialed people.
Workload assignments at DSU are typically 12 credit hours each semester
for full-time faculty, and these faculty members have had course assignments
made in other areas of the
|
Name and Credentials |
Rank |
Appointment |
Degree |
|
Dorine Bennett, MBA, RHIA, RHIT, FAHIMA |
Program Director, Associate Professor |
August 1987 |
(In progress) Ed.D. in Educational Administration (Adult and Higher Education) -- USD MBA – USD BS in HIA – DSU AS in HIT -- DSU |
|
Rose Goeden, RHIA |
Instructor |
September 1996 |
(In progress) MBA – USD BS in HIA – DSU |
|
Joyce Havlik, MSIS, RHIA |
Instructor |
September 1996 (adjunct) January 1997 |
MSIS – DSU BS in HIA – DSU |
Dorine Bennett joined the faculty
at
Dorine Bennett worked as director of the medical record
department at a small hospital in
Rose Goeden is an instructor
in the
Joyce Havlik, MSIS, RHIA, is
an instructor in the HIM program. Before
coming to DSU to teach in the HIM program, she worked at a physician clinic, VA
Medical Center, and at the
The AHIMA-credentialed faculty of the HIM Programs are well-qualified, dedicated, and experienced. We have no plans at this time to make any changes.
The non-HIM specific courses within the majors are taught by faculty members qualified in their academic area. For example, faculty members from the College of Arts and Sciences teach the anatomy and physiology course on campus, faculty members in the business area of the College of Business and Information Systems teach the business statistics, organization and management, human resource management, and business communications courses on campus, and computer science or information systems faculty members teach courses such as the computer applications and management of information systems classes on campus. The faculty members in the health information management programs cooperate with those faculty members to ensure that course content is applicable and appropriate for our students.
During the 2006-2007
academic year, the faculty of the HIM Programs have been
very pleased to provide leadership and participate in the South Dakota
Electronic Health Record Assessment (SDEHRA) project.
Recently, Dakota State University HIM students were invited to be project leaders for the American Health Information Management Association’s school partners program. Under this program, students from health information management programs around the nation are invited to contribute to AHIMA's Student Connection e-newsletter and be a facilitator for organized student chat sessions on AHIMA’s Student Community of Practice (an online discussion and resource website). Students have contributed articles for the March/April e-newsletter and will be facilitating chats in April on the topics of privacy and security, mainly patient rights under HIPAA, and student career plans and preparation.
PART 6:
ACADEMIC AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT
Business Information Systems Office
The college office is the central point of support. The Dean’s office is located in the college office. Office support is provided by 2 full-time positions (1 full-time and 2 half-time staff). One of the half-time office support persons provides primary support for the HIM Programs and is supervised by the HIM Program Director. The office is also provided with several work-study positions who are tasked with helping faculty whenever help is requested.
Financial Support to the Program
The budget for the
Another source of funding which has been used to benefit the HIM students is the HIM Club accounts. Student organizations prepare budgets and apply for funding from monies collected through the vending machines on campus, and the HIM Club has been allocated a portion of that money each year. In addition, the HIM Club collects dues and has fundraising events to earn money. Although these funds do not affect the HIM Programs directly, the students have used their HIM Club funds to enhance their educational experience by paying for travel expenses for tours of facilities and purchasing books and videos at times.
Academic Advising
All BIS faculty are expected to contribute to academic advising. Advisees are assigned based on majors. It is the policy of the HIM Programs to assign our AHIMA-credentialed faculty members to be the academic advisors for students who have declared HIT or HIA majors or the healthcare coding certificate option. The faculty members meet with their advisees to discuss course registration, grades, and other academic issues, either in person or via email correspondence. Advisors are generally assigned as students enter the HIM Programs to faculty based on how many advisees each of the faculty members currently have. However, students may also specify preferences for an advisor and their request will be honored. Students can request a change in advisor at any time. The HIM Program Director has developed reference materials to assist faculty and students in the advising process and also assists with substitution and transfer questions for advising HIM students.
Library Resources and Services
The mission of the Karl E. Mundt (KEM) Library &
Learning Commons is to support the curriculum of
Since
The Library holds an extensive collection of electronic books on computer security and information assurance, made available through NetLibrary. The collections also contain laser disks and videos purchased to support the classroom needs of the faculty. All of the library’s materials are cataloged, regardless of format, for ease of access and retrieval by students and faculty alike. The Mundt Online (http://www.departments.dsu.edu/library/) serves as our portal to faculty and staff on campus or off.
The Karl E. Mundt Library provides direct access to an even more extensive collection of materials through its online library catalog that includes over 5 million holdings of more than 70 libraries in the South Dakota Library Network (SDLN). In addition to being an online catalog, the SDLN has been enriched by the addition of a number of external databases, most notably, Academic Index, Business Index. The SDLN has added full text to the IAC databases. Through access to the Internet and to the information services of the South Dakota Library Netwrok, OCLC’s FirstSearch and DIALOG, the Library provides students with access to databases critical to their discipline. Materials held by other libraries are readily available to the DSU community through electronic interlibrary loan systems or full text, so rarely is the Library unable to quickly meet student or faculty information needs. Statewide and regional resource sharing is supported by a courier service so hard-copy document delivery frequently occurs within 24 hours of request. Article delivery is further facilitated by optical scanning and email delivery.
In addition to the collections, systems and services offered, library staff also provide assistance and instruction to faculty and students through workshops, classroom instruction, online tutorials, and one-to-one. Library faculty is available for direct online research assistance using email, chat and IM. Library faculty collaborates with course faculty to ensure students have the research background necessary to complete course assignments. Library faculty develops online tutorials, subject guides, and other instructional materials to support classroom learning on campus and at a distance.
It is also the Library’s goal to graduate students who are able to find, evaluate, and use information to solve problems and to make decisions effectively. Graduates should have the knowledge and skills to function successfully as continuous learners in a continuously changing information world. To successfully meet its goals, the library provides excellent collections, information systems, services, instruction, and staff.
Professional Library Faculty
|
Name |
Title |
|
Ethelle Bean |
Professor / Library Director |
|
Dustin Larmore |
Assistant Professor / Technical Services Librarian |
|
Todd Quinn |
Assistant Professor / Instruction & Reference Librarian |
|
Risë Smith |
Professor / Public Services Librarian |
Technology infrastructure
|
DSU has an excellent technology infrastructure supporting wired and wireless access to computing resources.The Systems Support branch of Computing Services provides centralized support for personal computers and other systems on the campus-wide network:
All systems are connected through a campus-wide computer network that has existed since 1987. In 1993, Computing Services expanded the network cabling to every dorm room, switched the network backbone to fiber-optic cable and decommissioned the on-campus IBM mainframe. Recent improvements include:
DSU connected to the MIDNET regional NFSNET provider with the help of a two-year NSF grant in November, 1991, and in the summer of 1994 installed a DS-1 (1.544Mb/sec) link to the Internet via the SDnet South Dakota state-wide network. Upgrades have been made since then to the 10 Mb/sec bandwidth we have now on Internet 1. That Internet connection now goes through the Digital Dakota Network operated by the State of South Dakota's Bureau of Information Technology. On April 1, 2002, DSU officially became an Internet 2 member with a 5 Mb/sec connection through the Great Plains Network. |
Computing Services staff provide technology support to faculty, staff, and
students.
Lead Computing Services
Support Staff
|
Name |
Title |
|
Josh Boldt |
Computer Support Specialist |
|
Craig Miller |
Communication Network Administrator |
|
David Vickmark |
Technology Integration Specialist |
|
David Zolnowsky |
Chief Information Officer |
E-education services
E-Education Services is responsible for program planning, marketing,
program implementation and overall management of courses and programs offered
by alternative delivery at
E-Education Services is staffed with the Director of E-Education Services, the DSU Webmaster, Instructional Technologist, Web Support Technologist, and a senior secretary (Table 8). This team serves the needs of students who are enrolled in the online and videoconferencing courses at DSU. The office is the mainstay of distance services to students, working with the administrative offices of DSU to provide these services. The staff also serves the Web needs of faculty, staff and students at DSU and the needs related to educational technology. The office staff assists faculty in the design and implementation of courses delivered by various forms of technology.
E-education services also provides student labor support to assist the faculty in the Health Information Management Programs. These students will assist with general clerical tasks as well as helping with course management tasks in WebCT.
E-education Support
Staff
|
Name |
Title |
|
Brent VanAartsen |
Technology Specialist, Office of E-Education Services |
|
Susan Eykamp |
Senior Secretary, Office of E-Education Services |
|
Deb Gearhart |
Director, Office of E-Education Services |
|
MingMing Shao |
Instructional Technologist, E-Education Services |
|
Haomin Wang |
Manager of Instructional Technology, Office of E-Education Services |
Another resource that is available to distance students is
the
Administrative Support Staff
Current administrative staff will provide the academic support services to deliver undergraduate and graduate programs at DSU The administrative support personnel who are particularly critical to the delivery of the HIM programs are included in the following table:
Administrative Support
Staff
|
Name |
Title |
|
Sandy Anderson |
Registrar, Enrollment Services |
|
Carrie Ahern |
Assessment Specialist, Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Assessment |
|
Steve Bartel |
Director of Student Services |
|
Keith Bundy |
Director Student Development and |
|
Denise Grayson |
Director, Financial Aid |
|
Jean Layton |
Director, Office of Grants and Contracts |
|
Marie Lohsandt |
Director, Career and Placement Services |
|
Dawn Schoeberl |
Manager, DSU Bookstore |
PART 7:
FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT
East Hall (EH) is the home of the
The Health Information Management (HIM) courses within the curriculum
are taught utilizing distance technology. All of the HIM courses at the 100 and
200 level, with the exception of HIM 130 are taught in classrooms located in
the Technology Classroom building that have capabilities for video-conferencing
with distant classrooms. The classes are
connected to classrooms at the
The Health Information Management Programs utilize the 3M Encoder and Grouper software as well as the 3M Health Data Management software. This software is available on the Internet through a Citrix server which controls access to only students who are authorized, regardless of their location. A funding request has been made to incorporate the e-HIM Virtual Lab resources beginning in academic year 2007-2008. AHIMA's e-HIM Virtual Lab collects core HIM technology into one cyberspace lab. This will provide the school access to a full array of core HIM technologies and an integrated electronic health record. Some of the applications that are available or will be available include master patient index software, an encoder and abstracting system, and deficiency management software.
The basic technology infrastructure on campus is supported through a centralized campus-wide process. Historically, the campus Computing Resources Advisory Committee (CRAC) has been responsible for putting together the recommended list of hardware and software purchases on an annual basis, for presidential approval. The committee is broad-based with 17 faculty, student, and administrative members.
As the university moves to a completely TabletPC based environment, the traditional desktop labs are being phased out. There is one desktop lab in East Hall to support specialized software and also to accommodate students who are not participating in the tablet program. There are also some labs dedicated to special class areas.
In FY03, the institution installed a wireless network throughout the campus, in addition to its hard-wired network, and made a substantial investment in Tablet PC computers. In FY04, the institution implemented a wireless, mobile computing initiative for undergraduate students. This initiative will put a tablet/notebook wireless computing device in the hands of all full-time campus students. Because this is required addition to the DSU learning environment, it is eligible to be included in the financial aid package and we are able to load the device with software at our institutional rates.
In July 2003, the university received a
$894,150 grant from the federal government (funded through the U.S. Department
of Education’s Fund for the Improvement of Post-Secondary Education).
This grant was used to purchase high-end technology for the newly remodeled
Since many of the students in the HIM Programs are distance
students and located off-campus, the HIM Program has developed the materials
for the courses to be available in a format that is accessible electronically,
rather than physically. The off-campus students are not required to participate
in the mobile computing initiative and may be using desktop computers in their
homes, for example. However, students
will be required to have computers available in a monitored situation for the
proctored exams in HIM classes and there may be times that computers will be
used in classroom lab exercises or demonstrations. For the on-campus students, they will bring
their wireless tablet computers to class, and there are a limited number of
laptop or tablet computers available at the E-Education Office or the Resource
Room at the
PART 8: ASSESSMENT AND STRATEGIC PLANS
DSU has a long history of program and student assessment at the undergraduate and graduate level. During Fall 1993, the vice president for academic affairs asked the faculty-based Assessment Coordinating Committee to develop a formal assessment plan for the institution. The faculty committee was responsible for designing the institution’s three-tiered framework for assessment and took specific responsibility for general education assessment. In April 1995, the NCA reviewers expressed their confidence that DSU “… successfully demonstrated through its plan and program a deep commitment to the assessment of students’ academic achievement in a serious and professional manner.” The assessment plan included
· entry-level assessment to ensure appropriate course placement,
· general education / proficiency assessment to ensure that basic knowledge and skills were being provided to students and that goals set for the system-wide general education core curriculum were being met
· major field assessment to ensure that graduates were proficient in their academic discipline.
DSU monitors students’ academic progress through the three-tiered assessment program: upon entry into the University, after completion of 32 or 48 credit hours (general education assessment) and during the semester in which they graduate (major-field assessment).
Incoming students are evaluated using ACT or COMPASS scores to place them into the appropriate entry-level courses. Students’ general education knowledge is evaluated after completion of 32 credit hours for associate degrees or 48 credit hours for baccalaureate degrees. Classes are cancelled one day each semester, called DSU Assessment Day, to facilitate the testing process. Students complete proficiency testing in math, reading, English and science reasoning. In addition, all DSU students complete an online computer exam, the Tek.Xam. This general education / proficiency assessment is completed to ensure that basic knowledge and skills were being provided to students and that goals set for the system-wide general education core curriculum were being met.
The third component of this assessment program is the major field assessment to ensure that graduates were proficient in their academic discipline. All candidates for graduation complete an assessment activity on DSU Assessment Day. Major field assessment has been a part of the evaluation activities for several years. The HIM Programs have developed comprehensive exams for both the HIT and the HIA degrees. These tests are administered to the students during their final semester on-campus prior to graduation. The tests are corrected immediately and reviewed with the students on the day of testing. We have scheduled the tests to be administered in the morning of DSU’s Assessment Day with a review of the exam planned for the afternoon. In addition to discussing the test questions, general AHIMA certification exam information, test-taking suggestions, and information regarding commercially-available review materials such as books and CDs will be provided. The HIM Club has offered to host a pizza-lunch for the students in the time between the testing and the review.
DSU continues to integrate the assessment process into the institutional culture. The faculty and administration are committed to the assessment process and to the use of assessment data to effect institutional change. The faculty-based Assessment Coordinating Committee meets regularly to review the general education assessment plan and the major field assessment plans. Each year, the Committee reviews the data associated with the assessment plans (e.g. employer and graduate survey results, major-field assessment test data and the proficiency test scores.) The Assessment Coordinating Committee meeting minutes are sent via e-mail to all faculty and staff. In addition, Assessment Updates are posted on the web to provide a brief summary of the assessment activities. Each spring, the Deans prepare a summary of the assessment results from the past year.
The curriculum is reviewed on a regular basis and program modifications are submitted to the University’s Academic Council and Curriculum Committee. Information from graduate and employer surveys and meetings with the advisory board are used to gather input for revising the curriculum as needed to ensure it meets the needs of the marketplace. In addition, feedback is solicited from the students and site supervisors for each supervised professional practice regarding how well the students were prepared and whether curriculum modifications are suggested. Students’ scores on the major field assessment exams are used as another means of evaluating the curriculum.
DSU regularly conducts several surveys that provide information for faculty and administrators to use in the evaluation of the effectiveness of the teaching and learning process. The Noel Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory (SSI), the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) and the Faculty Survey of Student Engagement (FSSE) provide valuable information on student satisfaction with DSU’s programs and services and the level of engagement of students in various areas. A summary of the results of the NSSE/ FSSE is presented to the faculty and staff during orientation in the fall. Each college receives the results of the Student Satisfaction Inventory for students in their majors; this data provides information on satisfaction with academic advising, course scheduling and other areas related to students’ academic success.
DSU graduates are surveyed at one and three years following graduation. Employers of DSU graduates are surveyed on an annual basis. During 2005-2006, ratings from employers of the graduates in health information management programs were very high in several areas. For example, 100% of the employers responding were very satisfied or satisfied with DSU graduates “knowledge of academic area as it relates to his/her position”.
Students evaluate the teaching / learning process each semester in each class using the survey instruments for Individual Development and Educational Assessment.
The Health Information Management Programs have established objectives and standards relating to each of the goals for each major and certificate. Each year data relating to the standards is collected and reported to the accrediting organization for the HIT and HIA programs. This information, as well as the results for the coding certificate program, is reviewed by the HIM faculty and reported to the HIM Programs Advisory Board, the College Dean, and DSU’s Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Assessment.
Health Information Technology Program
Goal 1: The Health Information Management Programs will encourage and facilitate a dynamic, positive and effective learning environment for students.
Objective 1: To prepare graduates with the educational base needed to demonstrate the entry-level competencies as outlined by AHIMA
Standard 1: 100% of declared HIT majors who are known to be pursuing an HIT career will write the registration exam prior to Dec. 31st following their graduation.
Standard 2: 100% of individuals writing the registration exam within the reporting year will pass the exam.
Standard 3: 80% of graduates responding to a survey 1-year and 3-years post-graduation indicate satisfaction with knowledge of academic area as it relates to their positions
Standard 4: 80% of employers responding to a survey regarding graduates one year post-graduation rate the graduates’ knowledge of academic area as it relates to their positions as good or very good
Standard 5: All HIT domains, subdomains, and tasks will be included in program coursework and will be evaluated at least annually
Standard 6: Curriculum review will be an agenda item for the HIM Programs Advisory Board meetings at least one time per academic year
Standard 7: HIT Program will maintain accreditation through the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Programs in cooperation with the American Health Information Management Association
Standard 8: 90% of HIT students will score at 50% or higher on the DSU HIT Assessment Test
Standard 9: DSU examinees will test at or above the national average on 70% of the exam topic areas on the certification exam
Objective 2:
Standard 1: Affiliations and cooperative efforts will be in place to ease transfer of credits.
Standard 2: HIM Program faculty will be involved in recruitment efforts through meeting with prospective students, increased public awareness of program activity, and preparation of recruitment literature/information, etc
Standard 3: The HIM Program faculty will encourage and promote student involvement in the DSU Health Information Management Club
Standard 4: Student enrollment, recruitment and retention will be an agenda item for the HIM Programs Advisory Board meetings at least one time per academic year
Objective 3:
Standard 1: 80% of employers responding to a survey regarding graduates one year post-graduation rate the graduates’ overall computer knowledge as good or very good.
Standard 2: 90% of students satisfactorily complete HIM 287’s IS project according to site supervisors critique
Standard 3: 80% of graduates responding to a survey one year and three years post-graduation indicate satisfaction with overall computer knowledge
Standard 4: 80% of graduates will obtain at least a C in INFS and CSC courses.
Goal 2: The HIM Programs will encourage and facilitate professional development and scholarship of the faculty and staff.
Objective 1: To enable the faculty and staff to maintain expertise and strengthen leadership role in education of HIM students
Standard 1: The faculty of the HIM Programs will be enrolled in or complete education for advanced degrees.
Standard 2: The faculty will meet AHIMA’s requirements for continuing education for credentialed practitioners
Goal 3: The HIM Programs will develop and promote faculty and student relationships with professional organizations and health facilities and agencies
Objective 1: To promote the student’s sense of commitment to the health information management profession
Standard 1: 80% of graduates responding to a survey three years post-graduation will indicate that their jobs are related to their major field of study
Standard 2: 85% of the HIT graduates registered with the DSU Placement Office will find employment within their field or be accepted into the HIA program within four months of graduation
Standard 3: 100% of HIT graduates will attend at least one SDHIMA professional meeting.
Objective 2: To serve as a resource to regional healthcare facilities or agencies.
Standard 1: The faculty of the Health Information Management Programs will provide answers or referrals to 100% of requests for information from facilities or agencies.
Standard 2: Offers of Health Information Program assistance will be provided through SDHIMA newsletters and /or reports at SDHIMA meetings at least one time each academic year.
Standard 3: At least one facility request to HIM Club for project assistance received each academic year will be accepted.
Objective 3: To be actively involved with professional organizations at committee, board, program or service levels
Standard 1: At least one member of the HIM Program faculty will be a member of professional organization committees or boards or offer program or service assistance to professional organizations each year
Standard 2: In cooperation with the organization DSU will establish and maintain a WWW homepage for the South Dakota Health Information Management Assoc.
Standard 3: DSU faculty, staff, and students will assist SDHIMA with at least one project or one newsletter each year.
Health Information Administration Program
Goals 1: The Health Information Management Programs will encourage and facilitate a dynamic, positive and effective learning environment for students
Objective 1: To prepare graduates with the educational base needed to demonstrate the entry-level competencies as outlined by AHIMA
Standard 1: 100% of declared HIA majors who are known to be pursuing an HIA career will write the registration exam prior to Dec. 31st following their graduation
Standard 2: 100% of individuals writing the registration exam within the reporting year following graduation will pass the exam.
Standard 3: 80% of graduates responding to a survey one year and three years post-graduation indicate satisfaction with knowledge of academic area as it relates to their positions.
Standard 4: 80% of employers responding to a survey regarding graduates one year post-graduation rate the graduates’ knowledge of academic area as it relates to their positions as good or very good
Standard 5: All HIA domains, subdomains, and tasks will be included in program coursework and will be evaluated at least annually
Standard 6: 80% of applicants to the HIA admission process have been accepted into the HIA program per the degree admission procedures
Standards 7: Curriculum review will be an agenda item for the HIM Programs Advisory Board meetings at least one time per academic year
Standards 8: DSU examinees will test at or above the national average in 70% of the exam topic areas on the certification exam
Standard 9: HIA Program will maintain accreditation through the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs in cooperation with the American Health Information Management Association
Standard 10: 90% of HIA students will score at 50% or higher on the DSU HIA Assessment Test
Objective 2: To develop options for increasing the number of qualified applicants to and students in the HIA program
Standard 1: Affiliations and cooperative efforts will be in place to ease transfer of credits.
Standard 2: The HIM Programs will be offering the HIA courses through distance education format utilizing resources of Internet and the WWW.
Standard 3: HIM Program faculty will be involved in recruitment efforts through meeting with prospective students, increased public awareness of program activity, and preparation of recruitment literature/information, etc.
Standard 4: The HIM Program faculty will encourage and promote student involvement in the DSU Health Information Management Club
Standard 5: Student enrollment, recruitment and retention will be an agenda item for the HIM Programs Advisory Board meetings at least one time per academic year
Objective 3: To enhance the skill level of the students in the area of information systems with specific attention to system evaluation, selection, implementation, needs assessments, feasibility, studies, and awareness of changing technology
Standard 1: 80% of employers responding to a survey regarding graduates one year post graduation rate the graduates’ overall computer knowledge as good or very good
Standard 2: 90% of students satisfactorily complete HIM 287’s IS project according to site supervisors critique
Standard 3: 80% of graduates responding to a survey one year and three years post-graduation indicate satisfaction with overall computer knowledge
Standard 4: 80% of graduates will obtain at least a C in INFS and CSC courses.
Goal 2: The Health Information Management Programs will encourage and facilitate profess-ional development and scholarship of the faculty & staff.
Objective 1: To enable the faculty and staff to maintain expertise and strengthen leadership role in education of HIM students
Standard 1: The faculty of the HIM Programs will be enrolled in or complete education for advanced degrees
Standard 2: The faculty will meet AHIMA’s requirements for continuing education for credentialed practitioners
Goal 3: The Health Information Management Programs will develop and promote faculty and student relationships with professional organizations and health facilities and agencies.
Objective 1: To promote the student’s sense of commitment to the health information management profession
Standard 1: 80% of graduates responding to a survey three years post-graduation will indicate that their jobs are related to their major field of study
Standard 2: 85% of the HIA graduates registered with the DSU Placement Office will find employment within their field within four months of graduation
Standard 3: 100% of HIA graduates will attend at least 2 SDHIMA professional meetings.
Objective 2: To serve as a resource to regional healthcare facilities or agencies.
Standard 1: The faculty of the Health Information Management Programs will provide answers or referrals to 100% of requests for information from facilities or agencies.
Standard 2: Offers of Health Information Management Program assistance will be provided through SDHIMA newsletters and/or reports at SDHIMA meetings at least one time each academic year.
Standard 3: At least one facility request to HIM Club for project assistance received each academic year will be accepted
Objective 3:
Standard 1: At least one member of the HIM Program faculty will be a member of professional organization committees or boards or offer program or service assistance to professional organizations each year
Standard 2: In cooperation with the organization DSU will establish and maintain a WWW homepage for the South Dakota Health Information Management Association
Standard 3: DSU faculty, staff, and students will assist SDHIMA with at least one project or newsletter each year.
Healthcare Coding Certificate Program
Goal 1: The Health Information Management Programs will encourage and facilitate a dynamic, positive and effective learning environment for students
Objective 1: To prepare graduates with the educational base needed to demonstrate the entry-level competencies as outlined by AHIMA
Standard 1: 80% of Healthcare Certificate graduates (does not include double majors) responding to a survey 1-year and 3-years post-graduation indicate satisfaction with knowledge of academic area as it relates to their position
Standard 2: 80% of employers responding to a survey regarding graduates one year post-graduation rate the graduates’ knowledge of academic area as it relates to their positions as good or very good
Standard 3: Healthcare Coding Certificate Program will maintain approval through the American Health Information Management Association
Standard 4: All coding certificate domains and tasks will be included in program coursework and will be evaluated at least annually
Standard 5: Curriculum review will be an agenda item for the HIM Programs Advisory Board meetings at least one time per academic year
Standard 6: 100% of students will perform satisfactorily during HIM 291 Independent Study: Healthcare Coding Experience
Standard 7: 90% of Healthcare Coding Certificate students will score at 50% or higher on the DSU Healthcare Coding Certificate Assessment Test
Objective 2: To develop
options for increasing the number of qualified applicants to and students in
the coding certificate program
Standard 1: HIM Program faculty will be involved in recruitment efforts through meeting with prospective students, increased public awareness of program activity, and preparation of recruitment literature/information, etc.
Standard 2: The HIM Program faculty will encourage and promote student involvement in the DSU Health Information Management Club
Standard 3: Student enrollment, recruitment and retention will be an agenda item for the HIM Programs Advisory Board meetings at least one time per academic year
Goal 2: The HIM Programs will encourage and facilitate professional development and scholarship of the faculty and staff.
Objective 1: To enable the
faculty and staff to maintain expertise and strengthen leadership role in
education of HIM students
Standard 1: The faculty of
the HIM Programs will be enrolled in or complete education for advanced degrees
Standard 2: The faculty will meet AHIMA’s requirements for continuing education for credentialed practitioners
Goal 3: The HIM Programs will develop and promote faculty and student
relationships with professional organizations and health facilities and
agencies
Objective 1: To promote the student’s
sense of commitment to the health information management profession
Standard 1: 80% of Healthcare Coding Certifcate graduates(does not include double majors) responding to a survey three years post-graduation will indicate that their jobs are related to their major field of study
Standard 2: 85% of the
Healthcare Coding Certificate graduates (does not include double majors)
registered with the DSU Placement Office will find employment within their field or be pursuing the
HIT or HIA program within four months of graduation
Standard 3: 50% of coding certificate students will be AHIMA members
Objective 2: To serve as a
resource to regional healthcare facilities or agencies
Standard 1: Offers of
Health Information Program assistance will be provided through SDHIMA
newsletters and /or reports at SDHIMA meetings at least one time each academic
year
Standard 2: At least one facility request to HIM Club for project assistance received each academic year will be accepted.
Objective 3: To be actively
involved with professional organizations at committee, board, program or
service levels
Standard 1: At least one
member of the HIM Program faculty will be a member of professional organization
committees or boards or offer program or service assistance to professional
organizations each year
Standard 2: In cooperation with the organization DSU will establish and maintain a WWW homepage for the South Dakota Health Information Management Assoc.
Standard 3: DSU faculty, staff, and students will assist SDHIMA with at least one project or one newsletter each year.
Additional specified outcomes data, such as enrollment, graduation, and attrition data, results of graduate and employer surveys, and results of national certification exams are also reported on an annual basis to the accrediting organization for the HIT and HIA programs. Again, this information is reviewed by the HIM faculty and HIM Programs Advisory Board.
Strategic Plan of
Beginning in 2002, campus-wide discussions led to a strategic plan which would direct funding and planning activity for the future. In the process of planning, the DSU community agreed on six issues to be addressed in the 5-year strategic plan. These include: Retention, Recruitment, Technology/Facilities Infrastructure, Academic Programs, Campus Management, and Resources. In the planning process, the committee critically assessed the external environment, surveyed strengths and challenges and reviewed the campus mission statement. Strategic issues were identified, outcomes established, goals set and action plans devised.
Strategic Issue 1: Retention
· DSU will enrich the undergraduate experience and build the graduate experience
Strategic Issue 2: Recruitment
· DSU will increase enrollment through more focused recruitment strategies
Strategic Issue 3: Technology/Facilities Infrastructure
· DSU will continually enhance its technology and facilities infrastructure
Strategic Issue 4: Academic Programs
· DSU will sustain and enhance the quality of its academic programs
Strategic Issue 5: Campus Management
· DSU will manage its resources with optimum efficiency and open communication
Strategic Issue 6: Increase Resources
· DSU will expand its revenues from grants, contracts and private donations as a mechanism for supplementing the institution’s overall budget
Activities and projects within the HIM Programs support these strategic initiatives, and below is a list showing examples for the current academic year.
- Retention
- Online orientation to WebAdvisor, WebCT, WebMail
- Advising tools for faculty (GE policy, substitutions)
- Recruitment
- Advertisement in Advance
- Advertisement for counselors
- Email to accredited HIM programs
- Participate
in
- Technology/Facilities Infrastructure
- Explore additional software (APC’s, billing, e-HIM Virtual Lab)
- Academic Programs
- Modifications to coding curriculum
- Curriculum guide tools for faculty (model curriculum, academic domains, testing domains)
- New
Site for
- Campus Management
- External Review
- Resources, Scholarships, and Research
- SDEHRA Project
The current Strategic Plan expires in 2007. Preliminary conversations about the next strategic plan started in Summer 2006 when the University’s Planning Council participated in a two-day retreat facilitated by an external consultant. The President appointed a Strategic Planning Committee with representatives from faculty, alumni, students, staff, community and administration.
The planning process is intended to ensure alignment between the new Strategic Plan and the University’s ongoing quality improvement efforts. To start the review process, the Institutional Effectiveness Committee will facilitate presentations that focus on the outcomes of the 2002-2007 Strategic Plan. During the academic year, the Strategic Planning Committee will hold conversations with all campus constituencies, review data and literature and circulate several iterations of the plan. The Strategic Planning Committee meeting minutes will be distributed to the entire campus via email. The University will involve all constituents by conducting a SWOT analysis and publishing the results. The SWOT report will serve as a stimulus to campus discussion through focus groups, presentations and small group conversations. The Strategic Planning Committee will use data from IEC presentations, results of the SWOT analysis and a review of the historical data to formulate the new Strategic Plan for campus consideration and acceptance. The final plan will be presented to the campus during the August 2007 faculty / staff orientation. The Institutional Effectiveness Committee will begin “operationalizing” the plan during campus meetings in the early fall with a completion date of December 2007.