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Health Information Management (HIM) FAQs

Thank you for your interest in our online learning programs. We offer both our Health Information Technology/Medical Records and Coding and Reimbursement Specialist programs entirely online, except for nonpaid professional practice experience (PPE), which are completed on-site at a hospital as close to your home as possible. We also offer Virtual PPEs for students who are currently employed in the health information department of a hospital.

Here is information about the programs and answers to Frequently Asked Questions. Be sure to read it carefully because it is lengthy. I suggest printing this document and grabbing a cold (or hot) beverage an making yourself comfy in your favorite chair to read through all of this information.

Be sure to contact me with any questions after you have read the information below :-)

ALFRED STATE COLLEGE OFFERS INTERNET-BASED ACADEMIC PROGRAMS!

Coding & Reimbursement Specialist (CRS) (Certificate Program)

Health Information Technology (HIT) (Associate in Applied Science)

Credit-based programs are approved by the New York State Department of Education and the State University of New York. Upon successful completion, students receive either an official Certificate or an Associate degree. Graduates of Alfred State’s HIT program are eligible to take AHIMA's Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) examination. Graduates of Alfred State’s CRS program are eligible to take AHIMA’s CCA examination or the AAPC’s CPC-A examination.

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GENERAL INFORMATION

The State University of New York, College of Technology at Alfred (better known as Alfred State College) has offered traditional health information technology courses on-campus since 1968 and Internet-based courses since 1999.

Tuition for part-time students who take online courses is just $175 (note: Fees subject to change without notice)/credit. Being part-time means that you take 11 credits or less each semester.

NOTE: NYS, out-of-state, and international students are charged the same $175 (note: Fees subject to change without notice)/credit if part-time.

Information about tuition for full-time students (NYS and out-of-state) can be located by going to http://www.alfredstate.edu to locate current tuition costs.

NOTE: Being full-time means that you take 12 credits or more each semester. You will want to consider being a full-time student if you are eligible for PELL and/or TAP grant awards. Please call 1-800-4ALFRED, Student Accounts to ask questions about full-time tuition fees. Call 1-800-4ALFRED, Financial Aid, to ask about eligibility for financial aid. (If you are paying for College out-of-pocket or by using student loans, it will be cheaper for you to be a part-time online student.)

Tuition is payable to the College upon course registration, and it is subject to increase without notice. New York State requires that Internet-based course tuition include charges for the college, technology, and transcript fees. The fees are prorated for part-time students. (Internet-based course tuition does not include charges for room and board or transportation, athletics, activities or health fees.)

NOTE: Alfred State College accepts transfer credit, and students are also eligible to CLEP (www.clep.com) or challenge courses for which they have the appropriate background. Students are required to take 30 credits at Alfred State College to earn the HIT degree and 20 credits at Alfred State College to earn the CRS certificate. The remainder can consist of transfer and challenge or CLEP credits. While taking courses at Alfred State, students are welcome to complete general education courses elsewhere (online or face-to-face) and transfer those credits to Alfred State. Just be sure to obtain preapproval of those courses from our department chairperson (by emailing ammanmj@alfredstate.edu) so you are guaranteed to earn transfer credit.

More information about transfer credit is located later in this document.

Once you are accepted to the College and registered/paid for your first semester of study, email locketf@alfredstate.edu (Professor Locke) to request information about challenging courses and greenma@alfredstate.edu (Professor Green) about challenging professional practice experiences. Email ammanmj@alfredstate.edu (Department Chairperson Mark Amman) to obtain preapproval of transfer courses.

Internet-based courses are structured within the College's 15-week semester during each Fall and Spring, as well as during a Winter session (3 weeks) and Summer session (10 weeks). While deadline dates apply for submitting coursework and taking exams, students are not required to be on-line at any particular time or on any particular day. Some students choose to work at the course material a bit each day, while others complete all of their coursework on the weekends.

During each semester, students are welcome to take one course (e.g., 3-4 credits, or more) or a full-time equivalent of courses (12-15 credits), and you can switch from part-time to full-time to part-time status, as necessary. Students can also choose to be half-time (minimum of 6 credits). Half-time and full-time students are eligible for financial aid (e.g., student loans).

NOTE: The last number of a course is used to determine the number of credits assigned to a course. For example, MEDR 1114 (Introduction to Health Information Management) is a 4-credit course. To calculate the cost of a course, just multiply the number of credits by the tuition cost per credit. (Textbooks cost extra and are available for purchase from http://www.alfredstatebookstore.com.)

NOTE: The http://www.alfredstate.edu/admissions/online-education Web site contains additional information for online students and will be invaluable to you as an Alfred State College student. Please be sure to bookmark that page in your browser so you can easily access it.

NOTE: Please be aware that clinical sites, certification committees and state licensure boards may require criminal background checks, including fingerprinting checks, against state and federal criminal records. Drug screens may also be required. Information discovered in criminal background searches and drug screens may delay or prevent clinical education opportunities and entry into the profession.

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IS INTERNET-BASED LEARNING FOR YOU?!

Students need to use a computer that can provide easy access to the Internet, and you are prepared to take Internet-based courses if you:

	can learn from the written word with no face-to-face contact,
	proceed with coursework according to content deadlines,
	are self-motivated to learn material from the textbook
	are disciplined to complete assignments on time,
	are willing to spend up to six hours per week per course in independent study,
	have an interest in pursuing a career in coding & reimbursement management,
	have knowledge of word processing and spreadsheet software applications,
	have the capability to perform Internet browsing activities, and
	can send/receive email, including email attachments.

If you are fairly new to the Internet, but are a quick learner, consider visiting http://www.internet101.org to learn how to navigate the Web.

As an online student, you are an active learner, responsible for your own learning, self-discipline, and self-motivation. You are not enrolled in a correspondence course, nor are you enrolled in an independent study. You are expected to participate during the courses, and you have the exciting opportunity to be a part of an electronic community of scholars at Alfred State and beyond.

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ACADEMIC PROGRAMS

The Coding & Reimbursement Specialist (CRS) Certificate Program is organized under the Health Information Technology (HIT) Program. This means that if you initially select the CRS Certificate Program, you can transfer courses into the HIT Program and earn your Associate in Applied Science. (Course descriptions are located at the end of this document.)

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PREVIEW INTERNET-BASED COURSES AT ALFRED STATE

Check out the Academic Advising for HIM Students online "course" right away!

Go to http://blackboard.alfredstate.edu, and login:

USERNAME: guest-greenma
PASSWORD: mag

We use the Blackboard course management system to teach our online courses, and visiting our Blackboard site now will allow you to become familiar with an online course format. Once you have registered for a course, you will be assigned your own username and password.

NOTE: Your username is the first 6 characters of your last name plus the first initial of your first and middle name (e.g., Mary Ann Flagg's username would be flaggma). Your password is the last 4 digits of your social security number twice. You must change your password at https://netid.alfredstate.edu prior to logging in the first time.

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ALFRED STATE EMAIL

Your webmail username and password is the same as your Blackboard username and password. (Do not forget to change your password at https://netid.alfredstate.edu before logging in to webmail the first time.)

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WE ACCEPT TRANSFER CREDIT!

Admissions

Alfred State College

10 Upper College Dr

Alfred NY 14802-1137

Once received, a transcript evaluation will be performed to award transfer credit. If you have any questions about transfer credit, just email whitejp@alfredstate.edu (Jason White, Transfer Coordinator).

NOTE: Regardless of your high school graduation date, you must arrange for high school transcripts to be mailed to Admissions. If your high school (or any college) transcripts are unavailable (e.g., school closed), contact admissions@alfredstate.edu to find out how to proceed.

Arranging for high school and college transcripts to be mailed to Admissions is considered part of the application process. There are two ways to apply to the College:

Email admissions@alfredstate.edu and request that an application packet be mailed to you. Then, complete and mail it to:

Admissions

Alfred State College

10 Upper College Dr

Alfred NY 14802

NOTE: Do not forget to include a valid email address on the application so that your academic advisor can contact you once they receive notification of your acceptance to the program. Your advisor will assist you in selecting courses, etc.

**OR**

Go to www.SUNY.edu and complete the online application. Again, please do not forget to include a valid email address.

NOTE: If your name has changed since you went to the college(s) from which transcripts will be sent, be sure to contact admissions@alfredstate.edu to let them know your previous and new last name! Otherwise, any transcripts received that do not match the name on your application will not be matched up with your application.

We have had AHIMA's Coding Basics program students ask if the courses they take will be accepted as transfer credit. AHIMA's Coding Basics is a noncredit program. We are currently requiring that our matriculated students who want to transfer Coding Basics courses to complete an online comprehensive exam in each course area. On any exam that they achieve a grade of 80% or higher, transfer credit is awarded. There is no charge for this process.

The purpose of this requirement is to ensure that the noncredit Coding Basics courses are, indeed, the equivalent of our credit-based HIT program courses. If we find that all matriculated students who take such exams consistently achieve 80% or higher, we will eventually award transfer credit and not require the comprehensive exam.

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HOW TO REGISTER FOR INTERNET-BASED COURSES

Then you will register you for online courses using Bannerweb ( http://web.alfredstate.edu, click Bannerweb).

If you prefer to start out by taking just a few courses before formally applying to a program, that is fine! To register and pay with credit card (or check) as a continuing education student through our Center for Community Education & Training (CCET), go to https://bannerweb.alfredstate.edu/pls/banprd/zwskcerg.P_SelectTerm.

NOTE: There is no financial aid available for courses taken through CCET.

VERIFY THAT YOU ARE REGISTERED AND PAY YOUR TUITION BILL!

Once you successfully login the first time, you will be required to change your Password to another 6-digit number. Be sure you change it to something you can remember. If you forget your Password, just email helpdesk@alfredstate.edu and ask that your Banner account be reset (then you can log in using your date of birth as password again). You will also be required to enter a question that only you can answer (in case you forget your password).

If you have questions about your course registration, call 1-800-4ALFRED to speak with someone in the Records Office. If you prefer, you can send email to records@alfredstate.edu.

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QUESTIONS ABOUT YOUR TUITION BILL?

Your tuition bill is available for processing in Bannerweb. (You can print the bill from Bannerweb if you require a paper copy.)

NOTE: Tuition must be paid in full prior to the start of classes (by the deadline indicated on the bill). The College accepts checks and credit cards (Visa, Master Card, and Discover), and organizations can submit purchase orders. If you have questions about your bill, please call 1-800-4ALFRED to speak with a Student Accounts representative.

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FINANCIAL AID

Apply for financial aid online (for free!) at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov. If you have questions about financial aid, call 1-800-4ALFRED to speak with someone in the Financial Aid office. Even if you think you are not eligible for financial aid, you should complete this free application. You just never know!

NOTE: Financial Aid is available for the Coding & Reimbursement Specialist and Health Information Technology/Medical Records Programs. In addition, the federal government provides information on education tax credits at http://www.irs.gov (enter “education tax” in the Search box.)

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STUDENT LOANS

As an Internet-based student, it is crucial that you apply for student loans through one of Alfred State College's recommended lenders so the College receives an electronic funds transfer (instead of a paper check, which has to be mailed to you for signature.) Call 1-800-4ALFRED, Financial Aid, for a list of recommended lenders.
 

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PURCHASING TEXTBOOKS

Students who take online courses purchase their books online at http://www.alfredstatebookstore.com .

The first time you login to purchase textbooks, you will be required to enter a valid credit number. You can enter a note instructing the bookstore to NOT charge the credit card if you are eligible for financial aid. To use financial aid for the purpose of textbooks, you must set up a campus spending account (CSA) by contacting Student Accounts at 1-800-4ALFRED.

If you purchase your textbooks elsewhere (e.g., half.com, amazon.com, etc.), you must purchase according to ISBN (international standard book number), which can obtained from the www.alfredstatebookstore.com Web site. If you purchase a textbook elsewhere that has a different ISBN, you risk purchasing the wrong item. (Some textbooks are bundled with a special ISBN at www.alfredstatebookstore.com  to give students the best possible price.)

NOTE: Faculty do not assist students in the purchase of textbooks at sites other than www.alfredstatebookstore.com, and if you purchase the wrong textbook there is nothing that faculty can do to assist you. Faculty also do not provide information about textbooks to students because that information is available at the www.alfredstatebookstore.com web site.

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CODING & REIMBURSEMENT SPECIALIST PROGRAM

The Coding & Reimbursement Specialist (CRS) program prepares graduates for entry-level coding positions in health care facilities (e.g., hospitals). The program meets the requirements of the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) and the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC). Graduates are eligible to take AHIMA's Certified Coding Specialist-Apprentice (CCS-A), Certified Coding Specialist (CCS) and Certified Coding Specialist-Physician-based exams. Graduates are also eligible to take the AAPC's Certified Professional Coder-Apprentice (CPC-A), Certified Professional Coder (CPC) and Certified Professional Coder-Hospital-based (CPC-H) exams. (Because Alfred State’s HIT program is accredited by CAHIIM and the CRS program is organized under the HIT program, the CRS program does not have separate AHIMA approval status. CRS graduates are eligible to take AHIMA’s coding certification exams.)

You will need to formally apply to the program by going to http://www.SUNY.edu to apply online or by calling 1-800-4ALFRED to ask Admissions to mail you an application packet. There is an application fee of $40.00. To follow-up on receipt and progress of your application, send email to admissions@alfredstate.edu.

NOTE: High school biology is an admission requirement. If you did not take high school biology, you can take a college-level human biology course or Alfred State's noncredit Essentials of Anatomy & Physiology course, which is offered on an open enrollment basis at a cost of $199 plus textbook. Call the Center for Community Education & Training at 607-587-4015 to register and arrange payment. Be sure to provide your complete name, including middle initial, and email address so you can be activated in the BIOL 1130 course. The course's textbook can be purchased online at http://bookstore.mbsdirect.net/alfredstate.htm)

Next, contact the high school from which you graduated and any college you have ever attended, and arrange for official transcripts to be mailed to: Admissions, Alfred State College, 10 Upper College Drive, Alfred NY 14802. NOTE: If your last name has changed, be sure the schools you contact make a note of this on any transcripts provided to Alfred State College.

If you plan to take 6 or more credits each semester, you should also go to
http://www.alfredstate.edu/paying-for-college/financial-aid  and read that information, and click on the http://www.fafsa.ed.gov link to apply for financial aid. This is a free application.

If you have questions about either application procedures, be sure to contact the College at 1-800-4ALFRED, Admissions or Financial Aid.

NOTE: A minimum of 20 Alfred State College credits in addition to transfer and challenge credit is required for award of the Coding & Reimbursement Specialist Certificate.

Coding & Reimbursement Specialist Courses:

BIOL 1114 - Human Anatomy & Physiology I (Fall and Spring)
BIOL 2214 - Human Anatomy & Physiology II (Fall and Spring)
BIOL 4403 - Pathophysiology (Fall, Spring, and Summer)
CISY 1003 - Introduction to Microcomputers (Fall, Spring, and Summer)
MEDR 1114 - Introduction to Health Information Management (Fall and Spring)
MEDR 1132 - Essentials of Pharmacology (Fall, Spring, and Summer)
MEDR 1133 - Medical Terminology (Fall, Spring, and Summer)
MEDR 1223 - Health Data Management (Fall and Spring)
MEDR 1214 - ICD-9-CM Coding (Fall and Spring)
MEDR 1224 - CPT Coding (Fall and Spring)
MEDR 1312 - Intro to HIM PPE (Fall, Spring, and Summer)
or MEDR 1322* – Intro to HIM Virtual PPE (Fall, Spring, and Summer)
MEDR 1323 - Coding PPE (Fall, Spring, and Summer)
or MEDR 1333* – Coding Virtual PPE (Fall, Spring, and Summer)
MEDR 5114 – Electronic Health Record (Fall, Spring, and Summer)
MEDR 5214 - Reimbursement and Insurance Processing (Fall, Spring, and Summer)
40 credits

*Students currently employed in the health information department of a hospital are eligible to take MEDR 1322 and MEDR 1333.

HEALTH INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY / MEDICAL RECORDS ASSOCIATE IN APPLIED SCIENCE

The Health Information Technology/Medical Records (HIT) Program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM), sponsored by the American Health Information Management Association's Council on Accreditation. Students who successfully complete the program are eligible to take the national certification examination to become a Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT). Traditionally, Alfred State graduates have achieved a passing rate above the national average.

According to AHIMA.org, HIM professionals can expect to be in high demand as the health sector expands into the next century. In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statistics cites health information technology as one of the 20 fastest growing occupations in the US. On top of strong job prospects, competitive salaries also await HIM graduates. More than half of new HIM graduates with a bachelor's degree start with salaries in the $30,000 to $50,000 range. By five years out, one can earn upwards of $50,000 to $75,000 annually. Most new HIM graduates with an associate's degree jump right in and earn $20,000 to $30,000 annually. And these figures are just averages—many HIM professionals report salaries upward from here.

To see the results of AHIMA's latest member salary and profile survey, go to http://www.ahima.org/members_only/member_profile_data.asp .

You'll need to formally apply to the program by calling 1-800-4ALFRED, option 1, and then asking the person who answers (an Admissions representative) to mail you an application. There is an application fee of $40.00. To follow-up on receipt and progress of your application, send email to admissions@alfredstate.edu . (Please note that high school biology is an admission requirement. If you did not take high school biology, you can either take a college-level human biology course or Alfred State's noncredit Essentials of Anatomy & Physiology course, which is offered on an open enrollment basis at a cost of $199 plus textbook. Call the Center for Community Education & Training at 607-587-4014 to register and arrange payment. Be sure to provide your complete name, including middle initial, and email address so you can be activated in the BIOL 1130 course. The course's textbook can be purchased online at http://bookstore.mbsdirect.net/alfredstate.htm )

Next, contact the high school from which you graduated and any college you have ever attended, and arrange for official transcripts to be mailed to:

Admissions

Alfred State College

10 Upper College Dr

Alfred NY 14802-1137

NOTE: If your last name has changed, be sure the schools you contact make a note of this on any transcripts provided to Alfred State College.

If you plan to take 6 or more credits each semester, you should also go to
http://www.alfredstate.edu/paying-for-college/financial-aid  and read that information, and click on the http://www.fafsa.ed.gov  link to apply for financial aid. This is a free application.

If you have questions about either application procedures, be sure to contact the College at 1-800-4ALFRED, Admissions or Financial Aid. If you prefer, you can send email to admissions@alfredstate.edu  or fao@alfredstate.edu, depending upon the nature of your question.

NOTE: A minimum of 30 Alfred State College credits plus transfer and challenge credit is required for award of an Associate in Applied Science in Health Information Technology/Medical Records.

Health Information Management Courses:

MEDR 1114 - Introduction to Health Information Management (Fall and Spring)
MEDR 1132 - Essentials of Pharmacology (Fall, Spring, and Summer)
MEDR 1133 - Medical Terminology (Fall, Spring, and Summer)
MEDR 1213 - CPT Coding (Fall and Spring)
MEDR 1214 - ICD-9-CM Coding (Fall and Spring)
MEDR 1223 - Health Data Management (Fall and Spring)
MEDR 1214 - ICD-9-CM Coding (Fall and Spring)
MEDR 1224 - CPT Coding (Fall and Spring)
MEDR 1312 - Intro to HIM PPE (Fall, Spring, and Summer)
or MEDR 1322* – Intro to HIM Virtual PPE (Fall, Spring, and Summer)
MEDR 1323 - Coding PPE (Fall, Spring, and Summer)
or MEDR 1333* – Coding Virtual PPE (Fall, Spring, and Summer)
MEDR 3414 - Quality Management and Legal Aspects of HIM (Fall)
MEDR 4514 - Alternate Care Health Information Management (Spring)
MEDR 5114 – Electronic Health Record (Fall, Spring, and Summer)
MEDR 5214 - Reimbursement and Insurance Processing (Fall, Spring, and Summer)

40 credits
 

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General Education Courses:

BIOL 1114 - Human Anatomy & Physiology I (Fall and Spring)
BIOL 2214 - Human Anatomy & Physiology II (Fall and Spring)
BIOL 4403 - Pathophysiology (Fall, Spring, and Summer)
BUAD 3153 - Fundamentals of Management (Fall and Spring)
CISY 1003* - Introduction to Microcomputers (Fall, Spring, and Summer)
COMP 1503 - Freshman Composition (Fall, Spring, and Summer)
LITR 2603 - Introduction to Literature (Spring and Summer)
SOCI 1163 - General Sociology (3 credits) (Fall and Summer)
HIST 2153 - Survey of American History II (3 credits) (Spring)
HPED 1111 - Health & Wellness (physical education course) (Fall, Spring, and Summer)
SPCH 1083 - Effective Speaking (Fall and Spring)
30 credits

*Students should take CISY 1003 if they do not have a background in MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Access.

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COURSE DESCRIPTIONS (in alphabetic order by course number)

Go to http://www.alfredstate.edu  to locate course descriptions.

NOTE: Prerequisite(s) must be taken prior to registering for indicated courses. Corequisite(s) must be taken during the same semester as indicated courses or prior to registering for indicated courses.

Part-time students must complete general education courses prior to taking MEDR courses.

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