WEST PLAINS, Mo. – Area residents interested in the new health information technology programs offered at Missouri State University-West Plains will find additional classes to fill their schedules this spring, program officials said.

Healthcare Systems (HIT 115), a three-credit-hour class set for 5:30 to 6:50 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, will introduce students to healthcare delivery systems in the United States.  The course will emphasize the modern healthcare organization’s infrastructure, including resources, organizational design, financing and management.  The class is well suited for students who desire a career in health information technology and other allied health fields, and draws upon the experiences of high performing Malcolm Baldrige Award-winning organizations, university officials said.  There are no prerequisites for this course.

Medical Coding I (HIT 110) is a three-credit-hour class scheduled for 5:30 to 6:50 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays and is the first of three classes that will cover medical coding and billing information.  This course will provide an introduction to insurance billing and coding processes of the modern healthcare organization.  Students will be instructed in and practice with the ICD-9-CM (International Classification of Diseases, 9th Edition, and Clinical Modification) and ICD-10 coding systems utilizing the American Health Information Management Association’s (AHIMA) virtual laboratory.  Introduction to diagnostic related groups (DRGs) and their relationship to coding assignments also will be highlighted.  Students enrolling in this course will need to have successfully completed Introduction to Health Information Technology (HIT 100).

In addition to these two new classes, Introduction to Health Information Technology (HIT 100), which was offered for the first time this fall, also will be offered from 4 to 5:20 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays.  This three-credit-hour class will give students an introduction to the use of technology in the healthcare field, the various career options in health information management, and the different aspects of healthcare delivery.

All three classes are part of the curriculum for Missouri State-West Plains’ new certificate and associate’s degree in health information technology programs.  The certificate program was approved by the Missouri State University Board of Governors in June and received final approval by the Missouri Coordinating Board for Higher Education (CBHE) in September.  The associate of applied science degree program was approved by the university’s board of governors in October and is pending final approval by CBHE in early 2015.

Regular registration for 2015 spring semester classes begins Nov. 22.  For more information about admissions and registration procedures, call the Missouri State-West Plains admissions office, 417-255-7955, or visit www.wp.missouristate.edu.