Business Healthcare Technology Degree (BHT3) Degree

Campus Locations: Vidalia, Swainsboro

The Business Healthcare Technology Degree program is designed to prepare graduates for employment in a variety of positions in today's technology-driven workplaces. The Business Healthcare Technology Degree program provides learning opportunities which introduce, develop, and reinforce academic and occupational knowledge, skills, and attitudes required for job acquisition, retention, and advancement. The program emphasizes the use of software and technology. Students are also introduced to accounting fundamentals, electronic communications, internet research, electronic file management, and healthcare regulation and compliance. The program includes instruction in effective communication skills and terminology that encompasses office management and executive assistant qualifications and technology innovations for the office. Additionally, the program provides opportunities to upgrade present knowledge and skills or retrain in the area of administrative technology. Graduates of the program receive a Business Healthcare Technology Associate of Applied Science Degree. The standard curriculum for the Business Healthcare Technology Degree program is designed for the semester system. Students may enter the Business Healthcare Technology Degree program any semester. The degree program generally takes five (5) to six (6) semesters to complete. To graduate, students must earn a minimum of 66-70 credit hours.

Requirements

Submit a completed application;
Be at least 16 years of age;
Submit official high school/high school equivalent transcripts;
Submit official college transcripts, if applicable;
Satisfy Placement Testing requirements.

Program Costs

Costs are estimates and are subject to change.

Tuition/Fees: $7,500
Books/Supplies: $1,500

Curriculum Outline (70 hours)

General Core (18 hours)	18
COLL 1040College Foundations (Institutional Credit Only) (Prerequisite: None) This course is designed to provide tools to assist students to acquire skills necessary to achieve academic and professional success in their chosen occupational/technical program of study. Topics include: Computer Applications/Technology Skills, Getting off to a Good Start, Learning and Personality Styles, Time and Money Management, Study and Test Taking Skills, Stress Management and Wellness, Communication Skills, and Career Exploration.	3
Area I: Language Arts/Communication
ENGL 1101Composition & Rhetoric (Prerequisite: Appropriate English Placement Test Score AND Appropriate Reading Placement Test Score) Explores the analysis of literature and articles about issues in the humanities and in society. Students practice various modes of writing, ranging from exposition to argumentation and persuasion. The course includes a review of standard grammatical and stylistic usage in proofreading and editing. An introduction to library resources lays the foundation for research. Topics include writing analysis and practice, revision, and research. Students write a research paper using library resources and using a formatting and documentation style appropriate to the purpose and audience.	3
Area II: Social/Behavioral Sciences
Choose One (3 hours)
ECON 1101Principles of Economics (Prerequisites: Regular Admission) Provides a description and analysis of economic operations in contemporary society. Emphasis is placed on developing an understanding of economic concepts and policies as they apply to everyday life. Topics include basic economic principles; economic forces and indicators; capital and labor; price, competition, and monopoly; money and banking; government expenditures, federal and local; fluctuations in production, employment, and income; and United States economy in perspective.	3
PSYC 1101Introductory Psychology (Prerequisite: Appropriate Degree Level Writing (English) and Reading Placement Test Scores) Introduces the major fields of contemporary psychology. Emphasis is on critical thinking and fundamental principles of psychology as a science. Topics include research design, the organization and operation of the nervous system, sensation and perception, learning and memory, motivation and emotion, thinking and intelligence, lifespan development, personality, psychological disorders and treatment, stress and health, and social psychology.	3
SOCI 1101Introduction to Sociology (Prerequisite: Appropriate Degree Level Writing (English) and Reading Placement Scores) Explores the sociological analysis of society, its culture, and structure. Sociology is presented as a science with emphasis placed on its methodology and theoretical foundations. Topics include basic sociological concepts, socialization, social interaction and culture, social groups and institutions, deviance and social control, social stratification, social change, and marriage and family.	3
Area III: Natural Sciences/Mathematics
MATH 1111College Algebra (Prerequisites: Appropriate algebra placement test score) Emphasizes techniques of problem solving using algebraic concepts. Topics include fundamental concepts of algebra, equations and inequalities, functions and graphs, and systems of equations; optional topics include sequences, series, and probability or analytic geometry.	3
Area IV: Humanities/Fine Arts
ENGL 2130American Literature (Prerequisite: ENGL 1101) Emphasizes American literature as a reflection of culture and ideas. A survey of important works in American literature. Includes a variety of literary genres: short stories, poetry, drama, nonfiction, and novels. Topics include literature and culture, essential themes and ideas, literature and history, and research skills.	3
General Education Elective
Choose One (3 hours)
ECON 1101Principles of Economics (Prerequisites: Regular Admission) Provides a description and analysis of economic operations in contemporary society. Emphasis is placed on developing an understanding of economic concepts and policies as they apply to everyday life. Topics include basic economic principles; economic forces and indicators; capital and labor; price, competition, and monopoly; money and banking; government expenditures, federal and local; fluctuations in production, employment, and income; and United States economy in perspective.	3
PSYC 1101Introductory Psychology (Prerequisite: Appropriate Degree Level Writing (English) and Reading Placement Test Scores) Introduces the major fields of contemporary psychology. Emphasis is on critical thinking and fundamental principles of psychology as a science. Topics include research design, the organization and operation of the nervous system, sensation and perception, learning and memory, motivation and emotion, thinking and intelligence, lifespan development, personality, psychological disorders and treatment, stress and health, and social psychology.	3
SPCH 1101Public Speaking (Prerequisites: ENGL 1101- Institutional Requirement) Introduces the student to the fundamentals of oral communication. L Topics include selection and organization of materials, preparation and delivery of individual and group presentations, analysis of ideas presented by others, and professionalism.	3
SOCI 1101Introduction to Sociology (Prerequisite: Appropriate Degree Level Writing (English) and Reading Placement Scores) Explores the sociological analysis of society, its culture, and structure. Sociology is presented as a science with emphasis placed on its methodology and theoretical foundations. Topics include basic sociological concepts, socialization, social interaction and culture, social groups and institutions, deviance and social control, social stratification, social change, and marriage and family.	3

Occupational Courses (48-52 hours)	52
BUSN 1015Intro to Healthcare Reimbursement (Prerequisites: BUSN 1010 only OR BUSN 2300/ALHS 1090) This course is designed to increase efficiency and streamline administrative procedures for healthcare insurance billing and reimbursement. Topics include documentation in the medical record, types of insurance, Medicare compliance policies related to documentation and confidentiality, and HIPAA and other compliance regulations.	3
BUSN 2340Healthcare Administrative Procedures (Prerequisites: BUSN 1010 only OR BUSN 2310/ALHS 1011and BUSN 2300/ALHS1090, COMP 1000 or Guided Elective) (Co-requisites: BUSN 1440) Emphasizes the essential skills required for the business healthcare office. Introduces the knowledge, skills, and procedures needed to understand billing purposes. Introduces the basic concept of business healthcare administrative assisting and its relationship to the other health fields. Emphasizes healthcare regulations and ethics and the healthcare administrative assistant's role as an agent of the physician. Provides the student with knowledge and the essentials of professional behavior. Topics include: introduction to business healthcare procedures, healthcare regulations ethics, healthcare records management, scheduling appointments, health insurance billing/collection, work area management, resource utilization, and office equipment. Program students will take exit exam when enrolled in this course.	4
BUSN 2350Electronic Health Records (Prerequisites: BUSN 1010 only OR BUSN 2310/ALHS 1011and BUSN 2300/ALHS 1090, COMP 1000 or Guided Elective) This course provides a study of the content, code sets, storage, retrieval, control, flow, retention, maintenance of electronic health records, and computerized office management. Topics include: electronic healthcare information management, electronic data exchange, coding standards, health record and office management software, point of entry data entry, electronic coding from health records, speed data entry in processing healthcare records, analysis of records to improve patient care, confidentiality, release of information, security of electronic healthcare record, communication, technology, insurance payment, managed care, posting to accounts, appointment schedules, practice management, report generation, customizing medical documents, claims management, collections management, and HIPAA security.	3
BUSN 2375Healthcare Coding (Prerequisites: BUSN 1010 only OR BUSN 2310/ALHS 1011 and BUSN 2300/ALHS 1090, COMP 1000 or Guided Elective) Provides an introduction to medical coding skills and applications of international coding standards as it applies to healthcare billing for insurance purposes. Topics include: current procedural terminology, International Classification of Diseases, code book formats, coding techniques, formats of the ICD and CPT manuals, and collections.	3
BUSN 2190Business Document Proofreading & Editing (Prerequisites: ENGL 1010 or ENGL 1101) (Co-requisite: BUSN 1440) Emphasizes proper proofreading and editing for business documents. Topics include: applying proofreading techniques and proofreaders marks with business documents; proper content, clarity, and conciseness in business documents; and business document formatting.	3
BUSN 1440Document Production (Prerequisites: The ability to key 25 gross words a minute on 3-minute timings with no more than 3 errors, COMP 1000 or guided elective) (Co-requisites: COMP 1000 or guided elective) Reinforces the touch system of keyboarding placing emphasis on correct techniques with adequate speed and accuracy and producing properly formatted business documents. Topics include: reinforcing correct keyboarding technique, building speed and accuracy, formatting business documents, language arts, proofreading, and work area management.	4
ACCT 1100Financial Accounting I (Prerequisite: Program admission) Introduces the basic financial accounting concepts of the complete accounting cycle and provides the student with the necessary skills to maintain a set of books for a sole proprietorship. Topics include: accounting vocabulary and concepts, the accounting cycle for a personal service business, the accounting cycle for a merchandising business, inventory, cash control, and receivables. Laboratory work demonstrates theory presented in class.	4
OCC 004Occupational Elective (4 hours)	4
OCC 004Occupational Elective (4 hours)	4
OCC 004Occupational Elective (4 hours)	4
OCC 003Occupational Elective (3 hours)	3
Choose One (3 hours)
COMP 1000Intro to Computer Literacy This course introduces the fundamental concepts, terminology, and operations necessary to use computers. Emphasis is placed on basic functions and familiarity with computer use. Topics include introductions to computer and digital terminology and usage, operating systems, Internet and digital communication, word processing applications, spreadsheet applications, database applications, and presentation applications.	3
GUI 003Guided Elective (3 hours)	3
Choose One (6-10 hours)
You may choose to take these three courses OR (10 hours)
ALHS 1090Medical Terminology for Allied Health Sciences (Prerequisite: Provisional Admission) Introduces the elements of medical terminology. Emphasis is placed on building familiarity with medical words through knowledge of roots, prefixes, and suffixes. Topics include: origins (roots, prefixes, and suffixes), word building, abbreviations and symbols, and terminology related to the human anatomy.	2
ALHS 1011Structure & Function of Human Body (Prerequisite: Regular Admission) Focuses on basic normal structure and function of the human body. Topics include general plan and function of the human body, integumentary system, skeletal system, muscular system, nervous and sensory systems, endocrine system, cardiovascular system, lymphatic system, respiratory system, digestive system, urinary system, and reproductive system.	5
MAST 1120Human Diseases (Prerequisites: ALHS 1011, ALHS 1090, ENGL 1010, MATH 1012, PSYC 1010) (Co-requisites: MAST 1080, MAST 1100) Provides review of anatomy and physiology per body system and fundamental information concerning common diseases and disorders or each body system. For each system, the disease or disorder is highlighted including: description, etiology, signs and symptoms, diagnostic procedures, treatment, management, prognosis, and prevention. Topics include: review of anatomy and physiology and diseases of the body systems.	3
You may choose to take only this course (6 hours)
BUSN 1010Med Terminology, Anatomy, Diseases for Business (Prerequisites: None) This course focuses on medical terminology, anatomy, and diseases and disorders of each major human body system: Integumentary, Skeletal, Muscular, Nervous, Sensory, Endocrine, Cardiovascular, Lymphatic, Respiratory, Digestive, Urinary, Reproductive Systems of the Male and Female, and Development, Heredity, and Genetics.	6