Health Services

Students study the American healthcare system, its structure and operations, the forces responsible for shaping it, and the policies influencing its current and future performance.

Provides a solid foundation and understanding of the medical language used by healthcare professionals. This is accomplished through the introduction, reinforcement, and combining of medical word parts including prefixes, suffixes, and combining forms. Emphases are on word building, analysis of parts of the word, abbreviations, spelling, and correct pronunciation of various body systems including the musculoskeletal, digestive, nervous, and integumentary, as well as the senses.

Students continue to develop their understanding of the medical terms that are used regarding various body systems. There is an emphasis on combining word parts (prefixes, suffixes, and combining forms) to create full medical terms including the cardiovascular, respiratory, urinary, endocrine, lymphatic, and reproductive systems.

Prerequisite: HEA200

An introduction to the principles of law as applied to the healthcare field. Students learn ethical standards and issues as related to healthcare.

Provides an overview of the principles and practices of managed care and health insurance. Students analyze and evaluate private- and government-sponsored programs in relation to systems in other countries.

An introduction to the development of medical nomenclature and classification systems. Topics include coding of diseases and procedures, an overview of coding systems, and basic coding rules and conventions.

Students learn about inpatient coding, the assignment of DRGs, the relationships of coding to reimbursement, and selected nomenclature and classification systems.

Prerequisite: HEA210

Provides the effective health communication skills that are necessary for employment and success in health services, including writing accurate and concise health reports, familiarization with vocabulary of terms commonly used, and verbal communication.

Course provides an introduction to health insurance products and various approaches to the delivery of healthcare services. Students learn how to manage the issues of consumers, providers, and insurers and explore the organization and structure of the current healthcare system with a view toward options for its future direction.

Prerequisite: HEA101

Explores current and emerging uses of technology in the health services industry. Students learn how to use industry software for medical office management, billing, and coding.

Prerequisites: CIS115, HEA101

An introduction to the various clients of the health services industry including patients and their families, practitioners, and healthcare agencies. Students learn various strategies for defining and evaluating standards for customer satisfaction.

Prerequisite: HEA101

Involves readings and discussions organized around selected topics in health. Topics will vary each quarter and may include health policy, health-services risk management, the politics of health, and professional ethics.

Prerequisite: HEA101

Allows students to work in a position related to their course of study. Students integrate the skills and knowledge learned through their academic experiences and participate in focused online discussions and special online projects.

Prerequisite: BUS226

Students examine and apply the most recent theories and current practices in the healthcare industry. Emphasis is on encouraging students to develop the vision, problem-solving, and analytical skills essential for leadership in the healthcare environment.

Prerequisite: HEA220

Explores issues related to the design and delivery of healthcare programs to all segments of the community. Focuses on public health and government-funded programs, as well as private healthcare.

Prerequisite: HEA101

Explores current long-term and residential care services and financing options. Students learn about alternate delivery systems and organizational structures proposed to accommodate an aging population.

Prerequisite: HEA101

An introduction to the foundations of financing health services in a dynamically changing environment. Topics include healthcare costs, reimbursement systems, insurance issues, the roles of budgeting and accounts, the multifunctionality of financial services within the health services industry, and trends in health services financing.

Prerequisites: FIN301, HEA101

Students gain an awareness of the various frameworks for technical writing and research in the health services field. Emphasizes effective written communication and analytical skills in health services.

Prerequisites: ENG105, HEA101

Familiarizes students with epidemiology concepts and principles and analyses that students can draw from in the professional work force. Provides working knowledge of how health and illness are distributed among populations and disease patterns, dynamics, and prevention.

Overview of behavioral health services utilizing case studies. Explores the awareness and acceptance of and advances in treatment for behavioral problems. Develops understanding of behavioral health services historical, financial, legal, regulatory, societal, and care-delivery issues.

Provides managerial training in improving performance by measuring it accurately using the right tools. Health services professionals who understand how to collect, analyze, and discuss data in the context of performance improvement will excel in the field for many years.

Provides an understanding of how to implement corporate strategy in the healthcare market, including how to mobilize resources to maximize the offerings for current customers while nudging the business outward to capture more and still be able to address competitive forces.

Involves reading and discussions organized around selected topics in health. Topics will vary each quarter and may include health policy, health services risk management, the politics of health, and professional ethics.

Prerequisite: HEA101

Allows students to work in a position related to their course of study. Students integrate the skills and knowledge learned through their academic experiences and participate in focused online discussions and special online projects.

Prerequisite: BUS226