Healthcare Management

Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S)
Contact Information: Program Office 615-353-3390, Program Site, E-mail: Eli.Alvarado@nscc.edu

The following business degree at Nashville State Community College is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs: A.A.S. in Healthcare Management.

The mission of the Healthcare Management program is to provide a quality education in Healthcare Management, to prepare students for employment in a variety of healthcare settings, to communicate effectively in writing and orally, and to think critically.

The Healthcare Management program prepares students for various entry-level positions within the healthcare setting. The program includes courses that provide the student with business skills as well as ethical, theoretical, and practical issues related to healthcare settings.

The Medical Billing, Coding and Auditing Concentration focuses on the fundamentals of healthcare organizations with specialized training in Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) and International Classification of Diseases (ICD). The Medical Billing, Coding and Auditing Concentration focuses on medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, fundamentals of medical science and treatment procedures, data classification and coding, and regulations relating to Medicare and insurance documentation.

The Management and Compliance Concentration prepares students to create and manage a compliance program in a healthcare organization. The Management and Compliance Concentration focuses on legal issues unique to healthcare, the responsibilities associated with compliance, and understanding the roles of healthcare employees in reference to compliance. Emphasis is placed on understanding current laws specific to compliance and fraud and abuse.

Graduates of the program should be able to:

• Demonstrate an understanding of federal, state, and local laws and regulations affecting medical office technologies;
• Identify various types of healthcare delivery systems and items unique to each;
• Demonstrate an understanding of medical reimbursement practices and how to conduct a chart audit for both quality review and billing practices; and
• Apply critical thinking skills to real world strategies in the healthcare industry.

Admission Requirements

Students must establish placement by transfer credits, college entrance exam scores, or college placement testing.

Career Opportunities

Medical Billing, Coding and Auditing Concentration

• Coding Specialist
• Reimbursement Specialist
• Office Manager

Management and Compliance Concentration

• Compliance Specialist
• Compliance Educator
• Compliance Auditor

Students may be employed in physician offices, outpatient clinics, long-term care facilities, hospitals, insurance companies, and rehabilitation facilities.

Grading Policy

A grade of “C” or above must be earned in all HCMT prerequisite courses to meet requirements for enrollment in subsequent Healthcare Management (HCMT) courses. A grade of “C” or above in all HCMT courses must be earned prior to graduation. Students must maintain a grade of “C” or higher in order to progress in the Healthcare Management program.

Transfer/Advising

The A.A.S. degree is designed to prepare a student for employment upon graduation. Some universities, at their discretion, accept some technical courses for transfer. A student who plans to transfer to a university should consult his/her advisor and the receiving university about transfer and articulation policies. Failure to do so could result in loss of transfer credits.

Management and Compliance Concentration

Note:

Courses should be taken in the sequence indicated in order to ensure graduation on schedule.

Additional course requirements: The Tennessee Board of Regents requires that students either demonstrate the appropriate skill levels in math, reading, and/or writing before enrolling in college-level courses or enroll in appropriate co-requisite experiences with college-level courses to develop competency in those skills while performing college-level work. ACT/SAT scores, ACCUPLACER test scores, COMPASS test scores, or other relevant information determine whether a student needs to enroll in co-requisite courses in math, reading, and/or writing (English).

Cooperative work experience can be an important addition to a student’s formal classroom work. Co-op courses may substitute for technical courses with the prior approval of the instructor. The Career Services Office will provide the correct course numbers.

* This course is part of the general education core.