Healthcare Management

Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S)
Contact Information: Program Office 615-353-3705, E-mail: Eli.Alvarado@nscc.edu, Program Site

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.

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;
• Define the roles and responsibilities of each medical office position and their role in quality improvement; and
• Demonstrate an understanding of medical reimbursement practices and how to conduct a chart audit for both quality review and billing practices.

Admission Requirements

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

Grading Policy

A grade of “C” or above must be earned in prerequisite courses (BIOL 1000 , BIOL 2010 , BIOL 2020 ) to meet requirements for enrollment in subsequent Healthcare Management (HCM) courses. A grade of “C” or above in all HCM 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.

Medical Coding Concentration

This concentration focuses on the fundamentals of healthcare organizations with specialized training in Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) and International Classification of Diseases (ICD). The Medical Coding 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. Emphasis is placed on preparing students to obtain advanced credentials such as Certified Coding Specialist or Certified Professional Coder. For students who have already obtained coding certification, certain credits are available based on verification of successful completion of the Certified Coding Specialist (CCS) or Certified Professional Coder (CPC) examination. Please contact your advisor for additional information.

Career Opportunities

• Coding Specialist
• Reimbursement Specialist
• Office Manager

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

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 demonstrate the appropriate skill levels before enrolling in college-level courses. ACT/SAT scores, COMPASS test scores, or other relevant information determines whether a student needs to enroll in Learning Support courses in reading, writing, and/or math. After completing the required Learning Support course(s), a student may enroll in college-level courses.

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 Program Coordinator. The Career Services Office will provide the correct course numbers.

* This course is part of the general education core.