Health Information Technology FAQs
Consult the drop down menu for answers to frequently asked questions (HIT FAQs) about the Health Information Technology Program.
Consult the drop down menu for answers to frequently asked questions (HIT FAQs) about the Health Information Technology Program.
Don’t confuse the OTC certificate with a coding credential!
If you receive the OTC “Certificate in Coding Specialist” you may have met the education requirements to sit for the AHIMA “ Certified Coding Specialist (CCS or CCS-P)” credential exam.
Coding accuracy is highly important to healthcare organizations, and has an impact on revenues and describing health outcomes. In fact, a CCS credential has become an implicit industry standard.
Link to the AHIMA CCS and CCS-P test-taking requirements:
Yes. A student can complete the HIT program online from start to finish!
Yes. OTC offers seated general education courses.
Most of the HIT courses do have prerequisites.
The only exceptions to prerequisites are:
Currently we have around 172 students enrolled in the HIT Program.
No. HIT is an “open admission” program.
No. You can be a part time or full time student. You should anticipate completing the program within 3 ½ years.
HIT has a demanding curriculum to assist student success in future career goals. In the HIT courses, a 75% (“C”) or better is considered passing.
If this is student’s third attempt, they are requested to email the Program Director, Denise Baer.
You need to have one of the HIT Program faculty as your advisor in order to keep informed about any changes within the HIT Program curriculum. Here is the HIT Faculty information.
If you currently do not have a HIT faculty advisor, you can request to change your assigned Academic Advisor by completing the Change of Advisor form.
Click HERE to find further information on HIT informational sessions.
The Student Affairs office is responsible for Student Development, Financial Aid, Records and Registration, Student Services and Veteran’s Affairs. They work diligently to provide students with the resources they need to make the college process easier, friendlier and more pleasant. If you have any questions:
Yes, you will! The HIT 290 Professional Practice Experience facilitates supervised field-based learning in affiliated healthcare and health-care-related agencies. The course is designed to provide the student with an opportunity to integrate classroom and clinical experience with the Health Information Management Department and other associated departments. Students will be expected to complete a defined number of hours of nonpaid practical experience.
HIT 290 Professional Practice Experience is the cumulation of the student’s hard work in acquiring the knowledge and skills throughout the program.
HIT 290 is taken your last semester of the program. It is only available in Spring and Fall.
HIT 290 has an application process you must follow to register (you cannot register for this course on your own – you must be approved to register).
To apply the student must meet the following requirements:
Application process:
Denise Baer
HIT Program Director
417-447-8821
baerd@otc.edu