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Health Information Technology Application Dates and Health Science Application Login
Health Information Technology Program Application Information
Health Information Technology Application Checklist
Health Information Technology Workshop Dates
Build Your Future as a Health Information Technician
Health information technology involves the study of the principles and practices of acquiring, analyzing, and securing digital and paper-based health and medical information vital to providing quality patient care. Health informatics, health information management, and health information technology incorporate the disciplines of medicine, management, finance, information technology, and law into one exciting and dynamic curriculum working to transform the delivery of health care. Because of this unique mixture, program graduates are in control and can choose from a variety of work settings across an array of health care environments.
The Health Information Management/Health Informatics accreditor of Cypress College is the Co
mission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM). The College’s accreditation for Associates of Science degree in Health Information Technology has been reaffirmed through the end of 2021 (reaccreditation survey planned for August 2021). All inquiries about the program’s accreditation status should be directed by mail to CAHIIM, 200 East Randolph Street, Suite 5100, Chicago, IL, 60601; by phone at (312) 235-3255; or by email at info@cahiim.org.
Graduation and pass rates for the program last year are as follows:
- Graduation Rate: 82%
- Employment rate: 86%
- Registered Health Information Technology national exam rate: 100%
Health information professionals care for patients by managing their medical data. They ensure that a patient’s health information is complete, accurate, and protected, yet readily available for healthcare providers when needed. There are three professional and academic areas of health information that you can learn: Health Information Management, Health Information Technology, and Health Informatics. At the associate degree level, Cypress College offers both specialty tracks in our curriculum which include Data Management and Revenue Management.
1. Health information management (HIM) is the practice of acquiring, analyzing, and protecting digital and traditional medical information vital to providing quality patient care.
2. Health information technology (Health IT) refers to the framework used to manage health information, and the exchange of health information in a digital format.
3. Health Informatics (HI) is a science that defines how health information is captured, transmitted, and utilized.
Health information management professionals work in a variety of different settings and job titles. They often serve in roles to connect clinical, operational, and administrative functions. These professionals affect the quality of patient information and patient care at each point in the healthcare delivery cycle. Having skilled HIM professionals on staff ensures an organization has the right information available when and where it is needed while maintaining the highest standards of data integrity, confidentiality, and security.
Health information coding is the heart of both health care reimbursement and clinical analysis. This crucial aspect of health information management requires a highly trained and accurate professional who can assign numerical codes to diagnoses, symptoms, and procedures using the current diagnostic coding and procedure classification systems which include ICD-10-CM, ICD 10-PCS, and Current Procedural Terminology (CPT). Most third-party payers, including the federal government and private insurers, require submission of diagnoses and procedure codes for the hospital and/or physician billing process. Diagnoses and procedures codes are needed for comparing and tracking diseases, clinical research, statistical reporting, market data, policymaking, and planning.
Professionals who work in health IT (information technology) focus on the technical side of managing health information, by using software and hardware to manage and store patient data. Health IT professionals usually have Information Technology backgrounds. They provide support for electronic health records and other systems that HIM professionals use to secure health information.
The program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM). Graduates of the HIT Associates Program are eligible to take the national examination leading to certification as a Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT).
Frequently Asked Questions
Health Information Technology Application Checklist
Items to be completed before to applying to a Health Science program:
☐Review the program webpage for program information and the program brochure for prerequisite requirements and selection criteria.
☐Complete the sample application to prepare for the online application (see page 3 within this document).
☐Attend a Health Science Workshop (This is optional, but strongly recommended). Speak with a Health Science Counselor for any questions or concerns regarding application (optional).
☐Apply to Cypress College as a general student and obtain a myGateway Student ID #. Example @01234567.It can take up to 5 business days. Applying to a Health Science program is a separate application.
☐Review the myGateway instructions on the Cypress College website. Once a myGateway Student ID # has been provided, log into myGateway account to do the next 3 items:
☐Obtain unofficial Cypress College and/or Fullerton College transcripts if any completed or in progress coursework is being used within the application. A current copy, in pdf format, will be required to be uploaded within the online Health Science application during each application period. Within myGateway, click on WebStar, open the Student Records folder, click on View Unofficial Web Transcript, and save the file as a pdf document.
☐Send all official transcripts from other colleges to Cypress College Admission and Records. Admission and Records will not accept transcripts opened prior to submission, PDF documents sent from a student, unofficial transcripts, or a Cypress College transcript. Allow 5 or more business days for transcripts to be processed. All transcripts must be submitted and processed by the official transcript due date.
To digitally send a transcript (directly from school to school) –
Use incomingtranscripts@cypresscollege.edu or choose Cypress College (if the option is provided during the ordering process)
To mail official transcripts to Cypress College use this address –
Cypress College
Admission and Records – Transcripts
9200 Valley View St.
Cypress, CA 90630
NOTE – If you sent official transcripts to Cypress College before being provided a Cypress College or Fullerton College student id# (same # is used for both colleges), you must contact Cypress College Admission and Records and request for your transcript to be uploaded to your id# in the transcript database.
☐It is the applicant’s responsibility to provide the most current transcript when applying/reapplying to a program.
Applicants must submit a new and more current transcript if…
- had coursework in progress during the semester I previously applied
- have current prerequisite coursework in progress (must list college on application, but can provide unofficial transcript for the in-progress coursework only. Any prior attempted and/or completed coursework must be on an official transcript.)
- did not provide an official transcript when previously applied (excluding Cypress and Fullerton College)
- Cypress and Fullerton unofficial transcripts must be uploaded within the online application each application period
Applicants do not need to submit a transcript again if…
- have already submitted an official transcript AND NO changes have occurred to that transcript.(See above list of changes that require a new transcript.)
Items to be completed during Health Science program application:
☐Log into the online Health Science Application using myGateway credentials (8-digit student I.D., also called a “banner I.D.”, and an accompanying password).
☐Fill in the Health Science online application for the program applying for. Only one application is allowed per application period. It is the applicant’s responsibility to fill in the application fully and correctly.
☐Be prepared to upload PDF documents if needed. Current unofficial transcript(s) for Cypress and/or Fullerton College will be required to be uploaded each application period if have attempted/completed/in-progress. Other possible items: unofficial transcripts showing in-progress coursework, copy of High School diploma (not transcripts), etc.
☐Once completed, click the submit button. A confirmation email will be sent containing the application number and further instructions.
☐Follow the instructions within the confirmation email to complete the application process. The transcripts listed on the confirmation email do not reflect the current status of the Admission and Records transcript office.
☐Failure to provide a complete application packet will result in an ineligible application.
☐An applicant’s account will be locked once an application is submitted online. Updates or changes can be completed during the program’s next application period.
Notification Letter
☐The Health Science Applications Office will contact all applicants with a notification letter no later than May 1 for fall consideration and December 1 for spring consideration. Please do not contact the college for a status update before to the notification letter date unless instructed to do so by the Health Science staff or faculty.
☐It is the applicant’s responsibility to contact the Health Science Applications Office by May 2 for fall consideration and December 2 for spring consideration if a notification letter email was not received. Deadline to respond is about three business days. Failure to respond to an Accepted and Alternate status notification letter email will result in the application being marked as declined and will be removed from the roster.
☐Ineligible applications – It is the applicant’s responsibility to inquire about the reason their application was ineligible and correct any errors during the next application period.
☐If an applicant would like to discuss the application once applicants have received the notification letter, please contact a Health Science Counselor during business hours: Health Science Express Counseling-Cranium Café Lobby, or call (714) 484-7015 for appointment (if available) or Counselor hours of availability for virtual “walk-ins.”
Upon completion of one of these programs, students will be awarded an associate in science degree.
The program can be completed in two years.
The program is $46 per unit for California residents, not including books, fees, and supplies. Units vary by course, but the average is three units per course. The unit cost for the certificate and associate in science degree will vary depending upon the number of prerequisites needed. Most students also qualify for some form of financial aid.
- Eligibility for admission to Cypress College.
- Completion of ENGL 100 C with a grade of “C” or better or transcript showing course in progress,
- Completion of CIS 111 C Computer Information Systems with a grade of “C” or better or transcript showing course in progress,
- Completion of HS 145 C Survey of Medical Terminology with a grade of “C” or better or transcript showing course in progress, and
- Eligibility for MATH 120 C Introduction to Probability and Statistics or transcript showing appropriate Math course in progress.
For additional information, see: http://news.cypresscollege.edu/Documents/health-science/Health_Info_Tech_2017.pdf
Please consider attending an information workshop about Cypress College Health Science Programs. The Health Science Workshop Schedule and Reservations link is here: http://news.cypresscollege.edu/Documents/health-science/Health-Science-Workshop-Series.pdf
