About Health Information Technology

Do you want a job in health care but don’t want to perform direct patient care? Health Information Technology allows you to help with patient care by maintaining and protecting the patient’s health information.

The mission of the HIT program at City College of San Francisco is to provide comprehensive and high-quality courses that enable students to become proficient and innovative health information professionals. Our goal is to prepare students to pursue advanced learning opportunities in the health information field and become lifelong learners.

CAHIIM Accredited Program logo

 The Health Information Technology Program accreditor of City College of San Francisco (CCSF) is the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM). The College’s accreditation for ASSOCIATE degree in HEALTH INFORMATION MANAGEMENT has been reaffirmed through 2029. 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.

Explore Potential Careers

Studying Health Information Technology can lead to a variety of different jobs or career paths. Below are just some of the many options you will have!

  • Certified Health Data Analyst (CHDA®)
  • Certified Coding Specialist (CCS)
  • Certified Documentation Improvement Practitioner (CDIP®)
  • Certified in Healthcare Privacy and Security (CHPS®)

Program Options 

Click on the degree or certificate you're interested in earning to see a sample map of courses to take to complete your goal from start to finish.

Please note that the course maps provided are just an example to help you get started. Please meet with a counselor to personalize the plan to you and your Academic goals.

View Requirements in College Catalog

Semester 1 

Course Number Course Title Units Notes
ENGL 1A + 1AS University-Parallel Reading and Composition + Support 4-6  
MATH 46, MATH 60 or 860, ET 108B, or ET 50, or PSYC 5, or ECON 5, or LALS 5, or PHIL 12A, or FIN 136M or higher math course (or equivalent) Math Graduation Requirement 3-8  
GE Area H Ethnic Studies, Women's and Gender Studies and LGBTQ Studies 3  
GE Area A Communication and Analytical Thinking 3  
GE Area F United States History and Government Requirement 3  

Total Units: 16-23

Semester 2

Course Number Course Title Units Notes
BIO 111 or BIO 112 Human Physiology or Introduction to Human Physiology 4-5  
BIO 106 or BIO 108 Introduction to Human Anatomy and Physiology or General Human Anatomy 4  
HCT 61 Introduction to Health Care 2  
HCT 67 Computer Applications in the Health Care Setting 2  
HIT 50A Medical Terminology 3  

Total Units: 15-16 

Semester 3 (Summer)

Course Number Course Title Units Notes
GE Area D Social and Behavioral Sciences Requirement 3  
GE Area E Humanities Requirement 3  

Total Units: 6

Semester 4

Course Number Course Title Units Notes
HIT 50B Medical Terminology II 2  
HIT 57 Disease Process 3  
HIT 63 Health Information Systems 3  
HIT 65 Organization of Health Data 3  
HIT 73A ICD-10-CM Coding 3  

Total Units: 14

Semester 5

Course Number Course Title Units Notes
HIT 72 Legal Aspects of HIM 3  
HIT 73B ICD-10-PCS Coding 3  
HIT 75 Organization and Management in Health 3  
HIT 77A Professional Practice I 5  

Total Units: 14

View Requirements in College Catalog

Choose one of the following options in Anatomy and Physiology:

OPTION 1:
Course Number Course Title Units Notes
BIO 106 Introduction to Human Anatomy and Physiology 4  
OPTION 2:
BIO 108  General Human Anatomy 4  
AND choose one of the following Physiology courses:
BIO 111  Human Physiology 5  
BIO 112 Introduction to Human Physiology 4  

Total Units: 4 - 9 

Choose one of the following courses:

Course Number Course Title Units Notes
ENGL 88 College Reading and Writing 6  
ESL 186 ESL Introduction to College Reading and Writing 6  

Total Units: 6 

Required courses:

Course Number Course Title Units Notes
HCT 61 Introduction to Health Care 2  
HIT 50A Medical Terminology I 3  
HCT 67 Computer Applications in the Health Care Setting 2  

Total Units: 7

Overall Total Units: 17 - 22

View Requirements in College Catalog

First semester: choose one of the following anatomy and physiology options:

OPTION 1:
Course Number Course Title Units Notes
BIO 106 Introduction to Human Anatomy and Physiology 4  
OPTION 2:
BIO 108 General Human Anatomy 4  
AND one of the following physiology courses:
BIO 111 Human Physiology 5  
BIO 112 Introduction to Human Physiology 4  

Total Units: 4 - 9 

First semester required courses:

Course Number Course Title Units Notes
HCT 61 Introduction to Health Care 2  
HIT 50A Medical Terminology I 3  
HCT 67 Computer Applications in the Health Care Setting 2  

Total Units: 7 

First semester: choose one of the following English courses:

Course Number Course Title Units Notes
ENGL 88 College Reading and Writing 6  
ESL 186 ESL Introduction to College Reading and Writing 6  

Total Units: 6

Second semester required courses:

Course Number Course Title Units Notes
HIT 50B Medical Terminology II 2  
HIT 63 Health Information Systems 3  
HIT 65 Organization of Health Data 3  
HIT 72 Legal Aspects of HIM 3  
HIT 73A ICD-10-CM Coding 3  
HIT 77A Professional Practice I 5  

Total Units: 19

Overall Total Units: 36 - 41

View Requirements in College Catalog

First semester: choose one of the following anatomy and physiology options:

Course Number Course Title Units Notes
OPTION 1:
      
BIO 106 Introduction to Human Anatomy and Physiology 4  
OPTION 2:
      
BIO 108 General Human Anatomy 4  
AND choose one of the following Physiology courses:
      
BIO 111 Human Physiology 5  
BIO 112 Introduction to Human Physiology 4  

Total Units: 4 - 9  

First semester required courses:

Course Number Course Title Units Notes
HCT 61 Introduction to Health Care 2  
HIT 50A Medical Terminology I 3  
HCT 67 Computer Applications in the Health Care Setting 2  

Total Units: 7 

First semester: choose one of the following English courses:

Course Number Course Title Units Notes
ENGL 88 College Reading and Writing 6  
ESL 186 ESL Introduction to College Reading and Writing 6  

Total Units: 6

Second semester required courses:

Course Number Course Title Units Notes
HIT 50B Medical Terminology II 2  
HIT 57 Disease Process 3  
HIT 63 Health Information Systems 3  
HIT 65 Organization of Health Data 3  
HIT 73A ICD-10-CM Coding 3  

Total Units: 14

Third semester required courses:

Course Number Course Title Units Notes
HIT 73B ICD-10-PCS Coding 4  
HIT 74 Introduction to Quality Improvement 4  
HIT 76 CPT Coding 3  
HIT 77A Professional Practice I 5  
HIT 78 Reimbursement Methods in HIM 2  

Total Units: 16

Overall Total Units: 47 - 52

View Requirements in College Catalog

First semester: choose one of the following anatomy and physiology options:

Course Number Course Title Units Notes
OPTION 1:
      
BIO 106 Introduction to Human Anatomy and Physiology 4  
OPTION 2:
      
BIO 108 General Human Anatomy 4  

AND choose one of the

following Physiology courses:

      
BIO 111 Human Physiology 5  
BIO 112 Introduction to Human Physiology 4  

Total Units: 4 - 9 

First semester required courses:

Course Number Course Title Units Notes
HCT 61 Introduction to Health Care 2  
HIT 50A Medical Terminology I 3  
HCT 67 Computer Applications in the Health Care Setting 2  

Total Units: 7 

Second semester required courses:

Course Number Course Title Units Notes
HIT 50B Medical Terminology II 2  
HIT 57 Disease Process 3  
HIT 63 Health Information Systems 3  
HIT 65 Organization of Health Data3 3  
HIT 73A ICD-10-CM Coding    

Total Units: 14

Third semester required courses:

Course Number Course Title Units Notes
HIT 72 Legal Aspects of HIM 3  
HIT 73B ICD-10-PCS Coding 4  
HIT 77A Professional Practice I 5  
HIT 75 Organization and Management in Health 3  

Total Units: 15

 

Fourth semester required courses:

Course Number Course Title Units Notes
HIT 74 Introduction to Quality Improvement 2  
HIT 76 CPT Coding 3  
HIT 77B Professional Practice II 5  
HIT 78 Reimbursement Methods in HIM 2  

Total Units: 12

Overall Total Units: 52 - 57

Transfer Options

The program coursework you complete at City College will satisfy lower-division requirements for related majors at several colleges and universities.

Have questions about transfer? Visit the Transfer Center for help, transfer information, and/or to speak with college representatives.
 

Achievement/Outcomes

RHIT Certification Exam Results

  2015-2016 2016-2017 2017-2018 2018-2019 2019-2020
National Exam Results 67% 67% 76% 75% 76%
CCSF Results

First Attempt within
1 Year of Graduation

 78% 78% 80% 89% 100%
Outcome Rate
Exam Pass Rates 100%
Student Retention 98%
Student Satisfaction 100%
Graduate Satisfaction 100%
Employer Satisfaction 100%
Graduation Rate 94%
Employment Rate Within One Year of Graduation 95%