Major Details
Please Note: At this time, the college is not taking new applications for majors in the Medical Support Careers program. Please consider enrolling in the Administrative Support Careers program instead.
Working with the public and behind the scenes, medical support professionals provide essential services to both patients and health care providers
As the demand for health care continues to grow, the need for expert support staff in hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, and medical offices will always be increasing.
There are many non-clinical medical career opportunities in this area. Whether working behind the scenes or in a public position, these roles provide essential services to both patients and health care providers.
Health Unit Coordinators set priorities and organize the workload of the nursing unit in a hospital or clinic setting. The work requires strong organizational skills to coordinate patients, procedures, schedules, and health care documentation.
The 28-credit Health Unit Coordinator (HUC) certificate provides a foundation in administrative skills specific to this career and can be completed in one year. Students progress from general office skills to in-depth skills specific to medicine and advance to a higher level of critical thinking and problem solving.
Successful HUC graduates are effective communicators who work with patients, physicians, and other health care professionals. They understand medical terminology and the medical insurance claim cycle. They respect patient safety, privacy, confidentiality, and security.
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Courses
1) 1000 level (minimum) General Education courses required unless specified
ADMS1417
Word Processing I
This course covers utilization of word processing software to perform basic word processing applications. (Prerequisite: ADMS2410 Keyboarding I or concurrent enrollment) (2 Credits: 2 lecture/0 lab)
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2 cr
ADMS1424
Integrated Office Skills
An emphasis will be placed on learning transferrable skills such as effective written and verbal communication in the workplace; office efficiency via file management, ergonomics, and time management; and seeking assistance via the internet, software help menus, and editing/proofreading. Through the use of an office simulation, the student will perform tasks based on actual job situations that utilize the skills necessary to work in a computerized office as well as problem solving, decision making, and teamwork. The office simulation uses a variety of business application software including word processing, presentation graphics, e-mail, and the Internet. (Prerequisite or Concurrent: ADMS2410) (2 Credits: 1 lecture/1 lab)
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2 cr
COMP1140
Online Communications
This course provides an introduction to communicating online using various social media tools/applications and email. Students will create, communicate, collaborate and network with each other using Facebook, Twitter, Linked-in, and Outlook. Database concepts will also be introduced using online search techniques to provide solutions for today¿s relevant applications. (Prerequisite: none) (1 credit: 1 lecture/0 lab)
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1 cr
MEDS1210
Medical Terminology
This course covers word analysis by the study of word roots, prefixes, suffixes, and abbreviations common to the medical profession. Comprehension is expected concerning combining word parts, recognizing the meaning of the new term, understanding and writing anatomical, diagnostic, radiologic, surgical, and therapeutic terms. (Prerequisite: None) (4 credits: 4 lecture/0 lab)
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4 cr
MEDS1214
Healthcare Documentation I
This course covers transcription of dictated medical material into a variety of usable medical documents. Students will be able to describe the content and purpose of the various medical documents transcribed. (Prerequisites: ADMS1417, MEDS1210 or concurrent) (2 credits: 2 lecture/0 lab)
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2 cr
MEDS1219
Interpersonal Career Concepts
This course is designed specifically for students in allied health occupations including Health Unit Coordinator, Medical Receptionist, Medical Secretary, Medical Transcriptionist, and Medical Coding Specialist. Students will learn effective communication skills within a medical setting. The course will cover effective tools needed to establish healthy interpersonal relationships within a students personal life, family life, community, and workplace. Decision making, problem solving, critical thinking, and creative thinking will be introduced. Conflict resolution skills, harassing behavior, resume writing and professional interview techniques will be identified. (Prerequisites: None) (3 credits: 3 lecture/0 lab)
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3 cr
MEDS1222
Medical Insurance I
This course explains each phase of the medical claim cycle. Insurance payers, basic coding and billing rules, and standard requirements for billing using the CMS-1500 form will be provided. Emphasis is placed on the importance of accurate completion of CMS-1500 forms (electronic or paper) for successful reimbursement. The course will also cover HIPAA and OIG regulations. The focus of this course is to prepare the student to become familiar with each phase of the medical claim cycle within a medical environment. (Prerequisite: MEDS1210 or concurrent) (2 credits: 2 lecture/0 lab)
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2 cr
MEDS1240
Health Unit Coordinator
This course is designed to give the student the necessary skills required to manage the nonclinical tasks of the nursing unit. Students will transcribe doctors' orders, diagnostic test values, vital signs; coordinate scheduling of patients' tests and diagnostic procedures; schedule radiologic procedures that require patient preparation; maintain daily census sheet; handle all telephone communication for the unit; prepare consent forms; set priorities and organize the workload of the nursing unit. (Prerequisite: MEDS1210 or concurrent) (3 credits: 3 lecture/0 lab)
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3 cr
MEDS1605
Legal & Ethical Aspects of Health Information
This course introduces students to legal and ethical issues facing professionals in health occupations. Course content will include, but not be limited to, topics such as access to medical care, informed consent, confidentiality of health care information and exceptions to confidentiality, mandatory reporting obligations such as child and elder abuse, privileged communications between health care providers, advance directives, abortion, physician-assisted suicide. This course is intended to expose students to situations with ethical implications. (Prerequisite: None) (2 credits: 2 lecture/0 lab)
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2 cr
MEDS1610
Pharmacology
This course is designed specifically for students in allied health occupations including Health Unit Coordinator, Medical Receptionist, Medical Secretary, Medical Transcriptionist, Medical Coding Specialist. Students will learn to identify drugs by classification, characteristics of typical drugs, indications, most common side effects, precautions, contraindications, route of administration, generic and trade names. Students will gain knowledge of drug abbreviations and symbols which is required for accurate interpretation of physicians' orders. Medical terminology is essential to understand the pharmacology terminology introduced. (Prerequisite: MEDS1210 or concurrent) (2 credits: 2 lecture/0 lab)
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2 cr
Total Credits Required for this Major: 28 Credits
Estimated Costs for this Major
| Approximate Tuition/Fees: | $5,596 |
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| Minimum Tool Cost: | N/A |
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| Books/Supplies: | $1,210 |
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| Estimated Total: | $6,806 |
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Career Opportunities
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Medical Centers
- Outpatient Clinics
- Insurance Companies
- Sports Medicine Facilities
- Extended Care Facilities
- Home Health Agencies
- Government Agencies
Career Information
Outcomes
Program graduates will be able to:
- Produce medical documents using correct English and proofreading skills.
- Understand the impact that prejudice and bias have on personal attitudes, behaviors, and physical and mental health.
- Use systematic, critical, and creative processes to identify problems and make decisions.
- Demonstrate the ability to correctly spell, define, and pronounce medical terminology.
- Demonstrate critical thinking skills and ethical behavior maintaining appropriate confidentiality according to organization policies in a medical setting.
- Exhibit proficiency in transcribing medical documents that meet professional medical office standards.
Highlights
- Instructors have professional experience in the program fields
- Students work with actual clinic/hospital documents
- Established affiliation agreements have been developed with area clinics/hospitals
- All programs are offered online as well as on campus
Instructors
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Rebecca Korder
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Becky Korder received her AA Degree in the Medical Secretarial Program from Winona State University and her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Organizational Management and Communications from Concordia University in St. Paul, MN. Becky has taught at MSC Southeast since 2003. Contact Becky at rkorder@southeastmn.edu
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Patricia Watson
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Patty Watson received her AAS Degree as a Medical Administrative Secretary from Western Wisconsin Technical College in La Crosse, WI and her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Organizational Management and Communications from Concordia University in St. Paul, MN. Patty has taught at MSC Southeast since 1990. Contact Patty at pwatson@southeastmn.edu.