Medical Administration
Medical Administration - AAS-T
Train for a career as a medical records and health information technician, or a billing and posting clerk, through BTC's Medical Administration program. Students will gain a broad base of knowledge in general office skills, along with the required background in medical insurance billing and coding procedures. Program graduates typically work for hospitals, physician offices, insurance companies, extended care facilities and home healthcare firms.
Note: BTC has not made a determination that the Medical Administration curriculum meets educational requirements for licensure/certification outside of Washington State. We encourage students who plan to work out-of-state to check relevant local licensure/certification requirements.
Entry Information
When Can I Start?
Students interested in the Medical Administration program should apply to the college and contact Admissions at 360.752.8345 or at admissions@btc.edu for assistance with getting started at BTC. A college application and your score on assessment testing and/or previous transcripts will determine where you begin your course sequence.
This program is an open enrollment program; students may start in any quarter; however, some courses are only offered once per year.
What are the Minimum Entry Requirements?
Admissions application and assessment testing in Reading and Writing is required. Your score on the test and/or your previous transcripts will determine your acceptance into the Program. Contact Admissions at 360-752-8345 or at admissions@btc.edu for assistance with academic planning.
A cumulative GPA of 2.0 or greater and minimum grade of C/2.0 for required courses.
Early Program Course Requirements
These requirements are for the Certificate.
- ACCUPLACER Classic Reading (71) or higher OR ACCUPLACER Next Gen Reading (247) or higher OR RDG 085 with a C or higher.
- ACCUPLACER Classic Sentence Skills (71) or higher OR ACCUPLACER Next Gen Writing (245) or higher OR ENGL 092 with a C or higher.
- ACCUPLACER Classic Arithmetic (38) or higher OR ACCUPLACER Next Gen (230) or higher OR ABE 050 with a C or higher.
What are My Next Steps?
Classes
Total Program Credits: 90
Quarter 1
HT 100 Fundamentals of Medical Terminology 5 CR HT 103 Diseases of the Human Body 5 CR HT 121 Essentials of Anatomy & Physiology 5 CR Quarter 2
CAP 101 Introduction to Computer Applications 5 CR HT 120 Introduction to Medical Insurance Billing 5 CR HT 122 Medical Office Procedures 5 CR Quarter 3
HT 131 Introduction to Medical Coding 5 CR HT 132 Medical Records Management 5 CR HT 135 Pharmacology for the Medical Office 3 CR Quarter 4
ENGL& 101 English Composition I 5 CR HT 225 Nutrition & Health for Healthcare Professionals 4 CR PSYC& 100 General Psychology 5 CR Quarter 5
MATH& 107 Math in Society 5 CR HT 230 Medical Diagnostic Coding - ICD 5 CR HT 240 Medical Procedure Coding - CPT & HCPCS 5 CR Quarter 6
HT 265 Medical Billing & Coding Practicum 8 CR HT 275 Medical Ethics & Law 5 CR CMST& 210 Interpersonal Communication 5 CR
Online Synchronous
Hybrid Asynchronous
Hybrid Synchronous
Face-to-Face
Self-SupportProgram Outcomes
Upon completion of this certificate program, graduates will be able to:
- Perform front office tasks using simulated electronic health records software including scheduling appointments, registering patients and documenting patient health information using correct medical terminology and editing skills
- Identify and apply the concepts of medical insurance billing reimbursement policies, practices and industry guidelines
- Perform medical coding using appropriate coding systems
- Identify the governing bodies at the Federal, State and Local levels and apply their laws in a healthcare setting
- Analyze and explain the concepts of medical ethics and their impact on medical office operations
- Analyze and identify industry changes to the standard of care, including nutrition, lifestyle and pharmaceuticals
- Analyze strategies to improve the quality of patient services and quantitative analysis in medical office operations
- Evaluate healthcare business structure, management and the hiring processes.
Employment Outlook
Employment of medical records and health information technicians is expected to grow much faster than the average due to rapid growth in the number of medical tests, treatments, and procedures that will be increasingly scrutinized by third-party payers, regulators, courts, and consumers.
Computers are greatly simplifying the billing process and reducing the need for billing clerks, companies are putting greater emphasis on getting bills out faster in order to get paid more quickly. In addition, the fact that most billing clerks work in the fastest-growing sector of our economy (the health care sector) will generate more jobs for billing clerks in the future.
Criminal convictions may restrict or prevent student participation with internships and employment in this industry.
The average annual wage in this field is $43,472, with an earning potential of $54,288 annually.
Many jobs are in hospitals and the rest are mostly in offices of physicians, nursing care facilities, outpatient care centers, and home healthcare services. Insurance firms that deal in health matters employ a small number of health information technicians to tabulate and analyze health information. Public health departments also hire technicians to supervise data collection from healthcare institutions and to assist in research.
Faculty & Support
Shelley Walker
Shelley Walker has been an instructor at Bellingham Technical College since 2014. She brings to BTC over 18 years’ of experience working in the healthcare field. Shelley’s educational background includes a B.S. in Psychology and an M.B.A. degree.
Laura Doss
Laura Doss has been at BTC for 10 years in the roles of Academic & Career Advisor, Student Navigator, Instructor, Completion Coach and now College Navigator for the Allied Health Programs. Laura earned her Bachelor of Science while serving in the US Army and stationed in Germany and her Master of Education while stationed at Fort Sill, OK. Her initial education and training was in the mental health field before moving into education. Outside of work, Laura likes to spend time with her four kids, walking the trails, cuddling with her tiny dog and reading a ton of books!