September 30th HIT Champions Meeting

HEALTH INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY – CHAMPIONS MEETING

Date:                     Thursday, September 30, 2010
Time:                    10:00 am – 4:00 pm (lunch served)
Location:             DoubleTree Hotel, 3100 Camino del Rio Court,
                               Bakersfield, California

Purpose:     The goal of this day long planning meeting is to bring together health industry representatives, community college educators, and high school career pathway teachers to begin developing a region-wide health information technology (HIT) program of study.  Our goal is to develop a region-wide program of study that will lead students to an Associate of Arts Degree in Health Information Technology and certification as a Registered Health Information Technician.  This goal can only be reached through a concerted effort of dedicated educators and professionals.

Your Part:      Success will require input and planning from three separate groups:

• Health Care Industry – We need representatives from current and future employers of the students who will follow this career pathway.  We will need professionals from all parts of the medical community from acute care hospitals to individual physicians.  Their role will be to inform educators as to the exact skills and training future employees will require.  They will have the responsibility to assist the educators by providing access to technology used by the industry and student opportunities for work experience. 
• Community College Educators – Our four colleges (Bakersfield College, Cerro Coso, Porterville, College, and Taft College) must determine what HIT courses will be offered for the regional program and how they will be developed.  They will need to establish articulation agreements among themselves and with the region’s high schools.  They will need to establish distance learning capabilities for HIT classes as well as for dual enrollment with regional high schools for prerequisite classes. 
• High School Educators – Our regional high schools will need to work with the community college champions to determine the course work recommended for secondary students to prepare them for college level work and success in completion.  They will create the secondary pathway that reflects industry and post-secondary needs with region wide articulation of key preparatory classes.  They will also work with their middle school partners to develop career awareness and exploration opportunities for middle school students.

A regional HIT program of study will exist and students will be progressing along this pathway within two years…the only questions are:  What will it look like and who will have designed it?  The answers to those questions will be determined on Thursday, September 30th. 

All interested stakeholders are invited to this planning meeting which will be held in Bakersfield (exact location to be announced). The meeting will begin at 10AM and end by 4PM.  Lunch, travel and substitute costs will be provided.  

Champions are volunteers who are passionate about making a real difference and providing our students with opportunities and pathways to achievement.  Champions are willing to tackle the natural institutional resistance to change, to identify and overcome barriers to success and work to develop a truly unique program of study.  We need teachers, counselors and administrators from every academic discipline and level.  The success of the HIT program of study demands student success in English, math, social studies, science and business…so each must be part of the process.

If being a part of something really important appeals to you, I sincerely hope you will adjust your schedule and join us on September 30. 

If you know someone who should be included, ask them to join us.  For questions or to RSVP contact:  Nancy Johnson nanjohns@kccd.edu or Bob Hawkes bhawkes@kccd.edu.