2010-2011

Health Unit Coordinator
Technical Diploma — Downtown Milwaukee and West Allis Campuses

Program Code: 30-510-2

This curriculum goes into effect as of summer 2010.

Overview — Health Unit Coordinator is a 16-credit, short-term technical diploma program (16 weeks full-time and about one year part-time). The program focuses on preparing you to coordinate non-direct patient care tasks including order transcription, clerical support functions, extensive customer service interactions, as well as taking direction from physicians, nurses and other allied health professionals. Following the program’s theoretical component, you will apply your skills during the clinical experience.

Career Outlook — Health unit coordinators are valued professionals of the health care team and the demand for this profession continues to grow. Graduates may be employed in hospitals, long-term care facilities or clinics. Job titles may include clinical systems communicator, medical (unit) secretary, emergency department communicator or nursing unit administrative assistant. For additional career information, visit www.nahuc.org.  

Program Learning Outcomes — Employers expect program graduates to be able to:

• Communicate professionally in the health care environment
• Coordinate health unit operations
• Integrate the role of the Health Unit Coordinator in the health care system
• Manage client information
• Transcribe medical orders

Preparation for Admission — This program admits students through a petition selection process:

What is the petitioning process? (PDF)
Am I ready to petition? (PDF)
Petition Packet (PDF)

Personal attributes that will contribute to success as a health unit coordinator include: effective professional communication and interpersonal skills; maintaining patient confidentiality based on the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act; conscientious work habits as related to punctuality and attendance; empathy; and the ability to multitask as well as work efficiently and accurately under pressure. Demonstration of 30 WPM keyboarding skills with no more than three errors is a co-prerequisite to HUC-303.

Future Opportunities — Upon your graduation, you may take a national certification exam through the National Association for Health Unit Coordinators.

Possible Careers:

Health Unit Coordinator/Clerk
Clinical Systems Communicator
Nursing Unit Administrative Assistant
Ward Clerk/Secretary

Related Programs:

Health Information Technology
Registered Nursing
 

For more information, call 414-297-MATC.

Curriculum effective 2010-2011.

TWENTY-WEEK TERMS			Credits	Hours
HEALTH-101*	Medical Terminology (16 Weeks)		3	3r
HEALTH-104*	Principles of Customer Service in Healthcare (16 Weeks)		2	2r
HEALTH-107*	Introduction to Computing for Healthcare  (16 weeks)		2	1r 2s
HUC-301	Health Unit Coordinator Procedures 1 ‡ (6 Weeks)		3	12r
HUC-302	Health Unit Coordinator Procedures 2 ‡ (6 Weeks)		3	12r
HUC-303	Health Unit Coordinator Clinical ‡ (4 weeks)		3	36c
TOTAL CREDITS: 16

Hours per Week: r = related, s = shop, c = clinical, o = other

* May be taken prior to entering the program.

Program curriculum requirements are subject to change.

‡ Prerequisite required.

For course descriptions, times and locations of classes, visit  INFOnline.