MCC Enters Transfer Agreement With Charter Oak State College

MANCHESTER, Conn. (November 12, 2015) – Manchester Community College and Charter Oak State College signed an agreement that enables graduates from the community college to more easily transfer credits from the associate in science degree in business office technology (BOT)/medical to the bachelor of science degree in health information management at Charter Oak.

At the same time, the recent accreditation of the Charter Oak program from the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management (CAHIIM) means that graduates from that program can sit for the Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA) certification.

Individuals who possess the RHIA credential demonstrate comprehensive knowledge of medical, administrative, ethical and legal requirements related to healthcare delivery and privacy, according to Stacey Bottone, MCC’s BOT/medical instructor.

“A certified RHIA professional is an expert in managing patient-health information and medical records, administering computer information systems, collecting and analyzing data and using classification systems,” she said. “This agreement with Charter Oak gives students the most convenient and cost-effective path to a four-year degree and this important certification. The online learning venue also makes this an excellent option for the adult learner who is balancing important life commitments. This allows a student to work full- or part-time while earning a bachelor’s degree.”

The agreement between MCC and Charter Oak represents an opportunity for students who already are halfway toward the credential to complete it. “This relationship will be fruitful for everyone involved,” Moses Terrell Adgers, senior associate in the Charter Oak Office of Admissions said. “It is a great opportunity for working adults to earn a bachelor’s degree while still working.”

Adgers added that the only way to earn the RHIA credential is to sit for the exam, which students cannot do unless they graduate from a CAHIIM-accredited institution. “Charter Oak is the only college in New England to earn this accreditation,” he said. “The transfer agreement provides students with a unique pathway to one of the highest growth sectors in the U.S. labor market.”

The expected growth rate for this field is 23 percent by 2020, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

MCC will hold an information session on this new partnership on Monday, November 16, at 5:30 p.m. in the Learning Resource Center building, room A226. MCC alumni from the BOT program, as well as current students, are invited to attend.

For more information, contact information management and technology department Co-Chairs Carla Adams at 860-512-2652 or Sandra Rimetz at 860-512-2636.