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

Program code: 30-510-2

This curriculum goes into effect starting with the summer 2008 semester.

Program curriculum requirements are subject to change.

Overview — Health Unit Coordinator is a 20-week technical diploma program that focuses on preparing you to coordinate non-direct patient care tasks including receptionist, clerical functions and use of computers in health care settings. Following the program’s theoretical component, you will apply your skills during the clinical experience.

Career Outlook — Health unit coordinators are valued members of the health care team and the demand for this profession continues to grow. Graduates may be employed in hospitals, nursing homes, home health care agencies, hospital admitting and medical records departments, clinics, physicians’ offices and insurance companies. Job titles may include health unit clerk, unit secretary, unit coordinator, ward clerk/secretary and communicator. For additional career information, visit www.nahuc.org.  

Career Preparation and Expected 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 — The following are required for admission to the program:

• A high school diploma or GED
• Demonstration of proficiency in basic skills through a course placement assessment
• Good health as evidenced by a medical examination
• Proper immunizations
• Documentation that the Essential Job Functions for a health unit coordinator have been reviewed. This is in keeping with the requirement of the federal Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA).
• Documentation of compliance with Wisconsin’s Caregiver Law.

You will need to be flexible, organized, dependable, set priorities and handle stressful situations in a professional manner. The key to your success will be your ability to maintain perfect attendance, communicate effectively with other departments, maintain confidentiality, work with others in a team environment and perform skills accurately, following detailed instructions. Demonstration of 20 WPM keyboarding skills with no more than two errors is a 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
Health Unit Clerk
Unit Secretary
Ward Clerk/Secretary

Related Programs:

Health Information Technology
Medical Administrative Specialist

For more information, call 414-297-MATC.

Curriculum effective 2008-2009.

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 ‡ (8 Weeks)		3	12r
HUC-302	Health Unit Coordinator Procedures 2 ‡ (8 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.