Morgan Larson, Writer
Iowa Lakes Community College (ILCC) is one of the most well-grounded and exceptional colleges around. A contributing factor to this is ILCC’s continued recognition of its programs of study by their expertise and outstanding curriculum each one offers for newly enrolled students.
In a recent post for “Best Associate’s Degree in Healthcare Administration,” Iowa Lakes Community College was ranked fourth out of 20 by the “Best Value Schools” post for the “Best 20 Associates Degree in Healthcare Administration in 2021.” As healthcare and medical careers are the focal points of this pandemic, ILCC’s Medical Office Technology director touches on how ranking may impact the program as well as its curriculum toward real-world happenings.
Mary Faber has been the Medical Office Technology’s director for the past ten years at the Spencer campus. “Our Medical Office Technology program, as well as others at Iowa Lakes Community College, allow a student to gain valuable employment skills at an affordable cost,” says Faber, “This is an important factor for students in today’s world.” She could not agree more on the education at Iowa Lakes Community College, as ILCC is considered one of the most reasonable within the state of Iowa.
Amongst ILCC’s formidable program curriculum’s, the Medical Office Technology could benefit from the program being within the top five of the Best Value Schools ranking. Faber believes a few items could push Medical Office Technology up the healthcare list. “First, medical records have been on the forefront of changes in the healthcare field,” said Faber.
One of the changes has been digitizing patient records, reflecting how a patient’s credentials are coded. Faber goes on to say, “Previous coding methods amounted to just over 14,000 codes; changes to the coding process now hold over 68,000 codes!” These altercations are vital elements that adapt to and are taught to students within the Medical Office Technology program.
Although this ranking directly recognizes Iowa Lakes Community College solely, Faber could see this will sizably benefiting the program by bringing awareness to the programs itself and its curriculum. “I would presume that it will build awareness around the importance of having highly trained Medical Office Technologists,” said Faber.
This kind of recognition from the “Best Value Schools” may pose as an extra motivational streak for students within the Medical Office Technology program. For Faber, she sees this new source of positivity somewhat “behind the scenes.”
Faber touches on the matter, “People who work in the Medical Office Technology field are working ‘behind the scenes’ in this profession. The person who checks you in at the clinic accesses a complicated software program that tracks information.” She continues with, “Your medical records need to be scrutinized not only to assure accuracy but to conform to mandated confidentiality standards.” The Medical Office Technology ensures that students are taught such components as a part of their earning education at ILCC.
The worldwide pandemic has impacted virtually every program at ILCC. As the Medical Office Technology program director, Faber has seen a fluctuation, from this time a year ago, in student enrollment numbers. “There has been some flux in student enrollment numbers, and I think there are a couple of reasons for that. Education is often in competition with employment,” said Faber.
Even if individuals who are employed, don’t necessarily halt their employment status to enroll in college. Faber goes on to say, “Within the last ten years, there have been times of large layoffs in our region. Associated with those layoffs are grants available for students for ‘re-training’ monies.” During that period, many spikes are seen, as unemployed people are seeking college aspirations to change their career paths.
The dependence on future enrollment numbers can predict a different scenario. Faber adds that “Medical Office Technology is not a flashy career. It often attracts someone who is returning to college as an adult student. The flux in enrollment sometimes reflects who is looking for career change opportunities, and at what stage of life.”
Speaking of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Medical Office Technology program prepares its student for the virus’s real-world situations, wearing masks, enforcing the social distance of six feet in the work setting. Pretty much in the same protocol as the rest of the medical profession. Faber also added, “There is some work at home options for those that are working exclusively in coding or transcribing medical documentation.”
Many of us know all too well how the realm of career searching has been since the introduction to COVID-19. Many have seen simple job changes like working from home instead of the office or drastic changes as job positions are terminated due to the type of business/company one may be employed at.
For graduating students from ILCC’s Medical Technology program, students could see a wide plethora of opportunities. Faber believes, “Medical Office Technologists are typically employed in the wide-ranging settings as a clinic, a hospital, and area surgical offices; anywhere where the medical knowledge and administrative skills intersect.”
ILCC has not ever let down the “focal points” of the programs of study they hold toward their mission in students’ lives and various career opportunities. Mary Faber provides the statics of how she believes Iowa Lakes ranking in the “Best Value School” post could impact the program’s well-being and future medical office technologists.
In today’s world, there are vast opportunities with ILCC, and the attention is in full focus on Faber and the Medical Office Technology program at ILCC. Wishing the best of luck with the medical program as their employment venues are at the front lines with today’s world occurrences.
Thank you to all those employed in the medical field during this pandemic. Your hard work and sacrifices have not and will not go unnoticed. Thank you.
Congratulations to Iowa Lakes and their ranking of “#4 for the Best 20 Associates Degree in Healthcare Administration in 2021.”
If you’d like to learn more about the Medical Office Technology program, please click the link.
To check out Iowa Lakes ranking within the “Best Value Schools” posting, check out this link.
Check out the Slideshow below to see the different images of employment can be pursued from graduating from Medical Programs.
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