WEST PLAINS, Mo. – Members of the Missouri State University Board of Governors have approved the addition of two more degree offerings at Missouri State-West Plains.
During the board’s executive committee meeting Sept. 17 in Springfield, Missouri, members passed a resolution for the Associate of Applied Science (AAS) in Health Information Technology degree, and at the full board meeting Oct. 17 in Springfield, Missouri, members passed a resolution for the Associate of Applied Science in Wine Business and Entrepreneurship degree. The proposed degrees now will be submitted to the Missouri Coordinating Board for Higher Education (CBHE) for approval at its February 2015 meeting, university officials said.
The AAS in Health Information Technology is part of the university’s push to expand its allied health offerings, according to Amy Ackerson, director of the university’s nursing and allied health programs. Society’s transition to an information-based economy has impacted health care in dramatic ways, she said. “Developments such as the electronic health record (EHR) as a repository for digital health information and the enhanced ability of providers, payers and patients to share the information has provided a positive impact on our nation’s healthcare system,” she explained.
“Medical billing and coding professionals are an important link between healthcare providers and insurance companies. These professionals are responsible for ensuring that physicians receive the correct reimbursements from insurance companies. Working with organizations such as Medicare and Medicaid, medical billing and coding professionals are essential to many healthcare establishments,” she added.
“As more baby boomers reach retirement and the elderly population continues to grow, a larger number of people will need frequent medical care. This includes supportive functions from medical billing and coding professionals who can pursue opportunities at hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, public health facilities and insurance agencies. Furthermore, healthcare organizations in our local service area have expressed demand for professionals with these competencies on a continuum. The study of healthcare information technology has become central to all that a practitioner does and a healthcare management instructor teaches.”
The degree incorporates a select list of general education, computer information, biomedical science, anatomy and physiology classes, as well as those courses that make up the university’s new Certificate in Health Information Technology, approved by board members June 20 and pending CBHE approval. Those who complete the certificate will be able to seamlessly integrate into the AAS in Health Information Technology. After completing the degree, students could potentially transfer into established bachelor’s degrees in information technology at selected four-year institutions, she added.
The AAS in Wine Business and Entrepreneurship will provide a continuing education pathway for students who complete the Certificate in Wine Business and Entrepreneurship, which was recently approved by CBHE at its September meeting, university officials said. It also will support the existing degree programs in viticulture and enology that are part of the Viticulture and Enology Science and Technology Alliance (VESTA) program by providing business courses to support wine and grape industry entrepreneurs, officials added.
“This degree is targeted to those individuals who wish to establish and successfully operate a commercial winery or vineyard,” said VESTA Director Michelle Norgren. “The viticulture and enology program was designed to establish an educated workforce to support an industry in the Midwest that was expanding at exponential rates with no educational resources from which to draw. As a result of that program, many students have gone on to establish their own vineyards and wineries and are now in need of an education that will provide them with the tools to be a successful business owner.”
The grape and wine industry is one of the fastest growing industries in Missouri. According to a 2010 economic impact report from the Stonebridge Research Group LLC for the Missouri Wine and Grape Board, the number of wineries nearly doubled in five years, providing more than 14,000 jobs with a payroll of $386 million. The total economic value of the grape and wine industry in Missouri was estimated at $1.6 billion in the report.
The degree will include business and entrepreneurship courses designed specifically for the grape and wine industry, university officials said. These courses will cover a variety of topics, including new wine business feasibility, finance and accounting for wine business, legal aspects of vineyard and winery operation, grapes to market and grower relations, winery marketing, human resources, and developing a business plan.
“This program is different than traditional entrepreneurship degrees because of the nature of the grape and wine industry,” Norgren said. “Commercial vineyards and wineries are a combination of agriculture, farm management, food production and event center. Add to that the complexity of dealing with an alcoholic beverage in terms of production, sales, storage and serving, the challenges that an entrepreneur in this particular industry will face are unique. This program will address that uniqueness.”
If the degrees are approved by CBHE, Missouri State-West Plains will then be authorized to offer 17 associate degrees and 21 certificate options.
For more information about these degrees and certificate options, visit the Missouri State-West Plains website, www.wp.missouristate.edu, or call the admissions office at 417-255-7955.