07-08 Department of Health Informatics Student Handbook

Policies and Regulations

Links to MCG policies related to academic probation, academic suspension, withdrawal, dismissal, and campus review body are shown below.

• MCG Academic Regulations
• MCG Student Handbook

The following link is provided for reference to MCG’s policy on use and disclosure of patient health information.

• MCG Policy 9.0.04, “Privacy of Health Information”

SAHS Policies

The following link provides reference to SAHS policies and procedures, including the Student Grievance and Appeal Procedure.

• SAHS Policies and Procedures

Required Withdrawal from the University

DHI subscribes to the MCG policy which is as follows: “A student may be administratively withdrawn from the Medical College of Georgia when in the judgment of the School of Allied Health Sciences it is determined that the student exhibits behavior which:

• poses a significant danger or threat of physical harm to the student or to the person or property of others, or;
• causes the student to interfere with the rights of other members of the university community or with the exercise of any proper activities or function of the university or its personnel, or;
• causes the student to be unable to meet institutional academic, disciplinary or other requirements for admission and continued enrollment, as defined in the student conduct code, MCG Catalog, Student Handbook and other publications of the university, or;
• casts doubt upon a student’s character and/or on the potential capabilities as a health science or basic science professional.

Prior to making a decision, the dean may consult with the student’s parents and personal physician, if any, and other health professionals as appropriate”  (see the MCG Student Handbook)

Conduct and Personal Appearance Policy

Honor Code and Student Conduct Code

Students are expected to abide by the Code of Ethics of the AHIMA (HIA Students, see the AHIMA section of this handbook) and the MCG Student Conduct Code (HIA & MPH Students).

Personal Appearance Policy

The image you project is influenced by your personal appearance. Consequently, to be neatly groomed and tastefully dressed at all times is a must in our profession. Your wardrobe should be tastefully coordinated, neat, and clean.

Business attire must be worn when visiting health care facilities or engaging in practicum assignments at a site. Clothing which is excessively casual or too dressy is not considered appropriate business attire. Examples of inappropriate attire include jeans, shorts, athletic attire, T-shirts, tank tops, mid-riff tops, and “evening wear.” Footwear such as thongs, hiking boots or tennis shoes is also inappropriate.

In addition, body adornment fads such as visible body piercing and jewelry (excluding earrings), are not appropriate while the student is on campus or at a health care facility. Tattoos must not be visible when appropriate attire is worn. Hair should be clean and neatly styled. Fingernails should be neatly manicured and of a business length. Female students may use subdued nail polish; however, colors such as blue, green, black or purple are considered inappropriate.

Students must also comply with all practicum/internship site rules and regulations, including dress codes established by the site for employees and/or students. Students who do not comply with site requirements may be subject to appropriate action by the site directors/clinical faculty.

Personal appearance is a matter of common sense and an awareness of the importance of personal grooming and proper attire. We expect that your appearance will reflect the pride you have in yourself, the school, and your chosen profession.

IMPORTANT! MCG student ID badges must be worn at all times while the student is on campus and during all practicum sessions. Public Safety is authorized to remove from campus any student who is not wearing the MCG Student ID Badge.

Confidentiality Agreement and HIPAA Training

Each student will sign a Confidentiality Agreement agreeing to hold any and all medical information learned during the course of academic and clinical activities in strictest confidence, and in understanding that the violation of confidentiality will result in dismissal from the academic program. Students should also be aware that medical information is confidential under state and federal laws and improper disclosures may subject the student to civil and/or criminal liability.

In addition to signing the Confidentiality Agreement, all new incoming students will complete the mandatory Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) training. Click here to access the instructions and the training module. IMPORTANT! Please make completion of this required training a priority.

Students should review the following MCG Policy 9.0.04, “Privacy of Health Information.” 

Questions or concerns regarding HIPAA and its requirements should be directed to Christine Adams, HIPAA Privacy Officer, at chradams@mcg.edu or
(706) 721-5631.

Grades/Appeals

Grades by the Web

Students are able to obtain their ’unofficial’ grades through their individual WebCT Vista courses. In general, grades will be available by 5:00 PM on the second business day after exams have ended.

‘Official’ grades will be available through ‘Pulse,’ our student information system. You can log in and explore right now. More and more options will become editable so visit often!

• Learn Financial Aid Status
• Register for Classes
• See your Class Schedule
• Review or Pay Your Account
• Print or Request a Transcript

For more details on how to do the above tasks, check out the PULSE Web User Guides. For assistance with PULSE, contact the IT Service Desk, (706) 721-4000.

Departmental Appeals Procedure

Students should first seek guidance from their department faculty advisor and then from the department Chairman. Within five working days of notification of the action or decision, the student seeks guidance through an appointment with the faculty member.

At that point, if the situation is not resolved, within five working days of the appointment, the student presents an appeal to the department Chairman, who will appoint a committee to meet within the next five working days to hear the facts of the appeal.

External Appeals Process

If at that point, the situation is still not resolved, within five working days of notification of the committee’s action, the student may submit an external appeal, as applicable.

Appeal Process through SAHS

An HIA student who reasonably believes he has been discriminated against on an academic or non-academic basis because of race, sex, age, physical disability, or religion, or who has been subjected to sexual harassment, shall follow the SAHS Student Grievance and Appeal Procedure. Students should first file an initial complaint with their department faculty advisor or department chairman and/or with the dean’s office of the SAHS.

Appeals Process through MCG Campus Review Body

The Campus Review Body (CRB) is a centralized, institutional body for hearing appeals by students who have been sanctioned because of misconduct or academic failure. For guidance on this MCG policy, refer to the link above in this section.

Criminal Background Checks

The healthcare-related facilities associated with our clinical education program require background checks on incoming students to insure the safety of the patients and staff you will interact with. You will be required to order your background check in sufficient time for it to be reviewed by the facility prior to starting your clinical rotation. A background check typically takes 3 normal business days to complete. The background checks are conducted by PreCheck, Inc., a firm specializing in background checks for healthcare workers. Your order must be placed online through StudentCheck.

Go to www.PreCheck.com and click on the Student Check link and then click the Student button. Complete all required fields and hit Continue to enter your payment information. The payment of $48.50 (plus state tax for students living in Texas) can be made securely online with a credit or debit card. You can also pay by money order, but that will delay processing your background check until the money order is received by mail at the PreCheck office. You will be provided an order confirmation number and instructions on how to check the status on the completion of your report by email.

PreCheck will not use your information for any other purposes other than a background check. Your credit will not be investigated, and your name will not be given out to any businesses.

If you need assistance, please contact PreCheck.

Immunizations–Student Health Services

In order to meet USG immunization requirements, you must have your immunizations documented and verified on the ‘Certificate of Immunization Form.’ This form, together with other medical information previously mailed to you, must be completed and returned to the MCG Student Health Services Office; AF-1040; Augusta, GA 30912-9070. If you need to contact the Student Health Services Office you can reach them at (706) 721-3448. Please keep a copy of any documentation sent to Student Health Services for your personal records.