Florida Department of Education
Curriculum Framework 

The standards and benchmarks for this program were updated for the 2026-27 academic year.

Program Title: 	Healthcare Services Specialist
Career Cluster: 	Health Science

College Credit Certificate	
CIP Number	0351070102	
Program Type	College Credit Certificate (CCC)	
Program Length	27 credit hours	
CTSO	HOSA	
SOC Codes (all applicable) 	For program SOC codes, please see the Program and Course Tables section of the CTE Program Resources page linked below.	
CTE Program Resources 	http://www.fldoe.org/academics/career-adult-edu/career-tech-edu/program-resources.stml	

Purpose

This certificate program is part of the Health Services Management AS degree program (1351070101).    

A College Credit Certificate consists of a program of instruction of less than sixty (60) credits of college-level courses, which is part of an AS or AAS degree program and prepares students for entry into employment (Rule 6A-14.030, F.A.C.).

This program offers a sequence of courses that provides coherent and rigorous content aligned with challenging academic standards and relevant technical knowledge and skills needed to prepare for further education and careers in the Health Science career cluster; provides technical skill proficiency, and includes competency-based applied learning that contributes to the academic knowledge, higher-order reasoning and problem-solving skills, work attitudes, general employability skills, technical skills, and occupation-specific skills, and knowledge of all aspects of Health Science career cluster. 

The purpose of this program is to prepare students for employment as Healthcare Services supervisor assistants in medicine and health service management (Medical and Health Services Managers).  This program is for individuals who are currently employed in the health field or seeking employment in entry-level management positions in the health field.  

The content includes but is not limited to laws and regulations pertaining to health care facilities and agencies, organizational structure of health care facilities, making employee assignments and scheduling, legal aspects of healthcare, health and safety, including CPR, and employability skills.

Additional Information relevant to this Career and Technical Education (CTE) program is provided at the end of this document.

Program Structure

When developing the course sequence for the local implementation of this program, select courses that:
•	Meet the skill development requirements of the standards and benchmarks of this program.
•	Where reasonable and practicable, align with programs offered by your institution or other postsecondary institutions in Florida, including: 
o	Related AS and AAS degrees.
o	Baccalaureate degrees within the same career pathway and/or Federal CIP code.

Visit FloridaShines’ Discover Programs website to identify other institutions that offer similar programs to review their course sequencing. Where appropriate, course alignment between institutions offering related programs can facilitate interagency student articulation.

Visit FloridaShines’ Common Prerequisites Manual to identify courses that are prerequisites for admission into an upper division program.  When sub-baccalaureate courses are aligned to the course admissions requirements of baccalaureate programs with the same career pathway, students can enter upper division coursework seamlessly.   

Florida’s Career Readiness Skills for CTE Programs

Employability Skills	
01.0	Apply academic skills to workplace scenarios.	
01.01	Use reading skills.	
01.02	Use writing skills.	
01.03	Use mathematical strategies and procedures.	
01.04	Use scientific principles and procedures.	
02.0	Design a solution to an industry problem.	
02.01	Use critical thinking.	
02.02	Use creativity.	
02.03	Make sound decisions.	
02.04	Solve problems.	
02.05	Reason. 	
02.06	Plan and organize.	
03.0	Manage resources within an industry project	
03.01	Manage time.	
03.02	Manage money or resources.	
03.03	Manage materials.	
03.04	Manage personnel.	
04.0	Oversee the subcomponents, operations and output of a technical or organizational system.	
04.01	Manage systems.	
04.02	Monitor systems.	
04.03	Improve systems.	
05.0	Use information for decision making.	
05.01	Locate information.	
05.02	Organize information.	
05.03	Use information.	
05.04	Analyze information.	
05.05	Communicate information.	
06.0	Apply relevant technology to workplace scenarios to aid productivity.	
06.01	Use technology.	
07.0	Interpret and express interpersonal communication.	
07.01	Communicate verbally.	
07.02	Listen actively.	
07.03	Comprehend written material.	
07.04	Convey information in writing.	
07.05	Communicate nonverbally.	
07.06	Interpret nonverbal communication.	
08.0	Interact with others to accomplish workplace goals.	
08.01	Collaborate with others in a team.	
08.02	Respond to customer needs.	
08.03	Exercise leadership.	
08.04	Negotiate to resolve conflict.	
08.05	Respect others.	
09.0	Manage personal behavior to maximize productivity and professional growth.	
09.01	Demonstrate responsibility and self-discipline.	
09.02	Adapt and show flexibility.	
09.03	Work independently.	
09.04	Demonstrate a willingness to learn.	
09.05	Demonstrate integrity.	
09.06	Demonstrate professionalism.	
09.07	Take initiative.	
09.08	Display positive attitude.	
09.09	Take responsibility for professional growth.	
Job Attainment	
10.0	Find, assess and apply to job opportunities.	
10.01	Identify online job posts relevant to his or her career aspirations.	
10.02	Compare and contrast the job posts’ required qualifications, job duties, compensation, benefits and employers. 	
10.03	Define what information, documentation and writing prompts are required for the positions.	
11.0	Communicate personal competence, character and fit for a job opportunity.	
11.01	Develop a resume.	
11.02	Write a cover letter.	
11.03	Curate a professional portfolio that includes work products.	
11.04	Prepare for and experience a mock job interview.	
12.0	Cultivate and leverage relationships to professionally advance.	
12.01	Request a signed reference letter, letter of recommendation and/or an online skill/professionalism endorsement. 	
12.02	Develop a plan to cultivate a professional digital footprint.	
12.03	Develop a networking plan for a specific industry of interest.	

Standards

After successfully completing this program, the student will be able to perform the following:

01.0	Demonstrate knowledge of the healthcare delivery system and health occupations.
02.0	Demonstrate the ability to communicate and use interpersonal skills effectively. 
03.0	Demonstrate legal and ethical responsibilities. 
04.0	Recognize and practice safety standards and security procedures. 
05.0	Demonstrate information technology applications in healthcare.
06.0	Demonstrate employability skills. 
07.0	Demonstrate basic knowledge of medical language, anatomy and physiology, and disease processes.
08.0	Demonstrate knowledge of materials and supplies needed in healthcare settings. 
09.0	Demonstrate knowledge of the economics involved in healthcare. 
10.0	

Florida Department of Education
Student Performance Standards

Program Title: 	Healthcare Services
CIP Number: 		0351070201
Program Length: 	27 credit hours	

This certificate program is part of the Health Services Management AS degree program (1351070101). At the completion of this program, the student will be able to: 	
01.0	Demonstrate knowledge of the healthcare delivery system and health occupations. The student will be able to:	
01.01	Identify the basic components of the health care delivery system, including public, private, government, and non-profit.	
01.02	Identify types of healthcare settings.	
01.03	Identify the consumer perspective regarding healthcare.	
01.04	Describe the composition and functions of a systemic healthcare team, including those not based in the healthcare facility (e.g., medical device representative and insurance claims adjuster). 	
01.05	Explain challenges impacting emerging issues, including technology, bioethics, and socioeconomics, on healthcare delivery systems. 	
02.0	Demonstrate the ability to communicate and use interpersonal skills effectively. The student will be able to:	
02.01	Develop fundamental speaking and active listening skills.	
02.02	Demonstrate effective verbal and written communication skills. 	
02.03	Recognize communication styles and barriers to utilize the most effective communication technique based on the situation. 	
02.04	Demonstrate appropriate situational communication by considering lifestyles, medical conditions, and generational and cultural differences.	
02.05	Identify characteristics of effective teams and techniques for managing team conflict. 	
02.06	Use factual data to produce and deliver reliable and valid reports.	
03.0	Demonstrate legal and ethical responsibilities. The student will be able to:	
03.01	Identify illegal and unethical practices in the healthcare setting (e.g., liability, negligence, abandonment, false imprisonment, and fraud). 	
03.02	Explain the legal responsibilities of the consumer within the healthcare delivery system. 	
03.03	Explain the “Patient’s Bill of Rights.”	
03.04	Identify the history, applications, and violations of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).	
03.05	Recognize advance directives that allow patients and/or their legal guardians to document end-of-life care decisions. 	
03.06	Describe the informed consent process. 	
03.07	Differentiate between legal and ethical issues in healthcare and the key components of personal, professional, and organizational ethics.	
03.08	Recognize responsibilities and reporting protocols within legal, ethical, and illegal practices. 	
03.09	Describe federal, state, and local institutional requirements.	
03.10	Discuss the impact of current legislation changes on healthcare facilities. 	
04.0	Recognize and practice safety standards and security procedures. The student will be able to:	
04.01	Recognize national and accrediting agency patient safety standards and the necessary protocols to mitigate, manage, and report safety hazards.  	
04.02	Explain how medical errors might occur and describe ways to prevent or mitigate such errors.	
04.03	Demonstrate an understanding of the roles and responsibilities of the healthcare professional during manmade and natural disasters.   	
04.04	Identify risk management in healthcare settings.	
04.05	Identify mandatory requirements regarding environmental health and safety standards in healthcare organizations.	
05.0	Demonstrate information technology applications in healthcare. The student will be able to:	
05.01	Demonstrate the ability to use a computer to perform business practices such as word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, and database management.	
05.02	Recognize current and changing technology applications in healthcare. 	
05.03	Discuss methods of communication to access and distribute data, including patient portal, electronic messaging, Continuity of Care Documents (CCD), and Health Information Exchanges (HIE).	
05.04	Interpret technological capabilities and challenges of Electronic Health Records (EHR) and applications in healthcare.	
05.05	Demonstrate how health information is used for institutional and patient strategic planning, outcome assessment, and quality improvement. 	
05.06	Identify protected Patient Health Information (PHI) and methods for preventing PHI breaches and technology security.  	
05.07	Explain Meaningful Use as it relates to privacy, security, and access of patients' records.	
06.0	Demonstrate employability skills. The student will be able to:	
06.01	Identify personal traits or attributes required to succeed as a member of the healthcare team. 	
06.02	Demonstrate basic professional standards of healthcare workers as they apply to hygiene, dress, communication, and behavior (e.g., telephone, texting, email etiquette, social media, and professionalism). 	
06.03	Model the process to seek employment, including but not limited to job search, cover letter, application, interview, and thank you letter. 	
07.0	Demonstrate basic knowledge of medical language, anatomy and physiology, and disease processes. The student will be able to:	
07.01	Demonstrate knowledge of medical and clinical terminology related to healthcare. 	
07.02	Describe the structure and function of different body systems.	
07.03	Demonstrate an understanding of the fundamentals of the disease process in relation to the human body. 	
08.0	Demonstrate knowledge of materials and supplies needed in healthcare settings. The student will be able to:	
08.01	 Demonstrate a working knowledge of an effective inventory management system.	
08.02	Identify accounts payable practices (e.g., purchase orders and processing). 	
09.0	Demonstrate knowledge of the economics involved in healthcare. The student will be able to:	
09.01	Identify common methods, benefits, and challenges of payment for healthcare services.	
09.02	Demonstrate knowledge of reimbursement methodologies for healthcare services.	
09.03	Identify billing and insurance terminology. 	
09.04	Demonstrate understanding of the process of utilization review.	
09.05	Demonstrate effective practices in accounts receivable and reimbursement systems.	
09.06	Demonstrate knowledge of third-party reimbursements, including Center for Medicare/Medicaid Services (CMS) rulings and precedence to other payers.	
09.07	Demonstrate basic knowledge of the procedures and purposes of medical documentation, medical billing, and coding. 	
09.08	Demonstrate knowledge of the revenue cycle. 	
09.09	Explain government impacts to reimbursement (i.e., value-based payment models, government incentive programs, self-pay models, and HCAPS scores). 	
09.10	Identify volume and growth strategies for healthcare agencies. 	

Additional Information

Laboratory Activities

Laboratory investigations that include scientific inquiry, research, measurement, problem solving, emerging technologies, tools and equipment, as well as experimental, quality, and safety procedures are an integral part of this career and technical program/course. Laboratory investigations benefit all students by developing an understanding of the complexity and ambiguity of empirical work, as well as the skills required to manage, operate, calibrate and troubleshoot equipment/tools used to make observations. Students understand measurement error and have the skills to aggregate, interpret, and present the resulting data. Equipment and supplies should be provided to enhance hands-on experiences for students.

It is strongly recommended that hands-on practical experience be an integral part of the program. 

Special Notes

If students in this program are seeking a licensure, certificate, or registration through the Department of Health, please refer to 456.0635, F.S., for more information on disqualification for a license, certificate, or registration through the Department of Health. 

The Health Care Services Program, with emphasis on middle management skills, is a complex program requiring current knowledge in both health care and legislation affecting the health care delivery system.  Instruction disciplines can come from a variety of fields.

To augment the program areas, community leaders possessing expertise in specific health care areas may be utilized.

Career and Technical Student Organization (CTSO)

CTSOs are co-curricular career and technical student organizations providing leadership training and reinforcing specific career and technical skills. Career and Technical Student Organizations provide activities for students as an integral part of the instruction offered. Other CTSOs not listed in this curriculum framework or recognized by the Florida Department of Education are permissible provided they support student mastery over the standards and benchmarks of this curriculum framework.

Accommodations

Federal and state legislation requires the provision of accommodations for students with disabilities to meet individual needs and ensure equal access. Postsecondary students with disabilities must self-identify, present documentation, request accommodations if needed, and develop a plan with their counselor and/or instructors. Accommodations received in postsecondary education may differ from those received in secondary education. Accommodations change the way the student is instructed. Students with disabilities may need accommodations in such areas as instructional methods and materials, assignments and assessments, time demands and schedules, learning environment, assistive technology, and special communication systems. Documentation of the accommodations requested and provided should be maintained in a confidential file.