The Medical Coding Specialist Program is designed to prepare students to meet the demand for qualified medical coders. This increased need has been created due to the constantly changing regulations for reimbursement of health care services. The program instructs students in ICD-9-CM and CPT coding systems, and third party reimbursement methods. Upon completion the student is prepared for entry level employment as a medical coder. The program is designed to prepare the student to take the certified coding associate (CCA) examination offered by the American Health Information Management Association.
A job as a Medical Coding Specialist includes analysis of patients’ records and assigning correct codes for each diagnosis and procedure. The Medical Coding Specialist must have expertise in the ICD-9-CM and CPT coding systems and be knowledgeable in anatomy and physiology, medical terminology, pathophysiology and pharmacology. The specialist must also have a thorough understanding of the content of patient records, ethical issues and legal aspects affecting health information.
Opportunities for employment include all types of health care environments such as hospitals, outpatient facilities, clinics, physician offices, medical billing companies, and insurance companies.
A medical coding specialist is a valuable member of the health information team who is responsible for translating diagnostic and procedural information into coded form.
Requirements for Admission
If you are new to the college, it is recommended that you schedule an appointment with a Tri-C counselor. They can be reached at (216) 987-4600.
Prerequisites: Eligibility for ENG 1010 and Eligibility for MATH 1060
To Enroll in the Medical Coding Specialist Program submit an application to the Health Careers Enrollment Center as soon as you are ready to begin the program. The Health Careers application is in addition to the Tri-C general admission application. It will be kept on file until you provide documentation of having successfully completed all the required coursework. An application may be obtained from the Health Careers Enrollment Center at the Metropolitan Campus in MHCS 193. They can be reached at (216) 987-4247.
The program is designed as a full-time program, although students may proceed at their own pace and enroll in one or more daytime or evening courses per semester. Check the college catalog or semester schedule book for a listing of course prerequisites.
Completion Requirements
To qualify for the a Medical Coding Specialist Certificate of Proficiency, the following criteria must be met:
- The student must apply for enrollment in the program with the Health Careers Enrollment Center.
- All of the courses below must be taken in semester sequence order and all courses must be completed or transferred with a minimum of a “C” grade.
- Students should run a DARS (Degree Audit Report System) report to see which courses still need to be completed. The student should then contact a Tri-C Academic Counselor or the Health Information Management Program Manager to Petition for the Certificate of Proficiency at the beginning of the second semester.
- A Certificate of Proficiency certificate will be mailed to you by the Health Information Management Department upon verification of successful completion of all academic coursework.
NOTE: All credits obtained in the Medical Coding Specialist Program can be applied to an associate of applied science degree in Health Information Management. This requires the completion of 34 more credit hours, which can be completed in 2 semesters.
Certification Examinations
The American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) offers three certification examinations for coders:
-
CCA Certified Coding Associate – intended for entry-level coding candidate with minimal coding experience or graduates of coding certificate or training programs.
-
CCS Certified Coding Specialist – intended for coding practitioner who has mastered inpatient hospital coding skills.
-
CCS-P Certified Coding Specialist-Physician-Based – intended for coding practitioner with expertise in physician-based settings.
For more information contact AHIMA at www.ahima.org .
This program is designed to prepare students to demonstrate the following program outcomes:
Medical Coding Specialist Certificate of Proficiency Outcomes.pdf