Inpatient acute care coding (hospital coding) is one of the best-paying sectors of the coding profession. If you’re already performing some aspect of facility coding, the Advanced Hospital Coding (AHC) Program will fill in the gaps, making you a more marketable employee. These skills are essential to your successful completion of the American Health Information Management Association’s (AHIMA) mastery-level credentialing exam, the Certified Coding Specialist (CCS®).
If you are currently working in a physician’s office or billing service, this program will give you the edge you need to advance in the workplace. Most hospitals will only hire coders with previous exposure to facility coding or who are already certified. Training on the job is a luxury most hospitals are unable to offer. Coders of all levels must undergo continuing education to stay current with the constantly changing regulations.
The AHC program covers advanced, hospital-specific coding and billing procedures and is designed to help students meet the challenge of today’s changing standards. This program will utilize your existing knowledge of medical terminology and healthcare sciences. Your coding skills will be heightened and focused, preparing you for employment testing and successful completion of the CCS exam.
Learning Objectives:
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Understand how health information travels within departments of a facility
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Be able to define the roles and responsibilities of a coder in both inpatient and outpatient facilities
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Assign ICD-10-CM/PCS and CPT/ HCPCS Level II codes and modifiers
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Know how to interpret clinical documentation using your knowledge of medical terminology, anatomy/physiology, and disease processes
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Select codes according to Uniform Hospital Discharge Data Sets (UHDDS) definitions and official coding guidelines
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Evaluate the effect of code selection on Diagnosis Related Group (DRG) assignment, and verify DRG assignment based on Prospective Payment System (PPS) definitions
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Indicate Medical Necessity by linking an appropriate diagnosis with the procedure or service provided.
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Understand reimbursement methodologies
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Describe documentation rules and regulations
Prerequisite: The Advanced Hospital Coding program is not an entry-level program. This program is designed specifically for students with previous coding experience or education, and for students who have completed either the ed2go Administrative Medical Specialist with Medical Billing and Coding or the Medical Billing and Coding program by itself.
Advanced Hospital Coding students should have:
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High school diploma/GED
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Minimum two years of experience with medical terminology, anatomy, physiology, pathology
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ICD-9-CM coding experience or ICD-10-CM/PCS coding experience or previous training
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CPT/HCPCS Level II coding experience or previous training
Requirements: This program is compatible with the Windows XP and later operating systems and IE 7 and later browsers. It can be taken on either a Mac or a PC; however, most medical offices currently use PCs. Adobe Flash Player and Adobe Acrobat Reader are required for this program.
Materials included:
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Coding and Reimbursement for Hospital Inpatient Services
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Professional Review Guide for the CCS/CCS-P Examination (1yr of access to e-book)
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Current Procedural Terminology (CPT)
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Healthcare Professional Coding System (HCPCS) Level II
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ICD-10-CM
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ICD-10-PCS
Online Instructor
Online Instructor
#1: Advanced Hospital Coding Certificate - Online*
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