Medical Coding and Billing, Certificate of Proficiency (MC)
Department website: https://www.dccc.edu/academics/academic-divisions/allied-health-emergency-services-and-nursing/medical-coding-and-billing
Effective: Fall 2018
The Medical Coding and Billing Certificate of Proficiency provides students with the skills necessary to function as Physician-Based Coders, Hospital Coders, or Medical Claims Reviewers. Today, there are many demands for coding specialists and accurately coded data from the medical record in all types of health care institutions. Coded data is used on claims for reimbursement, patient care management and healthcare evaluation and research. The curriculum includes medical terminology, human anatomy, pathophysiology, pharmacology, administrative medical office management, electronic health records and CPT and ICD-10-CM coding and ICD-10-PCS coding. A Certificate of Proficiency in Medical Coding and Billing will be awarded upon completion of this curriculum with a 2.0 GPA and a “C” or better in all Allied Health (AHA, AHM) courses, which is a departmental requirement of the Allied Health and Nursing (AHN) Division. The courses are listed with a start date of Spring semester but students may begin courses in Fall, Spring, or Summer semesters.
CERTIFIED CODING EXAMS
The graduate of this certificate may sit for the Certified Coding Associate (CCA) certification offered by AHIMA (American Health Information Management Association). After completing CCA exam and/or working in the field, students qualify to take the Certified Coding Specialist (CCS) or Certified Coding Specialist - Physician Based (CCS-P) exam offered by AHIMA.
Upon successful completion of this program, students should be able to:
- Demonstrate an understanding of the anatomical structure and physiological functioning of the human body and of medical terms descriptive of body systems.
- Describe the ethical and legal concepts of concern as they apply to reimbursement in health care and health information management.
- Apply appropriate coding systems as they pertain to the identification of diseases and procedures in medical practices and hospital settings.
- Evaluate coding to ensure maximum reimbursement and compare and contrast coding specialties to determine similarities and differences amongst different body systems.
- Explain the disease process and concepts of pain assessment and management.
- Demonstrate ability to successfully complete the necessary health record documentation approved by private and government medical reimbursement systems and evaluate the revenue cycle management process.
- Verify documentation in the health record is timely, complete and accurate and use secondary data sources.
- Create a portfolio to demonstrate professional skills to enhance marketability for employment.
The College will award a certificate of proficiency to students who complete 30 credits of an approved career program. These credits will not normally include physical education, developmental, basic and/or continuing education courses and will usually consist of 24 credits in the career specialty and six credits in general education. At least 50 percent of the credits must be earned at Delaware County Community College. The student must have a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher. At least six credit hours must be in courses that are awarded grade points.
| First Semester | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| AHM 104 | Body Structure and Function I | 3 |
| AHM 105 | Body Structure and Function II | 3 |
| AHM 233 | Medical Terminology | 3 |
| ENG 100 | English Composition I | 3 |
| Hours | 12 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| AHM 102 | Introduction to Health Care | 3 |
| AHM 208 | Pathophysiology and Pharmacology | 4 |
| AHM 231 | Introduction to CPT Coding | 3 |
| CS 100 | Introduction to Information Technology | 3 |
| Hours | 13 | |
| Third Semester | ||
| AHM 140 | Professional and Communication Issues in Health Care | 3 |
| AHM 202 | Fundamentals of Health Information Technology Science | 3 |
| AHM 232 | Advanced CPT Coding | 3 |
| AHM 239 | Introduction to ICD-10-CM Coding | 3 |
| Hours | 12 | |
| Fourth Semester | ||
| AHA 207 | Ethical/Legal Aspects of Health Care Management | 3 |
| AHM 240 | Hospital Coding and Case Studies | 3 |
| AHM 241 | Revenue Cycle Management and Reimbursement Methodologies | 3 |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Fifth Semester | ||
| AHM 242 | Virtual Professional Practice Experience Capstone Course | 3 |
| Hours | 3 | |
| Total Hours | 49 | |
HYBRID CERTIFICATE (online* and classroom)
63% online
The following courses may not be available online:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Classroom Only | ||
| AHM 202 | Fundamentals of Health Information Technology Science | 3 |
| AHM 231 | Introduction to CPT Coding | 3 |
| AHM 232 | Advanced CPT Coding | 3 |
| AHM 240 | Hospital Coding and Case Studies | 3 |
| AHM 242 | Virtual Professional Practice Experience Capstone Course | 3 |
| AHM 239 | Introduction to ICD-10-CM Coding | 3 |
- *
Some online courses have field requirements or in person/proctored testing. Online courses with these requirements have additional information posted under the COURSE DESCRIPTION section when you are registering. Please make a note of it during registration.
Delaware County Community College’s Medical Coding and Billing Program is approved by the AHIMA Foundation’s Approval Committee for Certificate Programs. This designation acknowledges the coding program as having been evaluated by a peer review process against a national minimum set of standards for entry-level coding professionals.
This process allows academic institutions, healthcare organizations, and private companies to be acknowledged as offering an ACCP Approved Coding Certificate Program. AHIMA is the premier association of health information management (HIM) professionals. AHIMA’s 56,000 members are dedicated to the effective management of personal health information needed to deliver quality healthcare to the public.
Founded in 1928 to improve the quality of medical records, the American Health Information Management Association is committed to advancing the HIM profession in an increasingly electronic and global environment through leadership in advocacy, education, certification, and lifelong learning. To learn more, visit the AHIMA website at www.ahima.org.
The College’s Medical Coding and Billing Certificate is a stackable credential that offers a career pathway into Health Information Technology. Visit www.hicareers.com to find out how you can continue your education in Health Information Technology.
Career Information for this Program
Medical Coding and Billing (Certificate)
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