Jacqueline C. McNair, MA, RHIT, Program Coordinator
410-462-7722 (Office)
410-462-7735 (HIT Lab)
Any student applying for admission to the Coding Specialist Certificate Track must have an overall 2.5 grade point average (GPA) prior to applying to the Coding Specialist Certificate Track and must maintain a 2.5 GPA throughout the duration of the Coding Certificate Specialist Track.
This certificate course of study prepares a graduate for employment in a hospital or a related healthcare setting analyzing charts in order to assign codes using the ICD-9-CM, CPT-4, and DSM-IV classification systems. Graduates are also able to use computer software encoders to obtain codes and the Medicare DRG, APR groupers for inpatients, and the APC grouper for assigning APCs for reimbursement. Students gain practice in coding a variety of medical specialties and problems of acute care, ambulatory, and long-term care patients. This practice requires additional time in the lab during OPEN LAB time. This program can be completed by taking courses during the day, evenings. While this certificate requires only 37 credits, it takes three or four semesters to complete because of course prerequisites. Students who complete the requirements earn the certificate as a Coding Specialist. Graduates are eligible to take the certification examinations administered by the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA). Following graduation the student may take an exam and passing it entitles the student to use the initials CCA (Certified Coding Associate). After coding for three years the graduate may take examinations to be recognized as a CCS (Certified Coding Specialist) or a CCS-P (Certified Coding Specialist-Physician Based) depending on whether the hospital or physician’s office certification exam is taken. Students must score 35 or higher on the science placement test to be exempt from BIO 101 or BIO 102. Transfer and returning students may be required to pass a challenge exam in order not to have to repeat an AH or HIT course whose credits are more than three years old. Students must earn a “C” or better in all credit courses applied toward graduation requirements. No course may be repeated more than once. For additional information regarding admission and/or continued enrollment in the program, students should contact the Program Coordinator.
Course
| Code
| Course Title
| Credits
| Prerequisites
|
PRE
| 100
| Preparation for Academic Achievement
| 1 | None |
AH
| 130
| Medical Terminology
| 3
| ENG 82
|
ENG
| 101
| English Writing
| 3 | ENG 82
|
HIT
| 232
| Computer Applications in Healthcare
| 2
| ENG 101
|
AH
| 135
| Allied Health Pharmacology
| 2 | AH 130; ENG 101
|
|
| Total
| 11 | |
|
| **Students can only apply to the Coding Specialist Certificate Track once the above classes have been completed and students are only accepted to the program the Fall Semester of each year**
| | |
|
| 1st Semester
| | |
AH
| 230
| Study of Disease Process
| 3 | AH 130; BIO 111; Co-requisites: BIO 112
|
BIO
| 111
| Anatomy and Physiology I
| 4
| BIO 101 or BIO 102; MAT 81; ENG 82; ENG 101
|
HIT
| 120
| Health Information Systems
| 4
| ENG 101; HIT 232
|
|
| Total
| 11
| |
|
| 2nd Semester
| | |
BIO
| 112
| Anatomy and Physiology II
| 4
| BIO; ENG 82; MAT 81
|
| HIT | 123 | ICD-9CM/ICD-10-CM Coding Principles and Practice
| 4
| AH 130; HIT 120; BIO 111: or permission or instructor
|
HIT
| 132
| CPT-4 Coding Principles and RVUs/APGs
| 2 | AH 130; BIO 111; HIT 120; HIT 123; HIT 232; or permission of Instructor
|
|
| Total
| 10
| |
| | | 3rd Semester
| | |
| HIT | 226 | Coding Practicum II
| 3
| HIT 123; HIT 132; Co-requisities: HIT 240 or permission of the Instructor
|
| HIT | 240 | Advanced ICD-9-CM/ICD-10-CM Coding/DRGs and DSM-IV
| 2
| HIT 123; BIO 111; Co-requisites: BIO 112; AH 230
|
| | | Total | 5
| |
| | | Certificate Total
| 37
| |
Revised 01/14/2013
