Medical coders assign codes to medical procedures and diagnoses in order to determine the amount of reimbursement a health care provider will receive from a patient's insurance company for services rendered. The Bureau of Labor Statistics notes that through the year 2018, the demand for trained and certified medical coders is expected to increase by about 20 percent. Prospective coders should seek out programs accredited by organizations such as the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA).
CODEMED School of Professional Coding
The Los Angeles-based CODEMED School of Professional Coding offers a training program that prepares students to become certified as medical coders. CODEMED's curriculum is AMIHA-approved. Students learn about health care record keeping, medical terminology, anatomy, pharmacology, and office procedures. They are also introduced to basic, intermediate and advanced coding. A virtual practice experience gives a student a sense of the tasks he will face on the job.
CODEMED School of Professional Medical Coding
8939 South Sepulveda Boulevard, Suite 302
Los Angeles, CA 90045
310.645.9415
codemedschool.com
North Carolina Health Information Training Institute
The medical coding program at the North Carolina Health Information Training Institute (NCHITI) teaches students properly apply codes to a variety of medical records. Students take classes in medical terminology, anatomy, health information management, diagnosis and procedural coding. They are also trained in office procedure and hospital billing. Students at NCHITI can also take a preparation course that readies them to take the AHIMA national certification exam and become licensed as coding specialists or coding associates. Classes are taught by certified coders who have worked in both inpatient and outpatient settings.
North Carolina Health Information Training Institute
1910 Sedwick Road, 400 Suite C
Durham, NC 27717
919-544-3171
nchiti.com
Herzing University
Herzing University's medical billing and insurance coding program is available in several locations including Atlanta, Orlando, Minneapolis and Madison, Wis. The diploma program prepares graduates for entry-level employment as coders. The program covers topics including medical office procedures, medical terminology, medical billing procedures, anatomy, and basic and intermediate diagnosis and procedure coding. An internship is required of students in the diploma program, as are two professional development courses, such as financial management or customer service. Herzing also offers an associate's degree in medical billing and insurance coding, which adds general education classes to the diploma curriculum.
Herzing University
525 North 6th Street
Milwaukee, WI 53203
866-508-0748
herzing.edu
Santa Barbara City College
The Medical Coding Specialist Certificate offered by Santa Barbara City College can be completed entirely online and prepares students for certification as coding associates. An online orientation is available to students during the first week of the program. Courses cover such topics as computer applications, medical terminology and anatomy, medical insurance, diagnosis and procedural coding, and the legal aspects of health care. Students must maintain a GPA of 2.0 in order to successfully complete the program. The program's website notes that students must be familiar with Internet use, word processing programs and upload and download files because the certificate program is administered entirely online.
Santa Barbara City College
Health Information Technology
721 Cliff Drive
Santa Barbara, CA 93109-2394
805-965-0581 ext. 2851
sbcc.edu
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