Health Information Technology – Medical Coding, Certificate

The Health Information Technology - Medical Coding Certificate prepares students to determine appropriate medical codes, process coding information and maximize medical reimbursement. As the health care system grows in complexity and advances in medicine and technology continue, hospitals and physicians who want to remain in the competitive health care arena will become increasingly pressed to ensure that they are in compliance with medical coding guidelines and insurance and billing procedures. To this end, qualified medical coders will continue to be significant professionals in a wide range of health care settings.

The certificate can be completed within one calendar year and graduates will be eligible to sit for the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) national certification exam to become a Certified Coding Associate (CCA). Students completing the certificate program can easily continue on to complete the Associate of Applied Science Degree in Health Information Technology, since the majority of the certificate courses are also included in the Associate Degree.

Medical coders are employed in the following settings: nonprofit and private hospitals and nursing homes, physicians’ offices, federal and state hospitals, community health clinics, health maintenance organizations, and regulatory agencies such as state health departments and departments of mental health.

Graduates are able to:

• select proper coding choices and maintain effective office management practices within medical office practice environments
• understand billing procedures and guidelines related to health insurance, claims processing, and third-party reimbursement
• describe ethical and legal considerations, including confidentiality, insurance fraud and abuse, as well as the role of the coding and reimbursement specialist
• acquire the skills to function as an entry-level medical coder