Medical Coder Certificate

Career Opportunities:

• Inpatient Hospital Coder
• Outpatient Coder
• Insurance Claim Analyst
• Procedural Coder
• Reimbursement Specialist
• Coding Abstracting Analyst
• Managed Care Organization Coder
• Physician's Office/Clinic Coder

Applicants:

• Must possess basic reading, writing and critical thinking skills.
• Should be computer literate and proficient in word processing applications.
• Need a working knowledge of medical terminology and anatomy.

Job market:
Medical coders who can accurately code data from the medical records are in great demand by hospitals and physician offices, as well as other healthcare institutions. Codes are provided on claim forms and on numerous medical record abstracts so that third party payors and outside agencies may utilize this information. Coded data also is used internally by institutions for quality assurance activities, case-mix management and other administrative and research activities.

Salary range:
$20,000-30,000 (average starting salary)
Salary varies with education, position, experience, and geographic location.

Program highlights:
Courses in the Medical Coder ATD program address training in clinical classification systems including International Classification of Diseases (ICD) and Current Procedural Terminology (CPT). Physician coding and medical billing concepts are also covered.

Medical Coder Minimum Requirements Checklist

Complete Program Requirements/Courses 

Time for completion:
18-24 months (based on part-time enrollment)

Distance education:
Medical Coder Certificate courses are available online via the Internet.

Program accreditation:
The required courses follow the guidelines set forth for Medical Coder certification programs published by the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA).

Progression:
All of the Medical Coder program courses are transferable into the Health Information Management Associate in Science degree program. In order to enroll in any program course with a prerequisite, a grade of "C" or better must have been earned in all prerequisite courses. Students must earn grades of "C" or better in all courses required for the Medical Coder Certificate curriculum to graduate from the program.

REQUIREMENTS OF THE MEDICAL CODER CERTIFICATE PROGRAM
(College Policy 6Hx23-4.70)

I. Progression Requirements:
Eligibility to start the first coding course in the Medical Coder Certificate is based upon the following minimum requirements.

1. Requirements for health related programs (6Hx23-4.53) apply to the Medical Coder Certificate program.
2. Within six months prior to enrolling in the first coding course each student must have a physical examination by a licensed physician or advanced RN practitioner verifying satisfactory health status. This must include all immunizations, tests and health verification as specified within contractual agreements with affiliating agencies. This may be required on an annual basis at the discretion of the program director of the health related program to which the student has been admitted.
3. Students transferring from another medical coder or other health related program must be in good standing in such program. (Exceptions will be handled by the Campus Executive Officer's Office at the Health Education Center.)
4. Completion of these support courses with grades of C or better:
      CTS 1101 Basic Computer and Information Literacy, and
      HSC 1531 Medical Terminology, and
      BSC 1083 Human Anatomy, or BSC 1085-1085L Anatomy & Physiology I with Lab and BSC 1086-1086L Anatomy & Physiology II with Lab

II. Special Progress Requirements:

1. In order to enroll in any program course with a prerequisite, a grade of C or better must have been earned in the prerequisite(s) to said course.

III. In addition to SPC graduation requirements, students must meet these special graduation requirements:

1. A grade of C or better in all Medical Coder Certificate courses and in all support courses.
2. Students must satisfactorily complete an end-of-program competency assessment examination.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

1. Prior to acceptance and enrollment into this program, applicants must pass a background check and drug screening (see Special Application and Admission Requirements for Health Related Programs).
2. Liability and clinical accidental insurance must be obtained through the College for which a special fee will be charged.
3. Program requirements are subject to change. Students should check with a counselor, advisor or the program director.

ESTIMATED ADDITIONAL FEES AND EXPENSES

For more information, contact:

E-mail: healthprograms@spcollege.edu
(727)341-3670
www.spcollege.edu/program/MEDCD-CT