|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Medical coding one of fastest growing health care careers
October 23, 2003 | |||||
|
IU Kokomo’s Division of Allied Health Sciences offers training in medical coding and radiography—two of the fastest growing career fields in health care today. Professionals in both areas work primarily in hospitals, but they are also hired by clinics, physicians’ offices, nursing homes, and home health agencies. This month, Bridges looks at the IU Kokomo’s Certificate in Medical Coding Technology program. In December, the Associate of Science in Radiography program will be spotlighted. Medical coding technicians use software programs, classification manuals, and their knowledge of disease processes to assign numbered codes to patients’ diagnoses and procedures. There are more than 65,000 codes to select from. The standardized identification of diseases, injuries, and treatments by code number is essential for accurate medical record keeping and rendering appropriate health care based on those records. The Medicare system and most health insurance providers use these codes to determine what they will reimburse for patient claims. IU Kokomo’s 21-credit hour Certificate in Medical Coding Technology program includes two classes covering medical coding specifics and additional courses in anatomy, medical terminology, microbiology, immunology (the body’s protective responses to disease), and physiology (the functions of organs, tissues and cells). Registered Health Information Administrator Janet Obenchain of Logansport has instructed the certificate program since 2000. With close to 20 years’ experience directing medical records services and implementing computerized medical record systems for health care providers, Obenchain came highly recommended to teach the program, said Robert Roales, Ph.D., chair of the Division of Allied Health Sciences. Individuals can work in medical coding without certification, and, Obenchain said, “Students may take only the coding classes, if that is all they want.” However, many employers look for applicants with the additional science training that the IU Kokomo certificate program offers. Student Dawn Pickering of Tipton recently saw how valuable the program’s detailed lessons in coding are. During a doctor’s visit, she overheard two clerks discussing an insurance claim that had been returned to the office, marked as having a “not elsewhere classified” and, therefore, invalid code. Pickering told the clerks she was studying coding at IU Kokomo and offered to help. Consulting a code manual, she confirmed that the office had used the correct three-number code, 272, for the diagnosis of hyperlipidemia, increased fats in the bloodstream. Reading the manual’s footnotes, Pickering noticed that 10 subcategories of hyperlipidemia can be identified and coded by adding a decimal point and a fourth digit (272.0–272.9). She suggested that the insurance company might be expecting a fourth digit and a more specific diagnosis. “I just can’t imagine trying to code without the information we’ve gotten in class,” Pickering said. A 32-year-old certified nursing associate, Pickering recently has worked in a factory. Wanting a new career that would use her medical background, she entered the coding certificate program and is enjoying the classes. “Janet is really patient,” Pickering said. “If you don’t understand something, she’ll try three or four different approaches to explain it to you. We review our practice coding together in class.” The certificate program’s evening classes and the growth potential of the coding profession appeal to adult working students, said Roales. “You don’t have to spend a long time in school to earn this certificate and advance your career. If you took the classes full time, you could complete the program in one year.” IU Kokomo is even helping train future medical coding technicians in other parts of the state. One student enrolled at IU Bloomington and two at IU Southeast in New Albany take part in Obenchain’s classes, via the Virtual Indiana Classroom Network. The video-conferencing system allows students on an IU campus to participate in continuing studies courses offered on other university campuses. For more information on IU Kokomo’s Certificate of Medical Coding Technology program or other Allied Health programs, call (765) 455-9371 or visit www.iuk.edu/ACADEMICS/healthsci.
|
|
||||