Advanced Medical Coding Online on Your Time...

Pierce College and Gatlin Education Services (GES) have partnered to offer web-based, instructor supported training programs online in the medical billing and coding field. These open-enrollment programs designed for the advanced medical coder or physician, will help you upgrade your job skills and prepare for professional national certification examinations. This web-based program alternative allows you to learn anywhere and anytime. Most courses can be completed in 90-180 days. Classes are continuous entry so register and start your course at any time. Each course has a free demo where you can try out the class to see if it will work for you.

These programs have been built by a team of professionals from each respective field who work with an existing textbook or base of material to provide the most effective online learning experience. Instructors are actively involved in your online learning experience. They will respond to any questions or concerns as well as are their to encourage and help you succeed. Each program has a set of lessons and tests; student's grades are calculated using a combination of computer-graded tests and the instructor's evaluation of the student's work.

Classes are continuous entry to register and begin the course at any time. Call (253)964-6616 Monday-Friday 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. or download a registration form to register by mail or fax. Pierce College accepts checks, money orders, agency purchase orders, VISA and Mastercard for payment. Course fees must be paid in full in order to begin the course.

Fee: $1195
($1395 effective 9/1/07)
Item #: O750
Hours: 80 hrs.

Printer friendly Phys. Office Coding brochure...

Advanced Coding for the Physician's Office

This advanced course is designed for the experienced coder or student who has completed a basic coding education program.

In this 80 hour, instructor-led, online course you'll polish your CPT, ICD-9-CM (Volumes I and II), and HCPCS Level II coding skills and prepare for the national Certified Professional Coder (CPC) certification exam offered through the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC). Course fee includes: textbooks ICD-9 Coding for Physician's Offices and CPC, HCPCS Coding Made Easy and upon completion of the course, a current copy of the AAPC CPC Exam Study Guide. Students must provide their own current year CPT, HCPCS, and ICD-9-CM (Vol. I, II) coding books available through online vendors or at the Pierce College bookstore. In order to take the exam you must meet the AAPC's eligibility requirements. CPC exam and membership fees are not included in the course fee. More about the exam...

Fee: $1495
($1695 effective 9/1/07)
Item #: O751
Hours: 80 hrs.


Printer friendly Hospital Coding brochure...

Advanced Coding: Hospital and CCS Exam Prep

This Advanced Hospital Medical Coding course prepares experienced hospital coders and students who have completed basic coding classes to take the American Health Information Management Association's (AHIMA) official certification exam to become a Certified Coding Specialist (CCS).

This online program covers advanced ICD-9 Medical coding procedures and is designed to help students meet the challenge of today's changing standards while learning and improving their coding skills. Course fee includes Faye Brown's Coding Handbook and Workbook, a current copy of AHIMA's Clinical Coding Workout: Practice Exercises for Skill Development to help you prepare for the CCS Exam. Students are expected to provide their own current year CPT, HCPCS, and ICD-9-CM (Vol. I, II & III) coding books available through online vendors or at the Pierce College bookstore. In order to take the exam you must meet the AHIMA’s eligibility and membership requirements. Exam and membership fees are not included in the course fee.

Fee: $795
Item #: O752
Hours: 12 hrs.

Printer friendly
CRDP brochure...

Coding, Reimbursement & Documentation for Physicians

The key to a good practice is having a compliance plan in place. Physicians will learn about the resources needed to create a successful compliance program and about the key elements needed to do so in this online course. With all of the changes, HIPAA rules and regulations, and the constant possibility of audits; the physician just can't take a chance of not knowing what is needed to be compliant in the coding and billing of services. This course is designed to help determine what is needed for effective and efficient documentation, when to use modifiers, and how to not "unbundle" services. All materials for this course are available online.

Fee: $795
Item #: O754
Hours: 12 hrs.


Printer friendly Revenue Cycle Management brochure...

Revenue Cycle Management for Healthcare Providers

Learn the skills necessary to evaluate the performance
of your revenue cycle systems and processes. Identify
areas of concern and translate those into opportunities
for improved cash flow.

Physician practices are experiencing tremendous
pressure from rising costs (malpractice, administrative,
technology) coupled with reduced reimbursement from
Medicare and other key payers. The margin for error
has been significantly reduced in relation to the proper
billing and collection of receivables. In fact, the
maximization of cash collections is considered critical
to success and growth. This course can be a key to
maximizing cash flow by providing the skills necessary
for evaluating the performance of your revenue cycle
systems and processes. This self-paced e-learning
course was designed for physicians or other key
leaders in physician practices of any size that want
to improve operating effectiveness and cash flow within
their practice.

Objectives
This program will provide office staff with the
knowledge necessary to evaluate and effect change
within any physician practice. Upon completion of
the course, the student will:

• Understand the key components of the revenue
cycle and the relationships between each.
• Understand the most important metrics to
benchmark and keys for comparison to other
practices.
• Be able develop strategies for improving cash flow.
• Understand current automation trends and
opportunities.
• Be able to assess staffing requirements more
effectively while also learning to reduce staffing
via focused resource management.
• Be knowledgeable of key government regulations
(HIPAA for example) effecting the revenue cycle.

Fee: $1395
($1595 effective 9/1/07)
Item #: O753
Hours: 200 hrs.


Printer friendly
ICD-10 brochure...

ICD-10 Medical Coding Preparation and Instruction

ICD-10 is a radically upgraded diagnostic and procedural medical coding system, and will soon be mandated by the Federal government for use in the healthcare industry in insurance processing, reimbursement, and statistical data gathering. Preparing for and implementing the massive changes to the existing coding system requires that the healthcare industry start preparing for the impacts now. This new program will present a comprehensive overview of the significant changes in store for both diagnostic and procedural coding along with detailed information on the impacts of the coding changes to medical coders, healthcare staff, physicians, software systems, documentation, and information technology. This online course includes a comprehensive overview of the objectives, edits, and changes within the soon-to-be released International Classification of Diseases, 10th edition (ICD-10), methodology and template for planning HIM and non-HIM staff, physician, and allied health personnel education; explanation of requirements for upgrading existing software applications, including claims editors, billing and claims, and electronic data interchange clearinghouses, an in-depth review of the CMS training manual; and explanation of how to prepare and develop policy and procedure manual changes, staff training needs, and requirements. Required textbook is included: ICD-10-CM Preview by Anita Hazelwood and Carol Venable.

Pierce College hosts this exam in conjuction with the local Tacoma chapter of AAPC. Visit the local Tacoma Chapter website. Please submit applications for exams directly to AAPC. Pierce College students may apply for student memberships at a discounted rate as well as take the exam at a discounted rate. If you are interested in participating in this student program please contact kbeaumont@pierce.ctc.edu for more information.

Pierce College students who wish to register at the discounted exam price of $250 must submit their COMPLETED application packet to AAPC no later than six weeks prior to the exam in order to insure they meet AAPC exam application deadlines. Exam packets must contain the $250 exam payment, payable to to AAPC, reference letters and completed application forms. AAPC will no longer accept incomplete registration packets. Non-students please visit www.aapc.com to apply for an exam.

For the examination, you will need to bring unmarked copies of CPT, HCPCS and ICD-9-CM Vols. 1, 2, 3 to the exam for reference. (Reference books should be the same year (e.g. 2005, 2006) as the exam version you are taking. Photo identification is required for entrance into the exam.