Medical Coding Specialist - Technical Diploma
The Medical Coding Specialist program is designed to prepare students for employment in all types of health care organizations, insurance companies, or government agencies associated with medical coding, reimbursement, health services research, and health care planning. All credits from this technical diploma can be applied to the Health Information Technology associate degree. This technical diploma will take a minimum of three terms to complete. Students will attend an asynchronous HIT/MCS Program Orientation and students are expected to have entry-level computer skills.
Delivery
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Program Costs & Financial Aid
Tuition: $4,813, Books: $1,001, Supplies: $150
This program is fully eligible for financial aid.
Estimates based on in-state residency. Please visit the following URL to learn more about tuition and fees for this program. /admissions-and-aid/paying-for-college/tuition-and-fees?ProgramCode=315302
Requirements for Program Entry
- Apply at www.nwtc.edu/apply.
- Submit the following to transcripts@nwtc.edu:
- High school transcript (or GED/HSED transcript).
- College transcript.
- If your cumulative GPA is below 2.6, complete or submit a placement evaluation.
- Completed application. Admission Assessment or equivalent or ACT assessment. (For a list of equivalents, please contact a Counselor.)
- Tip! Our admission advisors will assist you through every step. Have questions? Connect with 冈本视频 Admissions at start@nwtc.edu or 920-498-5444.
Program Outcomes
- Collect health data.
- Apply coding and reimbursement systems.
- Use electronic applications to support coding and data collection.
- Model professional behavior and ethics.
Curriculum
Students who complete coursework in prerequisite order will take a minimum of three terms to finish the Medical Coding technical diploma.
Summer Before First Semester
8 Week 1
First Semester
8 Week 1
8 Week 2
Second Semester
8 Week 1
8 Week 2
- Curriculum Note: Students must earn a "C" or higher in all 10-501-XXX, 10-806-XXX, and 10-530-XXX courses. A student who withdraws or receives a grade lower than a "C" in a program course may apply for re-entry into the program. Consideration for re-entry will be at the discretion of the re-entry team and will be dependent on clinical availability.
- The credit for 10-890-101, College 101 is an Institutional Requirement for graduation. Consequently, it is not part of the program credit requirements. Consequently, it is not part of the program credit requirements, but must be passed with a "C" or better.
- This technical diploma will take a minimum of three terms to complete.
Course Descriptions
Students gain skills that lead to success in college, employment, and life. Students should take this course in their first semester. (Pre-requisite: None.)
Course Typically Offered: Summer Fall SpringThe course will explore the use of the electronic health record, the role of social media in health care communication, the uses of wearable technologies that monitor activity and heart rate, the use of data to manage population health and the impact of new developments on the healthcare workforce.
Course Typically Offered: Summer Fall SpringFocuses on the component parts of medical terms: prefixes, suffixes, and root words. Students practice formation, analysis and reconstruction of terms. Emphasis on spelling, definition and pronunciation. Introduction to operative, diagnostic, therapeutic and symptomatic terminology of all body systems, as well as systemic and surgical terminology.
Course Typically Offered: Summer Fall SpringIntroduces learners to the healthcare delivery system, and the external forces that influence healthcare delivery. Sets an understanding for the expectations and standards related to professional ethics, confidentiality and security of health information. Differentiates the use and structure of healthcare data elements, data standards, and the relationships between them. Prepares learners to collect and maintain health data to ensure a complete and accurate health record. ***It is highly recommended students have basic computer skills prior to taking this course. Students should know how to use web browsers and basic functions Microsoft Windows and Microsoft Word.
Course Typically Offered: Fall SpringExamines concepts of anatomy and physiology as they relate to health careers. Learners correlate anatomical and physiological terminology to all body systems. (Prerequisite: Next Gen Rdg score greater/equal to 250; OR ACT Reading score greater/equal to 15; OR preparatory courses-contact an academic advisor at 920-498-5444)
Course Typically Offered: Summer Fall Springprepares learners to interpret clinical documentation that they will encounter in a variety of healthcare settings. Emphasis is placed on understanding the common disorders and diseases of each body system to include the etiology (cause), signs and symptoms, diagnostic tests and results, and medical treatments and surgical procedures. (Prerequisite: 10-501-101, Medical Terminology; Co-requisite 10-806-189, Basic Anatomy)
Course Typically Offered: Fall SpringPrepares students to assign ICD diagnosis codes supported by medical documentation with entry level proficiency. Students apply instructional notations, conventions, rules, and official coding guidelines when assigning ICD diagnosis codes to case studies and actual medical record documentation. (Prerequisites: Accepted in Health Information Technology program or Medical Coding Technical Diploma; Corequisites: 10-530-182, Human Diseases for Health Professions and 10-530-162, Foundations of HIM)
Course Typically Offered: Fall SpringAssign CPT codes supported by medical documentation at entry level; apply CPT instructional notations, conventions, rules, and official coding guidelines; case studies and actual medical record documentation. (Prerequisite: 10-530-182, Human Diseases for Health Professions)
Course Typically Offered: Fall SpringPrepares students to assign ICD procedure codes supported by medical documentation with entry level proficiency. Students apply instructional notations, conventions, rules, and official coding guidelines when assigning ICD procedure codes to case studies and actual medical record documentation. (Prerequisites: 10-530-182, Human Diseases for Health Professions)
Course Typically Offered: Fall SpringPrepares learners to compare and contrast health care payers, evaluate the reimbursement cycle and compliance with regulations. Learners assign payment classifications with entry level proficiency using computerized encoding and grouping software. (Prerequisites: 10-530-197, ICD Diagnosis Coding; Corequisites: 10-530-199, ICD Procedure Coding; 10-530-184, CPT Coding)
Course Typically Offered: Fall SpringPrepares students to assign ICD and CPT/HCPCS codes supported by medical documentation and official coding guidance to support appropriate reimbursement. Students will participate in CDI activities, including preparation of appropriate physician queries in accordance with compliance guidelines (Prerequisites: 10-530-184, CPT Coding, 10-530-197 ICD, Diagnosis Coding, 10-530-199, ICD Procedure Coding; Co-requisite: 10-530-159, Healthcare Revenue Management)
Course Typically Offered: Fall Spring