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Two-year coding programs - Just FYI

Posted: Oct 06, 2013

There was a post elsewhere about a coding program requiring 2 years. If you are considering coding, please be aware that a 2-year program would be very unusual. I have not seen one, other than possibly some for-profit diploma-mill "billing coding degree" affairs, which I don't think anyone here would recommend.

Please be careful that you understand what the requirements and legitimate options are.

Coding programs - Lally

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Would you be able to recommend any programs? Thank you!!

I agree with this post - sm

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I took a 2 year course, and although I now have my RHIT, I really have no idea how to code. I want to be a coder, but my skills in coding are very low and I really would need to take another course that is focused just on coding. If I could go back in time, I wish I would have gone with Andrews and then sit for the CCS.

thank you for this! - great post

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I appreciate your candor. This post should help a lot of folks make up their mind. Thanks again.

Suggestions - Coder

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College and even most other courses aim for knowledge of a subject more than skill in application of it. It took me 2 years coding on the job before I felt comfortable with it.

You might be overestimating your inability, so to speak. Sure, you might not be able to sit down and code proficiently, but that's to be expected. You need experience for that.

Some courses have better success rates than others, but they mostly teach the same material. You aren't going to get much farther by taking the same stuff over again. While your HIT program might not have given you confidence and practcical skill in doing coding, it still covered the technical material. You have the textbooks and outlines of the material, so you do not need that part of what courses provide.

I have known several people in the same boat. Some of them could not code, but they started doing it anyway and soon succeeded. I was one of them--didn't even know where to start.

A few others thought that they needed another course. Several took the AHIMA online course or a well-respected bootcamp, but finished it only to discover that the material had been exactly the same and that they still could not code because they hadn't coded. I know of one who took both of them, and then took the bootcamp AGAIN, but ended up in the same place each time -- same book-learning, no experience. None of them would even try to code something for real ... "Oh, I just don't feel ready yet... don't know enough ..."

You might not have enough factual knowledge, but few do after a course. Still, you could review on your own, practice using a book like Clinical Coding Workout, and try to get some practice in at work. That might be all you need.

An AAPC in-person CPC prep course might be just enough to get you going, too. It would be directed and focused on passing the CPC.

Another option that is pricey, but possibly worth it, is a DecisionHealth CPC bootcamp. Both of those would help you understand the minimum required material, pass the test, and start coding.

FYI - coding

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If you want to do hosiptal coding you need your RHIT at minimum. These are two year courses at community colleges that give you an AS. They are not rare, they are all over the place, and they are completely necessary for HOSPITAL CODING. Phsycian office billing and coding usually do not require the RHIT.

Make sure you know what coding you are interested. As stated in another post, the pay scale is significantly different. I'm in the midwest and physician office biller/coder make 9-10 per hour. Our hospital CODERS (billing is a separate area) make 20+ starting wage.

Sorry, but I have to disagree with all of that - sm

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I don't know if you are a student or what, but you seem to be repeating a popular student misconception. You might know of a facility which prefers RHITs, or even a locality, but you cannot generalize from that to the entire country.

It might be that you have a really great RHIT program there, with a lot of alumni support for hiring their new graduates, but you cannot generalize that to the entire country. If it were true, AHIMA would not be approving any coding certificate programs.

We do not look for coders to have an RHIT. We would prefer the RHIA or CCS, frankly, and we want to see some coding credential in addition to that RHIT because so few RHITs are able to code. The RHIT is nice, but it is entry level. It does not demonstrate coding mastery. See the AHIMA website -- it is written there.

You also appear to think that the only alternative to hospital coding is "physician office coder biller." That is not the case. RHITs do not typically work in such situations, but neither do coders. We have 30+ certified and multicertified coders, only a few of whom are RHITs. Every one of the RHITs has a coding certification.

Have you ever heard of the AHIMA vs AAPC feud? That is the basis for the beliefs you describe. It is the old "my school is better than your school," "my credential is better than your credential" and "my work is real coding and yours is not" routine.

Can you explain - sm

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why you prefer RHIAs over RHITs? I looked into a RHIA program (I have my RHIT), and there wasn't much more coding education in that program, just more management courses.

Explanation - sm

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It is because they have a 4-year college degree.

Are you thinking that "management" means "supervising"? That is a common reason given for not completing a bachelor's degree in health information management, unfortunately. I manage health information, not people working in HIM. The information, the computer system, the content, the data, processes, organization. It involves data structuring, analysis, programming, and project management.

Yes, I am thinking that management means supervising - sm

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When I think of going on to get my bachelors in HIM, I think that I would be supervising and managing an HIM department, which exactly what I'm interested in. I'm more interested in data analysis and informatics.

Ok, you'll be thrilled to hear this, then. - sm

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Gag me! Managing a medical records dept! Ugh!

I think that is the traditional misconception. Years ago, it was very hard to get an RHIA because there were few schools and you practically had to live at one to do it. The few RHIAs that graduated were tailored to the uptight-director role.

Now, with online degrees, many more people are doing RHIAs. You can still find the old traditional uptight programs, but a lot of newer ones have modern options in data management and informatics. Much more fun! There are lots more jobs now, too.

You should consider Western Governors University. If you have an RHIT already, you can get credit for it, I believe. The price is great, it is online, you move through it as fast as you are able. They have a 100% pass rate on the RHIA, which is outstanding, and grads have several computer certifications. Databases and things you need for data work. I would think you could finish in much less than 2 years.

Sorry, my post may have confused you - sm

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I meant to say that I AM NOT interested in managing an HIM department, but I'm pretty sure you got what I meant. I have looked at WGU for their informatics program. It looks really great. I see that they are probably the most affordable university either online or in person. I am really going to be looking at them more soon. Thanks for your helpful posts. Just curious what exactly you do and did you get your RHIA?

Understood that - sm

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I thought you did not want to do management. A fine choice!

What do I do? Same thing you want to do, and yes.:-)

I believe you are referring to my post - OP

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The program offered at my community college is a 2-year course. Yes it is for the AA degree, but they don't have an option to learn "just coding." The school is Tarrant County College, a well respected junior college and hardly a for profit diploma mill. Just remember, everything you think you know is not all there is.

P.S. - OP

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the 2-year course prepares students to sit for the RHIT, the CCS, and the CCS-P.

Using different definitions - sm

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Tarrant has a fine program, but it is an RHIT program. All RHIT programs include coding, but they are still RHIT programs, just as all RHIA programs include coding, but are still RHIA programs. Even if it is the only program in your area that includes coding, and even if every coder in a 50-mile radius learned coding there, and even if their graduates are the pinnacle of perfection, it is still an RHIT program. It does not become a "coding program" because it includes coding or because locals call it the coding program.

That is because the usual definition of "coding program" is one which teaches only the material required for coding. It does not teach about a year's worth of material that includes general education subjects like English and math. It focuses on A&P, pathophysiology, reimbursement methods, ICD-9 diagnosis and procedure coding, etc. These are usually "certificate" programs, rather than degree programs. That is why it would be unusual for a coding program to take 2 years and grant a degree--there are not enough academic hours in them to constitute a degree. If you do see one that teaches billing-coding as a degree program, it will nearly always be a diploma mill that has inflated the coding billing material to take twice as long. Tarrant is not guilty of that, because they are teaching an RHIT program.

I am sure about this because the course requirements for thr RHIA, RHIT, and for coding are explained on the AHIMA website. They have an accreditation program for RHIA and RHIT, but an approval program for coding programs. They would not need the approval program for coding if it was the same as an RHIT program.

Your definition is just different from the one we are using. In our definition, a coding program is an about 1 year course that teaches just coding. Many students begin with it, then move on to RHIA and RHIA programs while working. You don't have a program like that near you. Others do. Others would not need to do an entire 2 year RHIT program just to get coding.

It is also not necessary to take a course at a college near you or at a college at all. There are many options.

I hope this helped you to see the type of program we are talking about.

P.S. Tarrant does have a coding program, as it happens. It teaches only 3 courses, med terms, ICD9, and CPT. That course would be inadequate for most coding jobs because it does not contain enough material. The fact that it teaches little does not mean that it is representative of all coding programs. That might explain why your employer thinks RHITs are desirable for coding and why you have such a seemingly low opinion of physician office coders -- from what you see, they are poorly prepared.

In other areas, non-RHIT coders may be well-prepared. I was never an RHIT, but I held both AHIMA and 2 AAPC coding credentials while working in medical center inpatient coding.

We think it is fine for you to attend Tarrant's RHIT program to learn coding. We just don't want to confuse others who do not live in Ft Worth and do not have RHIT programs like Tarrant. They may have to decide among the other types of coding programs.

2-year HIT program vs 1-year coding program - In it now

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There is a 2-year HIT (health information technology program), which is the continuation of the 1-year coding program.

That is correct - smJust FYI

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Many colleges that offer 2-year HIT programs also offer 1-year coding programs. The coding students simply take the courses that pertain to coding, which can be done in about 1 year. They can then get a job while finishing the rest of the courses in the HIT program.

That doesn't mean the coding program is all freshman courses. They are usually courses from both first and second years. When students continue on, they end up going back and doing the general requirements like English, math, other sciences, and humanities. They also take HIT courses like statistics, informatics, theory of HIT, office management, and so forth.

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