A community of 30,000 US Transcriptionist serving Medical Transcription Industry

AHIMA on line course. Which certification test - stillsearching

Posted: May 09, 2010

I believe I read on the AHIMA website that their online course prepared you for the CCA test, not the CCS test. Can anyone confirm that for me? I am worried about that, as I thought everyone wanted a CCA or CPC cert and not the CCA?

so confusing isnt it? - right with you

[ In Reply To ..]
its so confusing, that I am going to sign up for Career Step, then i am going to utilize another on line web site that helps prepare for the Certification exams for AAPA and AHIMA, and THEN, I am going to sit for both exams. Then once I do that, Im going to go for an internship...and never stop learning and continue to do more modules/clusters through AHIMA.

I wasn't at all confused until I read your plan. Tossing your $ around? Oh my goodness! - I would not do it that way

[ In Reply To ..]
I might choose one or the other, but your plan needs some work. LOL.

You were teasing, right?

Plan - Anonymous

[ In Reply To ..]
I can't tell if this person was teasing but I agree that they need to narrow things down. The coding courses are expensive, there is certainly no need to take a program through 2 different schools. If you learn the material you should be able to sit for either exam. Most of them help students prepare for the exams so I would also question the need to spend more money on prep courses. The certification exams are around $300 each. I agree, choose one or the other, do the course work and you should be okay.

PLAN - - thats me and I was NOT KIDDING

[ In Reply To ..]
First off if I take Career step, yes I plan to further my education with some on-line modules afterwards from a reputable medical coding organization on line. This is not even equal to paying for ANOTHER medical coding program. It just consists of practice exams, DVDs and additional workbooks to practice before taking certification.

As far as the internship, my daughter works for an internal medicine practice, and yes I will sit for a 3-month internship that they have offered me upon completion of my certification exam for 8 dollars an hour for 3 months. I have NOTHING to lose and I can still transcribe in the evenings at my regular job. This will put live on the job experience under my belt so I wont be one of the ones posting WHY CANT I GET A JOB AFTER I PASSED THE CERTIFICATION EXAM.

Internship - Anonymous

[ In Reply To ..]
I thought the internship was a good idea, I am also hoping to find something like that at my local hospital or clinic where I currently work.

Sounds like a plan - JM

[ In Reply To ..]
You have figured out how you want to do it and what is right for YOU. It sounds great! You can take the course of your choice, you can supplement it, and you are ensuring a job in the future by the internship. You have it covered. Congratulations!

so tell us, how are YOU gonna do it? Whats your plan? - do you know?

[ In Reply To ..]
?

It is confusing, but . . . - Redpen

[ In Reply To ..]
All of this is very confusing, but sorting it out will be good for you.

Coding is a really good field for people who can sift through a lot of information, sort it out, and summarize it. The ability to determine what is and isn't there, and to rank things in a sequential order is very important. It's also important to be able to find information on websites.

You do, after all, have to read through medical records (or just one report, depending), figure out what happened and what is important, note what was mentioned that is really part of something else, determine when it happened, and so forth. You need an organized mind to keep track of this, along with a piece of paper and a pencil and the willingness to write it down.

So, when you're investigating the coding field, a good test of whether you would like coding might be on those certification exam websites!

Visit both the AHIMA and AAPC websites armed with a piece of paper and a pencil. Abstract the information about their certification exams (in other words, read what's there to find the information so you can write it down). Put it into a chart so it's organized and you can compare the two.

What exams do they offer? Make a column for each.
What does each cover?
What is it good for?
What are the requirements?
How much does it cost?
Can you take it again for free if you fail?
Is there a waiting period if you fail?

Do the same thing for schools.
What is their focus?
What is their goal for you?
What do they teach? (Yes, find the courses and what they contain!)
How do they teach it?
What format do they use? Online? Book?
Do they use instructors?
What are the instructor qualifications?
What is the tuition?
What is the time allowed?
Do they charge extra for extensions if you don't finish a course on time?
How much are books?
Are there any prerequisites before you can enroll (A&P? Med terms?)

There are more questions, but that will give you a start. Find all that information for all the exams and for all the schools you're considering. Look for other information, as well, and make a category for it.

Yes, this IS going to take some effort, but it's worthwhile. When you finish, you'll be better informed about coding and about yourself.

I can give you this information off the top of my head, but that wouldn't help you exercise your mind. You wouldn't learn very much from it, nor would you remember any of it. It is entirely within your ability to do this on your own. You SHOULD do this on your own.

When you've finished, ask yourself if you enjoyed hunting down that information. Even if it was challenging, did you find satisfaction in gleaning the information you needed? Even if the websites were annoying, did you still take satisfaction in succeeding with them? Did you see this as a treasure hunt or as drudgery? Do you think you would enjoy doing something like this for a living, or would you rather never do anything like that again? (Both are valid choices, of course!)

A lot of coding information is online. As a coder, you'll need to use payer websites (like Medicare) and resource websites that contain coding information. If you hate hunting for information and sorting through it to find what you need, that might help you decide what type of coding to pursue, or even to avoid coding entirely.

Most MTs don't have this problem, but one big clue that a person isn't cut out for coding is that they would (1) rather stick a fork in their eye than look anything up and (2) if they never read anything for information again it would be too soon.

Answering my own question. sm - stillsearching

[ In Reply To ..]
Found this on the AHIMA website. I thought I would post this for others looking for similar answers.

"One common misunderstanding is that you will be ready to take the CCS exam once you complete your academic training and that is incorrect. You will be qualified to sit for the CCA exam upon completing your training program. The CCS and CCS-P are mastery credentials and reflect two to three years of full time coding experience beyond the academic preparations that you will receive in school."

Thankyou and THAT is exactly RIGHT! - so

[ In Reply To ..]
this is WHY furthering your education and never stopping the learning process is so important, even after a 1-2 year training program!!!
thanks for posting this!

You're welcome! But, now that we know this. sm - stillsearching

[ In Reply To ..]
Now that we know that the online course will prepare us for the CCA certification, what does this mean as far as jobs go? Especially reading further below on this board where people want CCS and CPC, and not CCA??

Similar Messages:

Nov 14, 2013

I was going to begin AHIMA program for coding but someone told me you can't sit for CCS with AHIMA anymore. The certification I want is CPC-H or CCS. Isn't AHIMA the gold standard for coding schools?? Why can't you sit for CCS anymore and where else can I look. Our local college only offers RHIT and I am not interested in that. Local hospitals want CCS or CPC-H. ...

May 09, 2010

so very confused now. wanted to sign up for AHIMA but now i read this on their site. Step One: Education Step one begins with a college education. You need to complete either an associate or bachelor's degree program in health information management offered at over 200 colleges and universities across the country. For a listing of accredited programs, click here. ...

Feb 25, 2011

Anyone out there a member of AHIMA or AAPC? Did you join after you became certified, or before? What are your thoughts about joining? ...

Mar 23, 2011

Need some advice please. I have just started the AHIMA coding course but after doing further research, I am thinking I may want to take the CPC exam first. Does the AHIMA course prepare for taking the CPC? Would it be appropriate to do this. I think it is too late to change schools. There are so many decisions to make. I did do a vast amount of research before I chose but now I think it may be a litter harder than I first thought it was going to be, so maybe t ...

Apr 08, 2011

Hi all of you wannabe coders out there. I have just finished my A&P course with AHIMA and am starting coding basics. I would love to communicate those out there who are in this program, just starting out or previous students. Let me know how far along you are and also what your background is. I am very excited about getting to do this program. I have been a transcriptionist for almost 20 years and am totally burned out, both physically and mentally. ...

Nov 03, 2011

I just checked the AHIMA website for coding programs and I noticed that they have Career Step on their list of "AHIMA approved coding programs" but I could not find Andrews School listed at all on their site. Is AHIMA approval for coding as important as AHDI approval for transcription programs? Everyone recommends Andrews for coding but Im confused now. Could someone explain please. Also if it is important can you please let me know where you went to school for coding? I know Andrews and M ...

Sep 11, 2012

I am wondering if Andrews is still a good choice for a school. I was also thinking of calling Linda Andrews and seeing how these changes affect her course. Any advice is appreciated. Thanks. ...

Sep 05, 2013

Has anyone classes through the AHIMA website? If so, did you like it? Is there any benefit of taking it through AHIMA versus Andrews? If you were a new student would you take the RHIA classes or CCS classes? Do you recommend getting a CCS-P as well? What is the best route to get the best return on your investment, ie if you are looking to make coding your career for the next 25+ years, which certificate/degree is the best one to get right now to lead you into a successful career? Any ...

May 09, 2010

There is a lengthy debate as to which of two certifications CCS or CPC are good choices and which will yield better result. The AAPC webiste states that the CPC is a physician/provider-based coding cert. Hospitals are usually looking for facility-based coding certifications, as those credentials apply to their line of business & clinical setting.Hospital certified coders generally code in the hospital (e.g., CPC-H, CCS) and physician certified coders (e.g., CPC, CCS-P) usually code in provid ...

Sep 21, 2010

It seems like a lot of people on this board have gone or are going to Andrews for coding. I have seen a lot of jobs for coders where you obviously need to be certified but also have done your education through an AHIMA approved program. Isn't Andrews NOT approved through AHIMA? Wouldn't it be better for me to just do my training through AHIMA? Seems like a lot of money to spend on a program that isn't recognized by AHIMA. ...

Nov 22, 2010

Does anyone know if the AHIMA coding course is eligible for the Pell grant or any other financial aid benefits? ...

Jun 28, 2012

I am currently in Andrews and wonder when would be a good time to join these organizations? I checked out AHIMA and their student designation is only for approved schools, and since Andrews is not, I would have to pay the full price of $165 before taking the CCS exam. The exam itself costs 299 for members and 399 for nonmembers. For AAPC, their student membership costs 70 and does not seem to be tied to "approved schools." I'm just a low-paid MT and wondering if I should spring for thes ...

Aug 19, 2013

Where are AHDI and AHIMA in all of this? We pay membership dues for them to be our "voice." (Guess I'm delusional) ...

Apr 07, 2014

I have noticed some job ads which say they would consider a new graduate from an AHIMA-approved course. How do certain programs become an approved course? I had a very thorough course that is not ahima approved and would like to apply for those jobs but afraid I would be turned down. :/ ...

Mar 29, 2015

See the AHIMA page below for a link to their 2012 salary survey, the latest one. It includes coding salaries. The national average was 49,222. Their careers map is also on that page. Very helpful so you can see where you can go from coding. ...

May 20, 2015

Just wondering is anyone has taken the AHIMA A&P class and what did you think of it? I need an A&P class but consider myself more of a visual learner. Is is just reading chapters or are there videos explaining things in detail? If you have a recommendation on another class, please feel free to advise. Thanks here is the link: http://cancerregistryeducation.org/products/1190/anatomy-physiology-human-disease ...

May 09, 2010

i understand one is more geared towards outpatient and one more toward inpatient, but the question still remains, one is a 4 month full time course and one is a 1 year or so. But the question still does remain, WHICH organization has a better well rounded LEARN MEDICAL CODING TO GET AN ENTRY LEVEL JOB in Todays Market? for the newbie? anyone????????? please ...

May 13, 2010

to..........sign up with Andrews!! Why? Well I believe BOTH programs are excellent, but Andrews has TWO great super advantages over AHIMA.... 1. The individual one one one instructor help if needed. 2. PAYMENT PLANS!!!! ...

May 16, 2010

I think its like 15 dollars a credit but some of the AHIMA classes you can obtain credit for through your college and they will accept them. I think its about 40 credits too. ...

Mar 11, 2012

from which one can you get enough education to pass the CCS? It looks like AHIMA has coding basics for CCA and then take more advanced classes for CCS. Andrews looks like you could possibly take the CCS when finished-anybody know? Thanks! ...

Dec 28, 2012

I was looking at going to Andrews School for medical coding, but many employers want those trained in AHIMA-approved courses, and Andrews is not. I see that Career Step is, so I may go for that. Any thoughts? Thanks!!! ...

Feb 16, 2013

I am currently a member of AAPC; however I have also joined AHIMA. I have a 2013 ICD-9 Codebook by AAPC..can I use this book to sit for my certification for the AHIMA CCA exam? I've seen the AHIMA list of approved books and my AAPC book is not listed. Additionally, I understand that I can use a 2012 ICD-9 book. My test is 3/2/2013. My 2012 ICD-9 book is by Carol Buck..can I use this book? This book is not listed in the approved books list on AHIMA. Please help--I need to know. THANKING ...

Mar 19, 2013

I read in: http://library.ahima.org/xpedio/groups/public/documents/ahima/bok1_048635.hcsp?dDocName=bok1_048635 About EHR and the need to review file room staffing and need to reduce or redefine staff as the record becomes fully electronic, and consider work queues that are built into electronic record systems that will drive HIM staff members' work for the day (e.g., verbal orders that are not signed, transcriptions, etc.). What I am asking the coding forum today is, Are coder ...

Mar 15, 2015

I began at Andrews a while back in the CCS ICD-9 studies and had to delay school due to some unforeseen personal issues. I am now reinstated and in the final module of ICD-9 but am wondering what will happen if I am unable to finish up and test (and pass) before the probable ICD-10 implementation in October. Will AHIMA still honor my certificate with Andrews as the necessary education requirement or will it have to specifically be for ICD-10? I know it will be up to me to study ...

Apr 27, 2015

Hello, I am currently enrolled in AHIMA's Basic Coding Program. Has anyone else done this program? It seems that the CCS is mentioned as being the certficiate to get, is the CCA no good? This is all new to me, so any advice would be appreciated! I have done transcription for 17 years, but my company was outsourced, so time for a change. I am really enjoying learning coding. It is an online course, so I hope it will be enough to prepare me for a coding pos ...

Jan 18, 2012

x ...

Apr 29, 2010

What is your experience with either of these schools in terms of relevance, quality of instruction, materials used, preparation for exam and coding on-the-job, responsiveness of the school? I'm considering both and would really appreciate your thoughts. Thank you! ...

May 16, 2010

I would think the AHIMA would be a great place to take the medical coding classes. They are the ones giving the certification examination and certification. I dont hear many people enrolled in AHIMA Cluster Program for Medical Coding. I wonder why? seems so many people go off this board and then follow along. ...

Feb 07, 2013

they call this a 12-course basics. it says 2000, plus you need an additional 290 +225 for the required anatomy and physiology course, which you must at least get a C before you can proceed with the coding. they also suggest 35 a year for becoming a member. books are also a lot extra, looks like. says 4 clusters of 15-week courses, that is 60 weeks, yes? anyone have experience with this course? call me gun-shy, but this is the organization who threw MT unde ...

Apr 10, 2013

Hi everyone! My place of employment has approached me about the possibility of training as an outpatient coder within the year but wants me to take a CPT and ICD-9 course, no certification needed, just something stating I took these two courses. Would you who have been through this suggest I take AHIMA's coding basics (she says I only need the 4 total courses - CPT (2), ICD-9 (2) or take something like an online AAPC course i.e. coderclass.com? Can the AHIMA courses be ...