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CCA, CCS, CPC, RHIA, Informatics question - Cathy

Posted: Jan 30, 2014

I am thinking about going into health informatics. I've been looking at the program through WGU. Through their program, you complete your CCA credential before graduation. You would also qualify for your RHIA certification when you graduate. They state that a CCS or CCA credential will satisfy the coding courses in the program. Would it be better to do the coding portion of the informatics degree through a program that prepares you to pass the CCS and CPC (like Andrews) or would you know adequate coding with just a CCA? Part of the appeal of the informatics degree for me is that it offers so many opportunities (coding, IT, and management knowledge) so hopefully I would be able to find a job doing some aspect that is covered in the course to start if there aren't any specific health informatics jobs available in my area when I graduate (if that makes sense).

choices. - jj

[ In Reply To ..]
I am currently an HIM student through College of St. Scholastica. I looked into WGU and even Andrews. I made my decision after calling the schools I was interested in and asking questions. That would be my first recommendation to you...call the school you are interested in. See what the program really is. How much knowledge, etc will you get for your money. Another thing I would do is get on the AHIMA website or CAHIIM (the accrediting agency for the HIM programs) to make sure that whatever program you are interested in is accredited by them. Many local colleges are now offering the RHIT programs which would save you some money, get your RHIT, then advance to the RHIA with the other certificates. Hope that helps you. Good luck to you. Transcription is going away and I too am looking to my future. I'm 41 years old, graduating in 2017 with my bachelors in HIM and looking foward to what the future holds in health information management.

Cathy - CCS, etc., etc., etc.

[ In Reply To ..]
In my opinion, the WGU program is a good choice because its informatics content is driven by a university well-versed in training computer professionals. You will graduate with several valuable job-enhancing certifications in IT, as well as the coding and RHIA. That is a unique situation, since most programs are still focused on paper records with theoretical informatics content ("someday, EHRs may become a reality") and on how to use MS Word.

I think you may be confusing the coding credential with the amount of coding knowledge you have. I'll try to explain. Coding training is the same regardless of whether you get a CCA or a CCS at the end. They aren't going to teach half of it for the CCA. They teach all of it, but you only have to pass the CCA at the end. You could probably pass the CCS, too, but some students would not need that and might not do as well in coding, making the CCS an unreasonable expectation.

In any event, with the RHIA, you are going to be employable with or without the CCA. The CCA just gives you a bonus entry point. The informatics gives you a huge bonus which you might not use right away, but you will. Its time is just now coming.

Just do that program and you'll be highly employable at minimal cost and in only about 2.5 years.

Do you need to learn coding first? No, you can learn it at WGU. However they teach it, they do a good job of it if their students all pass the CCA.

I do not recommend wasting time and money doing an RHIT first, then the RHIA. That only made sense years ago, before online programs, and it is NOT less expensive. I do not think any of them provide the informatics that WGU provides, and nearly all of them involve a considerable hassle in terms of credit transfers, general requirements, on-site policies, and potentially poor instruction.

I strongly recommend that you consider the possibility of moving to get a job, since it will greatly increase your chances. Consider the VA-see the link below. They have robust national informatics and HIM programs that are about 20 years ahead of everybody else. Start looking at job classification 0669 on usajobs.gov. Be sure to look at the jobs open to federal employees to get all of them. You can look at 0675 for comparison, but you will qualify for 0669. No matter what you think about moving now, the pay, benefits, and nationwide upward mobility may help you change your mind.

Thank you for the input - Cathy

[ In Reply To ..]
Thanks to both of you for replying and giving me some things to think about. I am just beginning to look into everything and decide what I want to pursue. Thanks for the info on the VA program! Moving would be a bit difficult for me as my oldest son will only have 2 years left in high school when I graduate (if I start soon), but luckily we have a couple VA hospitals not too far from us in either direction. It's a bit scary stepping forward, but I think it will be a very promising career down the road.

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