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Coding for Healthcare Professionals - Just read

Posted: Sep 09, 2012

Their blog, it tells the whole story. She talks about what program she attended, what her plans are, it's all there.

Where is that - Curious

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Where is that? I looked and didn't see much. I did see that they say their course qualifies you for the CCS, so was looking to see how they think that when they do not offer what will be required after Jan 1.

nevermind. nm - Wow.

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**

Found a wrong code while looking for that - Hmm

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It is in the "There's a code for that!" that talks about the fall on ice.

I think it's all about a lack of respect for coding and for coders - nm

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nm

they have never worked as coders - anon

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I'm not sure they have a "lack of respect" but they have never worked as coders.

Taking the class is fine, but she has not even followed up with the CCS. I feel sorry for those MTs who think they are going to be well prepared for the CCS with this streamlined course! I have a lot of experience as an MT and did take college level anatomy and physiology (actually I was a biology major and took that class with premed students, and we worked on cadavers) Even with that experience, I have forgotten a lot of that info and I am studying and relearning things as I am progressing through Andrews. I think I probably have more education in this area than those they are targeting, but I definitely need the extra education and study. Just a word of caution to those who want to save time/money but may end up not being able to pass the CCS.

My thinking on shortcuts and how I did it - CCS

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You would be a fool not to review. Regardless of how much you think you know, you have to review. So, why not just do that along with the course??

Really, the coursework in the sciences is there for a reason and the reason is not to grub more money out of you. It is there to give you the best shot at the certification exam.

There is always something more to learn. Always. No one ever knows enough. Coders who are already certified as CS are rushing to take more anatomy and pathophysiology before ICD-10 rolls around. I see it every day at work.

What does that communicate about MTs who want to skip ALL that material, from the anatomy to the reimbursement.

I can certainly see wanting to skip med terms, but is it worth becoming ineligible to sit for an exam? Is it worth getting a question wrong on an exam that maybe you would have known if you covered that material?

Worse, what happens when you apply for a job and have a transcript with almost nothing on it? If you applied here, we would think that said a lot about your willingness to learn. We do not need that kind of coder. We look for employees who go the extra mile, not the ones who do a slap-dash job of things.

They are educators, not coders - Are you not listening?

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They never claimed to be coders as far as I can see. They are educators.

This is ridiculous. You can't expect them to go out and get coding jobs - I agree

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They have been in MT management for years. it would be ridiculous to ask them to go to a lower level job as a coder. They are transitioning from MT management to coding management, which is a lateral move. That's all they're doing.

You are not a coder, apparently - sm

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You are very much mistaken if you believe what you wrote.

There is a huge difference between a coding graduate and a coder with experience. It takes about 2 years for new coders to put it all together and start functioning at an acceptable level. When employers are reluctant to hire within that time, but ou are in favor of letting them teach???

They are not switching to coding management. Nobody in their right mind would hire them for that. They are just setting up a money-making venture disguised as educators.

You have no idea how difficult teaching coding can be. It is one field where you really do need work experience.

Umm, I was expected to get a coding job before I could - Teach

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Not just at one school, either. EVERY school wants experience, if they can get it.

I remember when I took coding at a community college. When people asked questions, the instructor said "I'm an RHIT, but I've never coded, so I can't answer your question." That was a credentialed person who admitted a lack of knowledge and correctly attributed it to having no work experience.

THAT is what happens when instructors have no work experience. THEY may think they're doing great, but that's only because they are unaware of just how much they do not know.

It is completely beyond me that anyone would presume to teach something like this without having work experience. It is USUALLY the case in professions like this that people who teach have HAD work experience.

That's why the AAPC requires 2 years of work experience before you can even get the full CPC credential! They have always recognized that there is such a huge gulf between new graduates and experienced coders.

So here you have people who have never worked a day in the subject and who are uncertified -- and will NEVER get the CPC unless they DO get a job WORKING -- who are going to tell you what you need to know?

The blog post about taking the credentialing exam kind of says it all. The part about not wanting to take the CCS exam because she might have to wait for results. This is just another excuse coders use for avoiding the exam. Oh, and another was the expense! (Well, yeah, there's an expense. That's how it is, so budget for it!) Next month, it'll be something else.

I'm waiting for January to hear that she is ineligible for it because she thought she didn't need med terms and A&P.

Nobody does you a favor by suggesting that you can get by with less. Not in this field.

It does sound like more fun to teach than put on your shoes and socks and go to work every day - as a coder

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You can't blame them for trying. Doesn't it sound more inviting somehow to elevate yourself as an authority than to put on your shoes and socks and go to work as a coder?

As a coder, I'm insulted, even outraged, that these people somehow view themselves as better than the rest of us. Teaching coding is okay, but actually doing it is beneath them. It sounds to me more like laziness than anything else. Why bother to put the effort in and do the work if you can get someone to pay you for talking about it instead.

They are not better than we are - Do not let them fool you

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People like that only have power as long as they can keep others convinced that they are better than the rest of us. Where I'm from we used to call them blow-hards. They get deflated very quickly when people stand up to them. In the meantime they just keep telling us how they know so much more than the rest of us, and they don't. They are just willing to take advantage of us if we are willing to buy their bull.

Educators should be - educated

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in the subject they are teaching.

It says she was a - Part-time

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instructor for MT at Andrews. She went to take the coding course at Andrews and she was able to skip everything and go right to the coding part of the program because there was no need for her to take anatomy and physiology and medical terminology. I didn't know you could do that! Or, maybe only she could do that. Seems to me they are trying to get it going fast as they can so they can start to make money. I wonder...maybe they plan to do a separate program for A&P. They certainly would have a front row seat view of the long exodus line of MTs lining up at the coding side and thought they better get a move on. $$$$!!

she was intructor for MT part time...nm - anon

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nm

Look for a book soon! - nm

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nm

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