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

Is Andrews approved by AHIMA? - sm

Posted: 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.

Certification seems to be more important than anything - From What I Hear

[ In Reply To ..]
You might call and ask, but from what I'm hearing in the industry, certification is more important than anything else. Schools that prepare students to pass the CCS exam are way ahead of the pack.

Jobs requiring AHIMA - SM

[ In Reply To ..]
Not all jobs require an AHIMA-approved program. I've seen very few outside of some contract coding companies, who aren't going to hire you anyway without experience, no matter what.

You might be looking in the wrong place. It sounds as though you are missing the vast number of jobs available in outpatient settings. Those jobs typically focus on AAPC credentials, not AHIMA.

It's so difficult to find CCS coders that few employers will not accept it, no matter how you achieved it. If one employer doesn't want you, another will. That's an inpatient credential of value in hospitals, which don't have that many jobs and a lot of them pay less than other settings.

There are cost comparisons below. It's not always easy to find the true costs of college or online programs. Once you add books and fees, the seemingly low tuition can balloon by thousands, making some other schools look inexpensive in comparison.

I heard of one that costs $36,000. - No comment

[ In Reply To ..]
nm

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