Medical Coding Certificate

School: Health Careers, Technology and Applied Learning
Academic Dept: Allied Health Careers
HEGIS: 5213.00

Important Note about Program Requirements

The requirements listed below are for students entering into this program from Fall 2024 to Summer 2025. Students who entered the program during a prior semester will find their specific requirements listed in the Catalog under which they entered. Archived Catalogs are accessible through the dropdown menu above.

Accreditation

American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA), Professional Certificate Approval Program (PCAP)
233 N. Michigan Ave., 21st Floor
Chicago, IL 60601-5809
(312)-233-1149
https://www.ahima.org/business-solutions/overview/higher-education/pcap/

Program Description

This certificate program is intended for those who wish to gain employment in medical coding and health information management. Students will develop a thorough knowledge of medical terminology, health records management, insurance procedures, billing software and medical coding. In addition, students develop skills in business communications and office administration that are vital for success in this growing field. Graduates are eligible to take national certification examinations offered by the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) and the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC) – including the Certified Coding Associate (CCA) exam and the Certified Professional Coder (CPC) exam. It is strongly recommended students work for a minimum of one year, full-time, in a coding position before taking the Certified Coding Specialist (CCS) exam. Once certified, graduates can pursue occupational opportunities in either the public or private sector including positions in hospitals, other healthcare facilities, medical billing companies, health insurance companies, clinics and physicians’ offices, state and federal agencies, legal firms, software companies, and consulting firms.

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this program, a student will demonstrate an understanding of:

Coding and coding classification systems
Secondary data sources
The health law and legal policies
Health record content and documentation
Revenue cycle, reimbursement and management
Compliance, regulatory bodies and fraud surveillance
Clinical documentation improvement process

Program Requirements

Required Courses - 35 credits

Program Map

The program map is a recommended semester-by-semester schedule of courses based on degree requirements and serve as a general guideline to help students complete their program in two years. Although designed for full-time enrollment, these are easily adaptable for part-time study. For additional, individualized guidance, students should review Degree Works and consult an Academic Counselor or Faculty Advisor to ensure they are on track to complete their program.

Semester 1 (Summer 1)

Course	Credits
ENG 101 - Writing and Research	3
HCTAL 101 - Medical Terminology	3
HIT 110 - Health Sciences 1	3
Semester Total Credits	9

Semester 2 (Fall)

Course	Credits
BTECH 230 - Integrated Office Applications	3
HIT 130 - Health Sciences 2	3
HIT 120 - Introduction to Health Information Management	3
HIT 210 - Intro to ICD-10	3
Semester Total Credits	12

Semester 3 (Spring)

Course	Credits
HIT 230 - Advanced ICD - 10	3
HIT 140 - Health Care Reimbursement	3
HIT 150 - Advanced Health Information	3
HIT 220 - CPT-4/HCPCS	3
Semester Total Credits	12

Semester 4 (Summer 2)

Course	Credits
HIT 250 - Professional Practice Experience 1: Coding	2
Semester Total Credits	2

Minimum Total Credits: 35

Gainful Employment Disclosure

For information about graduation rates, the median debt of students who have completed this program, and other important information please visit Medical Coding Certificate - GE Disclosure. For an overview of all gainful employment disclosures at Westchester Community College, visit www.sunywcc.edu/gainfulemployment.

Career Opportunities

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