Recommendations for Coding Programs from the ACCP Committee

Recommendations for Coding Programs from the ACCP Committee Contributors: Lou Ann Schraffenberger, MBA, RHIA, CCS, CCS-P Diane Gish, CMT, FAAMT Lynette Williamson, MBA, RHIA, CCS, CPC Donna Didier , Med, RHIA, CCS Donna Dantzler, RHIA, CCS, CCS-P Korene Silvestri Atkins, MA,RHIA, CCS & Patt Peterson, MA, RHIA

History of Growth of Approved Coding Programs • In 2003 a total of 15 coding programs were approved by AHIMA. In 2004, an additional six programs were added bringing the total to 21. In September of 2005, a new committee was formed (ACCP) to serve as the peer review process to review self study submissions from coding programs (CEPA Manual). • Under the direction of the committee, the review process became much more strenuous with each site receiving a comprehensive review of standards with special emphasis on evidence of a well rounded curriculum. By the end of 2005, six new programs were added bring the total to 27 approved programs. • In 2006, four new programs were approved (and an equal number of programs were denied). Due to the nature of the approval process, the process can take 6 – 12 months to complete so there are sites that began the review process in 2006, but will finalize in 2007. To date, there are 34 approved coding programs in the U.S.

Annual Growth of Approved Coding Programs Years 2003-2007 34 30 27 21 15 2003 0 10 20 30 40

AHIMA Approved Coding Programs Partner For Success .

Advantages to being Approved • Free Faculty Consults • Student Member Discounts • Approved programs listed at www.ahima.org and www.healthinformationcareers.com • Faculty Development through attendance at Assembly on Education • Sharing of teaching resources • Bi-annual coding exam results reporting

Best Practice in Approved Coding Programs: Rapid Response • Faculty and advisors respond quickly to student requests (24 hour turnaround). • Helpful program website to answer the most common questions. • Financial advisor available to speak directly with the class and address questions on financing their education.

Best Practice in Approved Coding Programs: High Engagement • Engaging students using AHIMA resources: • Student CoP, Student Newsletter, BOK • Coding mentors • Utilize downloads to Mp3 players for courses with high memorization demands like Medical Terminology • Offer supplemental videos to review difficult topics (once is not enough…)

Best Practice in Approved Coding Programs: High Engagement • Creative engagement – have students watch popular medical programs (House or ER) and code the diagnoses and procedures discussed on the episode, then discuss the realism and the correctness of the medical term in the situations portrayed.

Best Practice in Approved Coding Programs: Depth of Content • Provide more than one ICD and one CPT course – perhaps one each basic, and one each advanced – this allows a better pacing of units. • Use skill labs that match current practice: paper records, scanned records, electronic records • Code from actual records in addition to coding from workbooks – and do productivity tracking so student knows their accuracy/speed stats.

Best Practice in Approved Coding Programs: Depth of Content • Do more than introduce a topic – develop it with discussions and assignments (like ICD-10) • Use lectures and lesson plans from AOE Summer Symposium and blend into course curriculum to keep material fresh and updated easily • Evaluate combo courses (like Patho/Pharm) is there enough time in the course to address each in sufficient depth to meet employer expectations?

Best Practice in Approved Coding Programs: Technology • Use technology throughout curriculum, not just for a couple of classes: • Exposure to multiple encoders • Incorporate online coding references early in curriculum – ADAM for A&P, Medix for Pharm, Coding Clinic for Patho, etc • Approved coding programs can subscribe to AHIMA V-Lab beginning August 1, 2007 • Require student to be competent in Word, Excel, web searches, and file downloads – especially critical in online programs. • Provide a lesson on professional correspondence (including emails) and what is expected in the workplace setting

Best Practice in Approved Coding Programs: Practicums • Provide clinical practicums that focus on building coding skills: • Field based • Hybrid (some field, some coding lab) • Online (virtual setting only) • Work on building strong clinical affiliations – use Advisory Committee connections first • Include physician practice/sites in PPEs

Best Practice in Approved Coding Programs: CQI • Excellent programs spend time on external assessments (grad and employer surveys) listening to suggested improvements and incorporating them into the program • Advisory Committee is made aware of internal and external assessment results (findings) to encourage long term support of the program

Best Practice in Approved Coding Programs: Student Assessments • Exams provide a variety of testing techniques (multiple choice, essay, matching, fill in the blank) • Exams and quizzes test at all cognitive levels (1-2 recall) (3-4 assimilate, determine, judge)

Best Practice in Approved Coding Programs: Student Assessments • Faculty consider results (% correct) for each test item to consider when to update/improve the questions • Program assesses results from the Prometrix CCA results and correct courses that show a drop off the average (September – 1st set of results out)

Best Practice in Approved Coding Programs: Faculty Development • Use of adjunct faculty is high in coding programs (more than 50%) • Adjuncts are given opportunities to develop their classroom skills (how to teach) • California community college model (1 credit hour)

Best Practice in Approved Coding Programs: Faculty Development • Full time faculty are funded to attend either state or national educator training • Faculty frequent the AOE CoP to share ideas with other educators and to look for resources • 2007/2008 AHIMA Project: CourseShare

Best Practice • What are some of the best practice practices that you have experienced?

Recommendations for Coding Programs from the ACCP Committee