Career Information
The following CCS, CCA & CCS-P information was taken
from the AHIMA web page 01/10/03:
Certified Coding Specialist (CCS)
Certified Coding Specialists are professionals skilled in
classifying medical data from patient records, generally
in the hospital setting. These coding practitioners review
patients' records and assign numeric codes for each diagnosis
and procedure. To perform this task, they must possess expertise
in the ICD-9-CM coding system and the surgery section within
the CPT coding system. In addition, the CCS is knowledgeable
of medical terminology, disease processes, and pharmacology.
Hospitals or medical providers report coded data to insurance
companies or the government, in the case of Medicare and
Medicaid recipients, for reimbursement of their expenses.
Researchers and public health officials also use coded medical
data to monitor patterns and explore new interventions.
Coding accuracy is thus highly important to healthcare organizations
because of its impact on revenues and describing health
outcomes. Accordingly, the CCS credential demonstrates tested
data quality and integrity skills in a coding practitioner.
The CCS certification exam assesses mastery or proficiency
in coding rather than entry-level skills.
If you have experience in coding inpatient records or coding
the hospital portion of ambulatory surgery and emergency
room care, you should consider obtaining this certification.
In fact, certification is becoming an implicit industry
standard.
How to Become a CCS
To be eligible to take the CCS examination, you must
• Possess a high school diploma.
• AHIMA also strongly recommends at least three years
of on-the-job coding experience and coding education from
seminars or colleges.
Certified Coding Associate (CCA)
The CCA should be viewed as the starting point for an individual
entering a new career as a coder. The CCS and/or CCS-P exams
demonstrate the mastery level skills that the CCA would
strive for to advance his or her career. New coders who
earn the CCA will immediately demonstrate their competency
in the field, even if they don't have much job experience.
Earning a CCA demonstrates a commitment to coding even for
those who are new in the field. CCA holders will also distinguish
themselves from non-credentialed coders and those who hold
credentials from other organizations that do not require
the higher level of expertise necessary to earn AHIMA certification.
How to Become a CCA
In order to become eligible to take the CCA exam, candidates
must have earned a United States high school diploma or
the equivalent. Although not required, it is strongly recommended
that candidates have at least six months experience in a
healthcare organization applying ICD-9-CM and CPT coding
conventions and guidelines, or have completed either an
AHIMA-approved coding certificate program, or other formal
coding training program. The CCA exam is not linked to any
formal education or training in coding.
Certified Coding Specialist—Physician-based
(CCS-P)
The CCS-P is a coding practitioner with expertise in physician-based
settings such as physician offices, group practices, multi-specialty
clinics, or specialty centers. This coding practitioner
reviews patients' records and assigns numeric codes for
each diagnosis and procedure. To perform this task, the
individual must possess in-depth knowledge of the CPT coding
system and familiarity with the ICD-9-CM and HCPCS Level
II coding systems. The CCS-P is also expert in health information
documentation, data integrity, and quality. Because patients'
coded data is submitted to insurance companies or the government
for expense reimbursement, the CCS-P plays a critical role
in the health provider's business operation. What's more,
the employment outlook for this coding specialty looks highly
favorable with the growth of managed care and the movement
of health services delivery beyond the hospital.
The CCS-P certification exam assesses mastery or proficiency
in coding rather than entry-level skills. If you perform
coding in a doctor's office, clinic, or similar setting,
you should consider obtaining the CCS-P certification to
attest your ability. AHIMA's Society for Clinical Coding
(SCC) and the Ambulatory Care Section (ACS) support the
CCS-P credential, which is specifically designed to test
the skills of coders serving private and group practices
and other physician-based settings.
How to Become a CCS-P
To be eligible to take the CCS-P examination, you must
• Possess a high school diploma.
• AHIMA also strongly recommends at least three years
of on-the-job coding experience and coding education from
seminars or colleges.
The following information is for the RHIA and RHIT registrations:
Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA) (formerly
Registered Record Administrator (RRA))
This credential requires a bachelor's degree and successful
performance on the RHIA certification exam. RHIAs are skilled
in the collection, interpretation, and analysis of patient
data. Additionally, they receive the training necessary
to assume managerial positions related to these functions.
RHIAs interact with all levels of an organization--clinical,
financial, administrative—that employ patient data
in decision-making and every day operations.
Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) (formerly
Accredited Record Technician (ART)
This credential requires an associate's degree and successful
performance on the RHIT certification exam. RHITs are health
information technicians who ensure the quality of medical
records by verifying their completeness, accuracy, and proper
entry into computer systems. They may also use computer
applications to assemble and analyze patient data for the
purpose of improving patient care or controlling costs.
RHITs often specialize in coding diagnoses and procedures
in patient records for reimbursement and research.
For more information, Contact the American Health Information
Management Association at http://www.ahima.org/
or write or call:
AHIMA
Attn: Recruitment Program
233 N. Michigan Ave. Suite 2150
Chicago, IL 60601-5519 (312) 787-2672