MEDICAL CODING SPECIALIST PROGRAM PROGRAM HANDBOOK

Transcription

1 MEDICAL CODING SPECIALIST PROGRAM PROGRAM HANDBOOK

2 FORWARD The Medical Coding Specialist Program Handbook provides students with a description of the program its framework, program goal and description, program outcomes, and policies. The policies provided in this handbook are in effect throughout the program and supplement the policies and procedures published on the Madison College website. Please retain this handbook for reference until completion of the Medical Coding Specialist Program. Developed: May 2011 Latest Revision: October 2012 Medical Coding Specialist Program Handbook 1

3 PROGRAM GOAL AND DESCRIPTION The Medical Coding Specialist Program (MCSP) prepares individuals for employment as entry-level coding specialists in health care facilities such as hospitals, clinics, physician practice groups, surgery centers, long-term care facilities, and home health care agencies. Coding specialists are also employed in consulting firms, coding and billing services, insurance companies, governmental agencies, and computer software companies. The medical coding specialist reviews medical documentation provided by the physicians and other health care providers and translates this into numeric codes. The coding specialist assigns and sequences diagnostic and procedural codes using universally recognized coding systems. Several uses of coded data are for payment of health care claims, statistics, and medical research. PROGRAM OUTCOMES Upon completion of the program, the student will have the knowledge, skills, and professional behavior to enter the medical coding profession. The specific program outcomes are: 1. Collect health data. 2. Apply coding and reimbursement systems. 3. Model professional behaviors and ethics. 4. Use electronic applications to support coding and data collection. MEDICAL CODING SPECIALIST PROGRAM FACULTY AND STAFF School of Health Education Room Mark Lausch, Dean, School of Health Education Room Rhonda Voelz, Program Director & Instructor Room 300 G rvoelz@madisoncollege.edu Loretta Brunell, Clinical Coordinator & Instructor Room 362 A lbrunell@madisoncollege.edu Kay Wagner, Learning Program Advisor, Student Development Center Room kwagner@madisoncollege.edu Medical Coding Specialist Program Handbook 2

4 PROGRAM INFORMATION AND POLICIES The following program information and policies are arranged by subject in alphabetical order. The appendices are at the back of the Handbook. ACADEMIC ADVISING Academic advising is available to all students from the Learning Program Advisor and Learner Success Advisor in the Student Development Center and the Medical Coding Specialist Program instructors. Academic advising will promote success in the program by making sure students are placed in the correct courses for graduation. The Academic Advising Report (Degree Progress Report) is available online in the student s MyMadisonCollege Student Center account. Advising will also help students schedule course loads that are appropriate for their lifestyle; in other words, advisors will help students look at their school, work, and family responsibilities and the time needed for each. Contact the Student Development Center for the Learning Program Advisor or the Learner Success Advisor. The Medical Coding Specialist Program instructors can also be contacted for academic advising. ADMISSION & PROGRAM ACCEPTANCE PROCESS Note: For more information, please see the MCSP webpage on the Madison College website for details about the admission process. Admission requirements include high school graduation or G.E.D., H.S.E.D., or higher documented degree and COMPASS or equivalent listed assessment testing. The COMPASS test will identify weaknesses, if any, in areas such as reading, writing, and math. This will allow the student to take action to improve basic skills necessary to be successful in the courses in the MCSP. If students do not meet the stated admission requirements they may be denied access to the program. The student should complete the online application form on the Madison College website at and submit the application fee. The program code for the Medical Coding Specialist Program is Official high school transcripts or higher documented degree transcripts should be sent directly to Enrollment Center at Madison College. After the application, official transcripts, and testing has been reviewed and determined to meet all the stated admission requirements, the student will be asked to pay a $50 deposit. After payment is received, the student is placed on the MCSP wait list. The student will be required to complete an online program orientation and pre-program courses. The student will be notified of his/her date to register for classes through his/her MyMadisonCollege account on the Madison College website. Medical Coding Specialist Program Handbook 3

5 After the student has completed the online orientation and the pre-program courses, he/she is ready to begin the core program courses. Students will be accepted into the MCSP core program courses based on their wait list number. Students will be notified of their acceptance into the core program courses by via their Madison College account. Once accepted into the MCSP, the student must register for the Cluster 1 core program courses. Students should check their student account for their registration appointment date & time. Please note that students will not be accepted to start core program courses every semester; new students are not accepted every third semester. Please see the program schedules and start dates on the MCSP webpage. If a student is accepted into the MCSP to begin the core program courses and chooses not to begin taking courses during the assigned semester, he/she will forfeit his/her place in the MCSP. The student must reapply to the MCSP and be placed on the wait list again. ADVANCED STANDING CREDIT TRANSFER Classes taken in another program at Madison College or at another college or university may fulfill some of the requirements for the Medical Coding Specialist Program. To have these courses considered for advance standing, you must have official transcripts sent to the Madison College Enrollment Center (Admissions Office) and must complete the Transfer Evaluation form; this form can be found on the Madison College website. The Learning Program Advisor and/or the Program Director will review the transcripts and grant credit if appropriate; transcript must document a grade of C or better. Credit will only be granted for courses if they are less than five years old at the time your application is processed. Credit for the coding courses (ICD Diagnosis Coding, ICD Procedure Coding, CPT Coding, Advanced ICD Coding and Advanced CPT Coding) cannot be transferred from another program, college or university. The coding courses must be taken at Madison College in order to graduate from the Medical Coding Specialist Program. As documented in the admissions policies and procedures on the Madison College website, the total for all forms of advanced standing cannot exceed 75 percent of the credits required for graduation. ADVANCED STANDING CHALLENGE EXAMS (TEST-OUT) Students may obtain credit for a specific course by successfully completing the challenge exam. The challenge exam must be taken prior to the beginning of the course and cannot be taken if the student has withdrawn from or failed the course previously. Challenge exams are available for Windows, Word-Beginning, and Excel-Beginning. There is a small supply cost for these exams. For more information, please see the Medical Coding Specialist Program Handbook 4

6 Business Technology webpage on Madison College s website at: Challenge exams are available for Body Structure & Function and Medical Terminology. There is a small non-refundable fee for each exam. Please contact Judith Karls at Karls@madisoncollege.edu or by phone at for more information. Please contact the Medical Coding Specialist Program Director to make arrangements for taking a challenge exam for any of the remaining courses in the MCSP. There is a small non-refundable fee for each exam. Student may obtain credit for Certification and Professional Development ( ) by showing proof of current coding certification from either the American Health Information Management Association (CCA, CCS, CCS-P) or the American Academy of Professional Coders (CPC, CPC-H). As documented in the admissions policies and procedures on the Madison College website, the total for all forms of advanced standing cannot exceed 75 percent of the credits required for graduation. ATTENDANCE Class attendance and participation is critical to success in the Medical Coding Specialist Program. Attendance in the face-to-face courses will be taken during each class session; if the student is not present at the time attendance is taken, he/she will be considered absent. Each instructor will explain his/her course attendance policy in the course syllabus (make-up exams and quizzes; deductions for late assignments, etc.) Although attendance isn t taken for online courses, students are expected to fully participate and meet the deadlines as posted by the instructor. Please refer to the Clinical Laboratory Experience Manual for specific attendance information during the 18-hour clinical laboratory experience which is part of the CPT Coding course. CAREGIVER AND CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECK Students in the Medical Coding Specialist Program are not required to undergo a Caregiver Background Check (CBC) as part of the admission process. The Wisconsin Caregiver Background Check Law does not require MCSP students to have a background check because students do not have regular, direct contact with clients (patients) during the18-hour clinical laboratory experience. Although not required as part of the admission process, some clinical sites do require a Caregiver Background Check on the student(s) who will be at their site. Students assigned to these specific sites will be notified of the need for a CBC during the CPT Coding course. Keep in mind that most employers require a caregiver/criminal background check as part of the employment process. Medical Coding Specialist Program Handbook 5

7 CERTIFICATION There are five certification exams that can be taken to earn national coding credentials. The Certified Coding Associate (CCA) exam demonstrates entry-level skills. The other certification exams demonstrate mastery level (experienced) skills. Some employers require certification. Certification may result in a salary increase and/or promotion. American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC) Certified Professional Coder (CPC) Certified Professional Coder Hospital-Based (CCS-H) American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) Certified Coding Associate (CCA) Certified Coding Specialist (CCS) Certified Coding Specialist Physician-Based (CCS-P) CLINICAL LABORATORY EXPERIENCE The clinical laboratory experience is an 18-hour, unpaid affiliation that takes place during the CPT Coding course ( ). It s designed to provide the student with a real world view of how coding is performed and used in the clinical site to which the student is assigned. The clinical site may be, but is not limited to, a hospital, clinic, surgery center, physician practice, long-term care facility, insurance company, governmental agency, coding consulting firm, or veterinary hospital. The clinical laboratory experience should further broaden and strengthen the student s coding skill. Medical Coding Specialist students are eligible for clinical affiliation based on the following criteria: A grade of C (76%) or better in the pre-program courses and cluster 1 core program courses or accepted equivalents: Pre-Program Body Structure & Function Medical Terminology Windows Word Beginning Excel Beginning Cluster 1 Core Program Intro to the Health Record Human Diseases for Health Professions ICD Diagnosis Coding ICD Procedure Coding A grade of C (76%) or better in CPT Coding at the time the clinical laboratory experience begins. Medical Coding Specialist Program Handbook 6

8 A current, complete Health History Form is on file in the School of Health Education Office by the 8th week of the semester (during the CPT Coding course). Purchase of a name badge to identify the student as a Madison College Medical Coding Specialist student. Please refer to the Clinical Laboratory Experience Manual for more information including placement and site arrangements, clinical site s responsibilities, student s responsibilities, Madison College instructor s responsibilities, evaluation forms, and clinical laboratory experience assignment instructions. COMMUNICATION The official means of communication with the students is via Madison College . Students can access their through their MyMadisonCollege student portal account. Students should check their Madison College account on a regular basis. COMPUTER APPLICATIONS Several computer software applications are used in the Medical Coding Specialist Program that are PC based applications; they will not run on MACs. This is especially important information for students who are taking online courses as access to a PC is required for participation and completion of assignments. Internet access is also required for use of the software and for completion of online courses. CONFIDENTIALITY AND PRIVACY OF HEALTH INFORMATION The Medical Coding Specialist Program at Madison College uses de-identified electronic health records. Although the records have been de-identified, the students and faculty have the legal and ethical responsibility to safeguard the privacy of all patients and protect the confidentiality of their health information. Students must only access the patient confidential information for which they have a need to know in the context of their role as a student. Students will be asked to sign a confidentiality agreement in order to use the academic electronic health record system. Students must also safeguard the privacy of all patients and protect the confidentiality of patient health information during the clinical laboratory experience. Clinical sites may require the student to sign a privacy and confidentiality agreement. Violation of patient privacy and confidentiality may result in corrective action up to and including withdrawal from the Medical Coding Specialist Program. Medical Coding Specialist Program Handbook 7

9 COURSE PREREQUISITES OR CO-REQUISITES Knowledge gained in certain courses in the program is a prerequisite or co-requisite for subsequent courses. Prerequisite refers to a course(s) that must have been successfully completed prior to the current course. Co-requisite means that a course(s) can be taken concurrently with the current course. Prerequisites must have been taken within the past five years. Please see Appendix A for a listing of the courses and prerequisite/co-requisites. CURRICULUM Please see Appendix B for the Medical Coding Specialist Program curriculum. DISABILITY RESOURCE SERVICES (DRS) Disability Resource Services (DRS) creates conditions that empower and support students with disabilities to reach their chosen goals for learning. DRS work in partnership with faculty, staff and wider communities on behalf of students with disabilities. If you have a disability which may interfere with your ability to complete the requirements of this program or participate in the activities of this program, please contact a counselor in Disability Resource Services. The phone number is and is drs@madisoncollege.edu. Reasonable requests for appropriate academic adjustments will be considered. All requests will be held in confidence. ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS Please see Appendix C for the Essential Functions of the Medical Coding Specialist. FAILURE OF OR WITHDRAWL FROM A COURSE Students must receive a C (76%) or better in all courses in the Medical Coding Specialist Program (MCSP). If a student receives less than a C, he/she must repeat the course. Students are allowed to repeat core program courses one time only. Effort will be made to place the student in the course to retake it the following semester. If space is not available or the needed course is not offered the following semester, the student will need to reapply to the MCSP and be placed on the wait list again. If a student formally withdraws from a core program course, he/she will be allowed to register for the course only one more time. Effort will be made to place the student in the course to take it again the following semester. If space is not available or the needed course is not offered the following semester, the student will need to reapply to the MCSP and be placed on the wait list again. Medical Coding Specialist Program Handbook 8

10 If a student has failed/withdrawn from a core program course twice and would like to register for the course for the third time, he/she needs to complete the following steps to help ensure success the third time the course is taken: Discuss your intent to take a course(s) for a third time with the MCSP Director. This discussion result in referral to a counselor for help with personal issues, study skills, time management, stress management, etc. Reapply to the Medical Coding Specialist Program; the student will be placed on the program wait list if one exists. Retake the COMPASS test. If scores are below the minimum required for the MCSP, remedial course(s) must be taken. GRADING POLICY Students must receive a C (76%) or better in all the courses in the Medical Coding Specialist Program. The following grading scale is used: Grade Percentage A % AB 91-95% B 86-90% BC 81-85% C 76-80% D 70-75% F 69% and below HEALTH HISTORY Students must have a completed Health History Form on file in the School of Health Education office in order to complete the Clinical Laboratory Experience. Forms are available on the Madison College website at The completed forms are due by the 8 th week of the CPT Coding course (Cluster 2). Arrangements to participate in the Clinical Laboratory Experience will not be made if a completed form is not received by this time. (Clinical Laboratory Experience is a part of the CPT Coding course.) Please start this process early! Obtaining an appointment for a physical exam, waiting for laboratory results, and waiting between immunizations all take time. Please pay special attention to the following items on the form: Student is required to have written evidence of two MMR (mumps, measles, rubella) immunizations or written documentation of titers drawn that show immunity to Medical Coding Specialist Program Handbook 9

11 mumps, measles, and rubella (lab test results). Make sure laboratory results show immunity to all three diseases. If immunization is necessary, two immunization shots are necessary and you must wait at least one month between shots. Student is required to have written evidence of two varicella immunizations or written documentation of titer drawn to show immunity to varicella (lab test result). If immunization is necessary, two immunization shots are required. Student is required to have a two-step TB skin test within 12 months prior to Clinical Laboratory Experience. The two-step test involves being re-tested one week after the initial TB test. If the TB skin test is positive, chest x-ray is required. If chest x- ray is positive, proof of treatment is required. Student is required to have a tetanus/diphtheria immunization within the last 10 years. Student is not required to be immunized for hepatitis B. Signatures both the student and the person performing the physical exam (physician, nurse practitioner, physician s assistant) must sign the form. MADISON COLLEGE WEBSITE The Madison College website ( provides a wealth of information at your fingertips! The Madison College website includes information regarding counseling and disability resource services; financial aid; registration and records (withdrawals, refunds, grading, etc.) and general school information. Special attention should be given to the information about student rights and responsibilities (code of conduct, grade disputes, appeals process, etc.) The website also contains information about each program of study and the course descriptions. Students must activate their MyMadisonCollege student center account. (Click on MyMadisonCollege on the Madison College homepage.) From MyMadisonCollege, students can do such things as access grades and transcripts, register for and withdraw from classes, check their class schedule, make account payments, change their address and phone information, access Blackboard for online courses, and check their Madison College . The date when students may begin registering for classes for the next session/semester is posted in each student s MyMadisonCollege account. ONLINE LEARNING Most core program courses in the Medical Coding Specialist Program are available in both the traditional face-to-face and online delivery formats. Students will select the course section for the delivery format they prefer when registering for the course. The following courses are offered in the online delivery format only; some of these courses have optional weekly face/face sessions: Advanced ICD Coding, Advanced CPT Medical Coding Specialist Program Handbook 10

12 Coding, Certification & Professional Development, and Management of Coding Services. Please take a look at Appendix D to find out more about your readiness for online learning. SCHEDULES Please see Appendix E for the upcoming semester schedules for the core program courses. Students are required to take the core program courses cluster by cluster (Cluster 1 before Cluster 2 and 3; Cluster 2 before Cluster 3). The courses for each cluster must be taken together in the same semester. SYLLABUS A course syllabus is prepared for each course in the program. The following information is commonly found in the course syllabus: course number, title and description, credits, course competencies, required textbooks, instructor information, and a course timeline. The syllabus also includes course policies related to academic accommodations, attendance, and grading. It is the student s responsibility to read and understand the course syllabus for each course. TIME COMMITMENT Success in the Medical Coding Specialist Program (MCSP) requires a major time commitment. A general rule of thumb is that students should expect to devote a minimum of 3 hours per week for each course credit. For example, a 3-credit course requires a minimum of 9 hours of time per week. This varies a little because some courses have laboratory components that require extra time. Of course, there are many variables that affect the time commitment needed for success in each course. Some of these include the student s prior educational and work experience, study habits, learning style, ability to process and retain information and ability to study in a quiet, uninterrupted manner. Please refer to Appendix F for the time commitment required for the courses/clusters in the MCSP. WITHDRAWAL FROM A COURSE It is strongly recommended that the student who desires to withdraw from a course discuss the withdrawal with his/her instructor prior to doing so. It is the responsibility of the student to officially withdraw; a student may withdraw online through his/her MyMadisonCollege account, by calling the Enrollment Center at , or by contacting the School of Health Education at Medical Coding Specialist Program Handbook 11

13 If a student formally withdraws from a core program course, he/she will be allowed to register for the course only one more time. Effort will be made to place the student in the course to retake it in the following semester. If space is not available or the needed course is not offered the following semester, the student will need to reapply to the MCSP and be placed on the wait list again. If a student has failed/withdrawn from a core program course twice and would like to register for the course for the third time, he/she needs to complete the following steps to help ensure success the third time the course is taken: Discuss your intent to take a course(s) for a third time with the MCSP Director. This discussion result in referral to a counselor for help with personal issues, study skills, time management, stress management, etc. Reapply to the Medical Coding Specialist Program; the student will be placed on the program wait list if one exists. Retake the COMPASS test. If scores are below the minimum required for the MCSP, remedial course(s) must be taken. Medical Coding Specialist Program Handbook 12

14 APPENDIX A COURSE PREREQUISITES OR CO-REQUISITES Knowledge gained in certain courses in the program is a prerequisite or co-requisite for subsequent courses. Prerequisite refers to a course(s) that must have been successfully completed prior to the current course. Co-requisite means that a course(s) can be taken concurrently with the current course. Red Pre-Program Green Cluster 1 Core Program Blue Cluster 2 Core Program Orange Cluster 3 Core Program Course Prerequisite Co-requisite Windows 7 (Or Windows Vista or Windows None None XP) Word-Beginning Competency in None Windows Excel - Beginning Competency in None Windows Body Structure & Function None None Medical Terminology None None Introduction to the Health Record Pre-Program Human Diseases for the Health Professions Pre-Program ICD Diagnosis Coding Pre-Program ICD Procedure Coding Pre-Program CPT Coding Cluster Health Care Reimbursement Cluster Advanced ICD Coding Cluster Health Data Management Cluster Advanced CPT Coding Cluster Certification & Professional Development Cluster Management of Coding Services Cluster 2 Other Cluster 1 Other Cluster 1 Other Cluster 1 Other Cluster 1 Other Cluster 2 Other Cluster 2 Other Cluster 2 Other Cluster 3 Other Cluster 3 Other Cluster 3 Other Cluster 3 Medical Coding Specialist Program Handbook 13

15 APPENDIX B - MEDICAL CODING SPECIALIST PROGRAM CURRICULUM ( ) The Medical Coding Specialist Program is offered on a part-time basis only. Pre-program courses must be successfully completed before the student will be accepted off the MCSP wait list to begin the core program courses. Core program courses must be taken in clusters as listed below. Most of the core program courses are offered in either the face/face format (on-campus) or the online format. Students should select the course section for the delivery format they prefer when registering for the course. Pre-Program Students are required to take these courses before they will be accepted in the MCSP to begin the core program courses. Credits Lec-Lab Body Structure and Function OR General Anatomy & Physiology** (4) (3-2) Medical Terminology Windows 7 OR Windows Vista OR (1) ( ) Windows XP (1) ( ) Word-Beginning Excel-Beginning **General Anatomy and Physiology is recommended for those who plan to pursue an associate degree and/or a bachelor s degree. Core Program Students are required to take these courses cluster by cluster (Cluster 1 before Cluster 2 and 3; Cluster 2 before Cluster 3). The courses for each cluster must be taken together in the same semester. Cluster 1: Introduction to the Health Record Human Diseases for the Health Professions ICD Diagnosis Coding ICD Procedure Coding Cluster 2: CPT Coding Health Care Reimbursement Advanced ICD Coding Cluster 3: Health Data Management Advanced CPT Coding Certification and Professional Development Management of Coding Services Total Credits 33 Medical Coding Specialist Program Handbook 14

16 APPENDIX C - ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS OF THE MEDICAL CODING SPECIALIST During the course of the Medical Coding Specialist Program, students must demonstrate, with or without reasonable accommodations to policies and practices, the ability to perform the functions listed below safely, reliably, and efficiently. ISSUE STANDARD EXAMPLES Critical Thinking Critical thinking ability sufficient for Identify cause-effect relationship in clinical setting. clinical judgment and professional Correlate theory to practice. behavior. Abstract information from patient records for coding, research studies, and quality improvement projects. Apply coding guidelines and conventions including proper sequencing of codes. Correlate and review DRG, APC & RBRVS payment methodology to coded data. Seeing Emotional Endurance Interpersonal Skills Communication Visual ability sufficient to read written documentation. Ability to work in a high stress and rapidly changing environment with multiple deadlines while maintaining emotional control and flexibility. Interpersonal abilities sufficient to interact with peers, coworkers, physicians, third party payers, and other groups from a variety of social, emotional, cultural, and intellectual backgrounds. Communication abilities sufficient for interaction with others in verbal and written form. Review and correct denied claims. Adequately read electronic health records and other information on the computer. Adequately read paper based records. Read publications such as federal/state regulations, Medicare policies, and professional journals. Calmly react to urgent situations. Focus attention on task at hand. Adapt to changing environment. Accept feedback appropriately. Accept responsibility of own actions. Establish good rapport with classmates, instructors, and healthcare professionals. Be sensitive to needs of others. Work together to reach a common goal (team player). Read, write, speak, and comprehend English. Follow written and oral directions. Listen for content, emotional meaning and direction. Communicate a thought, idea, or fact in spoken or written form in a clear, concise manner. Compose written physician queries regarding coding issues. Ethics Ability to act in a professional manner. Maintain patient confidentiality. Maintain security of health information. Demonstrate academic integrity. Motor Skills Manual dexterity necessary to perform duties. Keyboarding. Locate information in medical record documentation (paper and electronic formats). Assign patient classification systems such as ICD, HCPCS, and CPT using code books or computer applications. Assign DRGs, APCs and RBRVS payment methodology to codes using computer applications. Medical Coding Specialist Program Handbook 15

17 ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS OF THE MEDICAL CODING SPECIALIST (Continued) ISSUE STANDARD EXAMPLES Hearing Auditory ability sufficient to respond to verbal communication and to interact Participate in departmental and institutional committees. with the communicator. Communicate with health care professionals. Mobility Physical ability sufficient to tolerate walking, standing, stooping, and bending; and ability to lift items weighing 20 lbs or more. Hear telephone conversations. Retrieve, carry, and file medical records. Perform medical record review and coding. Sit at the computer to perform coding function. Developed by the Medical Coding Specialist Program Advisory Committee, Madison College, 6/96. Revised 9/09 Medical Coding Specialist Program Handbook 16

18 APPENDIX D Am I Ready for Online Learning? Personal Readiness Success in online learning depends as much on one s motivation and surrounding environment for learning as it does on one s technical computer knowledge. The following questions are designed to help you assess your personal readiness for online learning. The more positive your responses, the better suited you are for online learning. I have a quiet place at home with access to a computer that can be claimed as mine for extended periods of study time. I can schedule blocks of uninterrupted time in which I can work on my online course. A block of time should be no less than 2 hours. I can work consistently on a project and not put everything off until the last minute. I am willing to communicate with persons using electronic technologies such as and online discussions. I am willing to enthusiastically participate in the course, ask questions when I don t understand the content, and provide assistance to other students when possible. I have patience and can adjust to change if computer technology doesn t work as it should. Time Commitment One of the benefits on online learning is flexibility. You no longer have to drive to campus, find a parking spot, and be in class at specific times during the week. Flexibility is great, but you still need to make a major commitment of time to the course. Online courses cover the same content as face-to-face courses. Online courses are not easier; online courses are not independent study courses. Most online courses have weekly, and possibly mid-week, deadlines. Most online courses involve some teamwork that requires communication and juggling of schedules among team members. Online courses are not designed to allow you to complete the course when and how you desire; they merely replace coming on campus with communication online. As a general rule, each credit of a course requires at least 3 hours of study per week. Based on this, you need to schedule and devote at least 6 hours per week for a 2-credit course and 9 hours per week for a 3-credit course. It is best if you can schedule this time in blocks of 2-3 hours throughout the week. For more information about online learning, please refer to Madison College s website at Click on the A-Z index, click on O and then on Online Learning Frequently Asked Questions. The READI (SmarterMeasure) Assessment Tool is a good tool to help you assess your readiness for learning in an online environment. Medical Coding Specialist Program Handbook 17

19 APPENDIX E - MEDICAL CODING SPECIALIST PROGRAM SCHEDULES Please note that only two clusters of classes are offered each semester; new students are not accepted to begin cluster 1 classes each semester. Schedules are subject to change. Class Schedule Transitional Semester 2 (Remaining Course for Old Curriculum and Clusters 1 and 2 of New Curriculum) (Spring 2013) Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday 4:00 4:30 CPT Coding ICD Diagnosis Coding CPT Coding ICD Diagnosis Coding 4:30 5:00 5:00 5:30 5:30 6:00 6:00 6:30 Health Care 6:30 7:00 Reimbursement 7:00 7:30 7:30 8:00 Human Diseases 8:00 8:30 8:30 9:00 7:30 8:45 ICD Procedure Coding Intro to Health Record 7:30 8:45 Health Care Reimbursement Human Diseases 7:30 8:45 ICD Procedure Coding Adv CPT Coding 7:30 9:00 Optional Session Adv ICD Coding 4:00 5:30 Optional Session Class Schedule Blue Semester (Clusters 2 and 3) (Fall 2013) Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday 4:00 4:30 4:30 5:00 CPT Coding CPT Coding Adv CPT Coding 5:00 5:30 4:00 5:30 Optional Session 5:30 6:00 Health Care 6:00 6:30 Health Data Mgmt Reimbursement 5:30 6:45 Health Data Mgmt Adv ICD Coding 4:00 5:30 Optional Session Health Care Reimbursement 5:30 6:45 6:30 7:00 7:00 7:30 7:30 8:00 8:00 8:30 8:30 9:00 Note: Certification & Professional Development and Management of Coding Services are offered online only. Medical Coding Specialist Program Handbook 18

20 Class Schedule Red Semester (Clusters 1 and 3) (Spring 2014) Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday 4:00 4:30 4:30 5:00 Human Diseases 4:00 5:15 ICD Diagnosis Coding Human Diseases 4:00 5:15 5:00 5:30 5:30 6:00 ICD Procedure Coding 6:00 6:30 5:30 6:45 Intro to Health Record 6:30 7:00 7:00 7:30 Health Data Mgmt 7:00 8:15 ICD Procedure Coding 5:30 6:45 Health Data Mgmt 7:00 8:15 ICD Diagnosis Coding Adv CPT Coding 6:00 7:30 Optional Session 7:30 8:00 8:00 8:30 Note: Certification & Professional Development and Management of Coding Services are offered online only. Class Schedule White Semester (Clusters 1 and 2) (Fall 2014) Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday 4:00 4:30 CPT Coding ICD Diagnosis Coding CPT Coding ICD Diagnosis Coding 4:30 5:00 5:00 5:30 5:30 6:00 6:00 6:30 Health Care 6:30 7:00 Reimbursement 7:00 7:30 7:30 8:00 Human Diseases 8:00 8:30 8:30 9:00 7:30 8:45 ICD Procedure Coding Intro to Health Record 7:30 8:45 Health Care Reimbursement Human Diseases 7:30 8:45 ICD Procedure Coding Adv ICD Coding 4:00 5:30 Optional Session Class Schedule Blue Semester (Clusters 2 and 3) (Spring 2015) Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday 4:00 4:30 4:30 5:00 CPT Coding CPT Coding Adv CPT Coding 5:00 5:30 4:00 5:30 Optional Session 5:30 6:00 Health Care 6:00 6:30 Health Data Mgmt Reimbursement 5:30 6:45 Health Data Mgmt Adv ICD Coding 4:00 5:30 Optional Session Health Care Reimbursement 5:30 6:45 6:30 7:00 7:00 7:30 7:30 8:00 8:00 8:30 8:30 9:00 Note: Certification & Professional Development and Management of Coding Services are offered online only. Medical Coding Specialist Program Handbook 19

21 Class Schedule Red Semester (Clusters 1 and 3) (Fall 2015) Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday 4:00 4:30 4:30 5:00 Human Diseases 4:00 5:15 ICD Diagnosis Coding Human Diseases 4:00 5:15 5:00 5:30 5:30 6:00 ICD Procedure Coding 6:00 6:30 5:30 6:45 Intro to Health Record 6:30 7:00 7:00 7:30 Health Data Mgmt 7:00 8:15 ICD Procedure Coding 5:30 6:45 Health Data Mgmt 7:00 8:15 ICD Diagnosis Coding Adv CPT Coding 6:00 7:30 Optional Session 7:30 8:00 8:00 8:30 Note: Certification & Professional Development and Management of Coding Services are offered online only. Class Schedule White Semester (Clusters 1 and 2) (Spring 2016) Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday 4:00 4:30 CPT Coding ICD Diagnosis Coding CPT Coding ICD Diagnosis Coding 4:30 5:00 5:00 5:30 5:30 6:00 6:00 6:30 Health Care 6:30 7:00 Reimbursement 7:00 7:30 7:30 8:00 Human Diseases 8:00 8:30 8:30 9:00 7:30 8:45 ICD Procedure Coding Intro to Health Record 7:30 8:45 Health Care Reimbursement Human Diseases 7:30 8:45 ICD Procedure Coding Adv ICD Coding 4:00 5:30 Optional Session Medical Coding Specialist Program Handbook 20

22 APPENDIX F TIME COMMITMENT FOR THE MEDICAL CODING SPECIALIST PROGRAM Success in the Medical Coding Specialist Program requires a major time commitment. A general rule of thumb is that students should expect to devote a minimum of 3 hours per week for each course credit. For example, a 3-credit course requires a minimum of 9 hours of time per week. This varies a little because some courses have laboratory components that require extra time. Of course, there are many variables that affect the time commitment needed for success in each course. Some of these include the student s prior educational and work experience, study habits, learning style, ability to process and retain information and ability to study in a quiet, uninterrupted manner. The following table shows the minimum number of hours of time that should be devoted to each course in the Medical Coding Specialist Program. The time commitment is the same for online and face/face courses. The amount of time listed includes the normally scheduled classroom time for face/face courses. Students are advised to look at their lifestyles and determine how they will find time to devote to school. The following Time Tool will help students determine how much time they have available for school. It will help them identify areas that may have to give during the school year or areas that family and friends can help with to ease the load. TIME TOOL Write down number of hours per week devoted to the following responsibilities and activities. Responsibilities and Activities Number of Hours/Week Work, including commute time. Family responsibilities (children s care and activities, cleaning, cooking, shopping, etc.) Extracurricular activities that I plan to continue while in school (exercise, church activities, hobbies, clubs, sports, watching TV, etc.) Activities of Daily Living (eating, sleeping, personal hygiene, etc) School see table for minimum number of hours per course and per cluster Total (There are only 168 hours per week!) Medical Coding Specialist Program Handbook 21

23 TIME COMMITMENT FOR THE MEDICAL CODING SPECIALIST PROGRAM Course Credits Minimum Hours Per Week Body Structure and Function Medical Terminology , , Windows Word-Beginning Excel-Beginning Introduction to the Health Record Human Diseases for the Health Professions ICD Diagnosis Coding ICD Procedure Coding CPT Coding Health Care Reimbursement Advanced ICD Coding Health Data Management Advanced CPT Coding Certification and Professional Development Management of Coding Services Number of Hours a Week Per Cluster 3 9 Pre-Program 27 hours per week 1 3 Cluster 1 33 hours per week Cluster 2 33 hours per week Cluster 3 24 hours per week Medical Coding Specialist Program Handbook 22

24 APPENDIX G MEDICAL CODING SPECIALIST PROGRAM CLUSTERS The Medical Coding Specialist Program (MSCP) is offered on a part-time basis only. are offered on campus (face/face) in the late afternoon/evening and also online. The following shows the order in which classes must be taken. Please refer to the MCSP Curriculum Sheet for course descriptions. Pre-Program Students are required to take these courses before they will be accepted off the MCSP wait list to begin the core program courses. Body Structure and Function ( ) OR General Anatomy & Physiology ( ) Medical Terminology ( ) Windows 7 ( ) OR Windows Vista ( ) OR Windows XP ( ) Word Beginning ( ) Excel Beginning ( ) Total Credits 9 Program Cluster 1 Students are required to take these courses before they move on to Cluster 2 in Cluster 1 are offered face/face or online. Students should select the course section for the delivery format they prefer when registering for the course. These courses must be taken during the same semester. Introduction to the Health Record ( ) Human Diseases for the Health Professions ( ) ICD Diagnosis Coding ( ) ICD Procedure Coding ( ) Total Credits 9 Program Cluster 2 Students are required to take these courses before they move on to Cluster 3 With the exception of Adv. ICD Coding, courses in Cluster 2 are offered face/face or online. Students should select the course section for the delivery format they prefer when registering for the course. Adv. ICD Coding is offered online only with an optional weekly face/face session. These courses must be taken during the same semester. CPT Coding ( ) Health Care Reimbursement ( ) Advanced ICD Coding ( ) Total Credits 8 Program Cluster 3 Health Data Management is offered face/face or online; students should select the course section for the delivery format they prefer when registering for this course. The remaining courses in Cluster 3 are offered online only. There is an optional weekly face/face session for Adv. CPT Coding. These courses must be taken during the same semester. Health Data Management ( ) Advanced CPT Coding ( ) Certification and Professional Development ( ) Management of Coding Services ( ) Total Credits 7 Medical Coding Specialist Program Handbook 23