(PHOENIX, Ariz., Oct. 18, 2004) - The new Phoenix College Medical Coding Hospital-based Certificate Program recently received national approval by the Council on Accreditation of the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA).

The Phoenix College Health Information Management Department has offered coding courses since the 1960's adding the hospital-based program in Fall 2003 to give students the option to focus specifically on hospital-based coding.

The Hospital-based Certificate Program is designed to prepare individuals for diagnostic and procedural coding positions in hospital-based settings such as hospital outpatient clinics, emergency departments, inpatient facilities or hospital sponsored surgery centers.

Phoenix College is a leader in hospital-based coding education. Currently, it is the only institution within the Maricopa Community College District to offer this program.

The certificate program, which includes theoretical and laboratory instruction on campus, also includes professional practice in an area health care setting. The 37.5 credit hours, which are required to complete the program, can be taken on a full-time or part-time basis. Students can expect the program to be heavily science based, emphasizing medical terminology, human anatomy, disease processes and coding. The approximate total cost of the program is about $3,000, which includes tuition, lab fees, and textbooks.

The demand for qualified medical coding professionals is on the rise due to a number of national issues including reimbursement guidelines, billing fraud and abuse. Competent and qualified professionals can take a doctor's notation of diseases, procedures and hospital services and transform them into codes used to bill patients and their insurance companies. Basically, medical coding is used to explain everything that happens during a hospital visit. One minor coding mistake can escalate into a lengthy battle between various parties and improper reimbursement for medical services.

"The Phoenix College Health Information Management Department continues to work closely with the healthcare community by responding to the need for qualified coders," said Deborah Dennis, Phoenix College Health Information Management program director. "Therefore, this program was developed to further prepare students for entry-level coding positions throughout the healthcare community in an effort to meet the demand for qualified coders."

The Hospital-based Certificate Program is currently accepting new students for the Spring 2005 semester. Evening classes are available for those with day schedule conflicts.

For additional information regarding the program, please call (602) 285-7427. To make an appointment with an advisor, please call (602) 285-7862. Phoenix College is located at 1202 West Thomas Road in central Phoenix.

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