Medical coding?

Question

I am about to start going to school for medical coding and get a certificate. Is there another degree or certificate that I should continue on with after medical coding school, if so what would they be?

Answer 1

If you want, you could get an associate degree in Health Information Management and then apply for the Registration exam, for the title of RHIT (Registered Health Information Technician).

Then you could go for a bachelor's in Health Information Administration and apply for the Registration exam for the title of RHIA (Registered Health Information Adminstrator). You could, of course, go straight for the bachelors without getting the associate degree first.

An RHIT or RHIA is often employed as a director of the Health Information Department (medical records) in hospitals and other heatlh care settings.

Answer 2

i would look at the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC). They offer certification for coders and now are offering additional specialty certifications for more specialized areas such as surgery, gyn, etc. . Most employers are looking for this certification (CPC) when hiring.

from their website
The American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC) provides certified credentials to medical coders in physician offices, hospital outpatient facilities, ambulatory surgical centers and in payer organizations. All members of AAPC agree to a Code of Ethics that ensures high levels of professionalism, integrity and ethical behavior. The three certifications (CPC™, CPC-H™, and CPC-P™) are the gold standard certification for medical coding.