Resource ordered for the Health Information Technology program 105301.

This money saving package includes Step-by-Step Medical Coding, 2009 Edition - Text and Virtual Medical Office.

NEW! Pharmacology in each body system and a Pharmacology Basics appendix help you recognize drugs and medications in medical reports. NEW! More than 50 new images bring terminology to life. NEW! Additional procedural terms supply a more complete picture of the number and kind of procedures you will encounter on medical reports. NEW! Normal Lab Values appendix familiarizes you with normal and abnormal lab values so you know when to search a medical record for possible additional diagnoses. NEW! Tablet and mobile-optimized Evolve activities offer an easily accessible source for extra interactive practice and learning.

The CPC exam is comprised of 150 multiple-choice questions. The test takes five hours and 40 minutes to complete, making it fairly rigorous. There are two breaks in the middle of the test. The CPC exam costs $300 to take, but only $260 if the test-taker is a member of the AAPC (annual dues are $125 for individuals and $70 for students).The CPC exam thoroughly tests a coder's grasp of the entire coding process, from medical terminology to code sets and beyond. Per the AAPC's website, the CPC exam covers 24 subject areas, including anesthesia, radiology, and medicine.You should recognize a number of these (like Evaluation and Management, or Radiology) as sections of the CPT code manual. Others, like Anatomy and Physiology, are parts of the coder's everyday skill set.You should note that the questions on the exam are not divided or identified by the topic they are related to. That is, questions on the CPC exam will test you on all of the above 24 fields of medical coding, but they won't outright say, "This is an anesthesia question." Instead they'll just ask you about anesthesia, or surgery, or human anatomy.During the test, you'll be presented with a number of tests cases pertaining to the practice of coding. These test case questions will present you with a condensed medical report and ask you to select the correct set of codes from the answers below.For instance, a test case question might read:"Sarah, a 45-year-old patient, visits the doctor and presents symptoms including a sore throat, swollen lymph nodes, and a fever. After performing a rapid strep test, the doctor confirms a diagnosis of streptococcal sore throat. The doctor prescribes an Amoxicillin as an antibiotic. Which of the following are the correct codes for this diagnosis, procedure and prescription?"There are also general knowledge questions, like "Which types of joints are synovial?" that don't have an attached test case. That question's related to the musculoskeletal system, but the test won't come right out and say so. You'll have to rely on your knowledge of code sets, medical terminology, best practices, and the coding process in general to pass.Individuals who earn a score of 70 percent or better (105 correct questions) will pass the CPC exam. If you fail your first test, you are allowed one free retake.GETTING CERTIFIEDOnce you pass the CPC exam, you are not officially certified by the AAPC until you fulfill a few other criteria. In order to complete a CPC certification, you must become a member of the AAPC. Certification is also limited to coders with two years of professional experience or those willing to complete an apprentice program.As such, the CPC exam is recommended for individuals who have already started their coding career. That won't prevent us from going over the basics of this important exam.

LAUNCH A CAREER IN MEDICAL CLAIMS BILLING The market for medical claim billers is growing exponentially. With legions of providers and an ever-expanding patient pool, health-care industry spending is expected to grow by 5.8 percent each year through 2024. By then, health-care spending will total $5.43 trillion and account for 19.6 percent of the gross domestic product. So let there be no doubt: Health care is big business and its growth shows no signs of slowing. This makes it the perfect time to start your own medical claims billing service.

The Coding Manual for Qualitative Researchers is unique in providing, in one volume, an in-depth guide to each of the multiple approaches available for coding qualitative data. In total, 29 different approaches to coding are covered, ranging in complexity from beginner to advanced level and covering the full range of types of qualitative data from interview transcripts to field notes. For each approach profiled, Johnny Saldaña discusses the method’s origins in the professional literature, a description of the method, recommendations for practical applications, and a clearly illustrated example.