YES Medical Coding Academies & Training: Which Program is Right for Your Team?
As gatekeepers to collecting revenue for your health system, medical coders need ongoing education to stay current with the latest coding guidelines and updates. Ongoing education ensures coders submit patients’ charts accurately, so the health system receives the correct reimbursement. But, finding a reliable health information management education partner can be a daunting task.
YES HIM Consulting’s education team consists of medical coding consultants with decades of experience in the industry. Utilizing their knowledge and expertise in niche specialties, we’ve created several training options that can be tailored to meet corporate coding teams’ needs.
What are the differences between our YES Medical Coding Academies?
YES HIM Education currently offers the ICD-10 Academy and CPT Academy. “The ICD-10 Academy is a comprehensive 10-week series of training courses that focus on diagnosis and procedure coding guidelines with case studies and examples for all levels of coders, from new graduates seeking a career as a coder to tenured coders that need an overall refresher,” Tara Jarvis, Director, Education Services, says. “The academy also applies to coders transitioning from outpatient coding to inpatient coding. This training educates coders on abstracting information from patient records to accurately assign ICD-10-CM and ICD-10-PCS codes. There is also an outpatient version of the academy that only focuses on ICD-10-CM coding.”
Jarvis explains there are two types of completion methods to meet the busy schedules of HIM professionals: traditional and self-paced. In the traditional format, learners meet weekly with an educator to ask questions, review the content, and go over the assignments. The self-paced format offers learners more flexibility; learners meet with an educator twice during the academy (before the mid-assessment and the final assessment).
The live sessions with the educator allow learners to ask questions and receive immediate answers, along with lively discussions that make the learning experience much more interesting. You won’t find this type of coding education experience anywhere else.
After completing the ICD-10 Academy, learners receive 36 AHIMA/AAPC CEUs and a Certificate of Completion.
“The CPT Academy is a comprehensive 8-week series of training courses that focus on CPT coding guidelines with case studies and examples for all levels of coders, including new graduates to tenured coders,” Jarvis says. “This academy is appropriate for all types of outpatient coders and ProFee coders.”
Like the ICD-10 Academy, the CPT Academy offers a traditional and self-paced format. Due to the shorter training series, learners meet with an educator after the completion of Week 4 and before the final assessment in the self-paced version.
After completing the CPT Academy, learners receive 20 AHIMA/AAPC CEUs and a Certificate of Completion.
Jarvis highlights that the YES Medical Coding Academies utilize a Learning Management System (LMS) to assign chapters to read in the applicable academy workbook or other references that we utilize, a pre-recorded webinar(s), and an assignment(s) to complete every week.
How do the academies differ from the team subscription bundles?
The academies are structured training programs, while our annual team Subscription Bundles are crafted using our online Learning Paths and Courses. The bundles are made available after purchase based on the client’s needs and expectations for their team.
We have bundles geared toward the annual ICD-10 and CPT updates and specialty coding topics. The bundles include approved CEUs, progress reporting, and team access to our LMS for a year.
How can YES help coding teams select the right program for their needs?
First, examine your team’s knowledge base, then evaluate what they need to improve upon. If you need assistance reviewing where to start, YES can help with coder assessments and coding reviews. The YES HIM Education team is available to meet with you and evaluate which academy would be most beneficial and suitable for your coders. “We offer one-on-one demonstrations of our LMS and academy courses to review and discuss options,” Jarvis says. “Based on your needs and expectations for your coders, we can help develop a successful training plan for you and your team.”
What are the benefits of choosing YES?
By choosing YES as your ongoing education partner, you ensure your team will always have the most current and diverse coding education possible. Additionally, YES HIM Education is client and coder-focused. We aim to provide the best learning experience possible to each learner.
“We strive to ensure our clients receive the best educational experience possible,” Jarvis says. “Our Education Team works with you to develop an education plan tailored to you and your team every step of the way.”
Our nationally recognized educators bring over 20 years of experience in the HIM profession to their role in crafting our education programs. “They thoroughly love working with coders to help develop and enhance their skills,” Jarvis says. “All our education is constantly reviewed and updated as needed to provide the most accurate information possible.”
Contact YES today to begin charting your coding team’s education journey.
