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Health Information Management - Medical Coding (Fall Admission) Certificate

Health and Sciences Division

General Description | Semester Layout | Course Requirements | Printable Checklist

Mission

To provide Medical Coding graduates for entry level positions in the various healthcare settings meeting the educational, economic, and healthcare delivery system needs.

Description

Medical Coders regularly communicate with physicians for clarification of patient diagnoses and procedures. They must have a good background in medical terminology and disease processes. Coders utilize patient health information to appropriately assign numerical codes for billing and reimbursemt. Coders must understand government and insurance regulations and guidelines. Coders also abstract information from the health record to be used in research, internal and external health statistics. Coders must be able to work independently, pay attention to detail and possess good communication skills.

Coders are employed in any type of facility that provides patient care. Entry-level positions begin around $25,000-30,000 annually. Salary ranges vary by geographical location.

Program Entrance Requirements

Course Level	Required Courses
High School	Biology, Keyboarding
College	None
NOTE: A grade of "C" or better is required for each prerequisite course.

Other	Required
Diploma or GED	Yes
Approval/Permission Needed -- Application Process Departmental Approval	Yes
Prior Experience/Observation	No
Minimum Cumulative GPA of 2.0	Yes
Current CPR Certification by American Heart Association or American Red Cross	Yes
First Aid Certification	No
Hepatitis B Immunization or Signed Informed Refusal or Titer	Yes
MMR Immunization or Titer	Yes
Chicken Pox Vaccination or Titer	Yes
Two-step PPD / Chest X-Ray	Yes
Medical Examination Forms are provided by the college and should be current (within one year) and complete.	Yes
Dental Examination Forms are provided by the college and should be current (within one year) and complete. Dental health must meet departmental standards.	No
Technical Standards Forms are provided by the college and should be current (within one year) and complete.	No
Negative Drug Screen	Yes
Satisfactory Background Check	Yes
Other Diplomas, Licensures, etc.	No
Recent Photograph Photograph will not be returned.	No

Transportation and Materials

Students are responsible for transportation and/or room and board during clinical practice.
Students are responsible for purchasing uniforms and accessories prior to beginning their clinical practice.

Academic Standards

Standard Criteria	Required
Courses requiring a grade of "C" or better Any course with one of the following prefixes: ALL	Yes
Courses that may not be attempted more than twice Any course with one of the following prefixes: HIM	Yes
Complete or Maintain CPR Certification by American Heart Association or American Red Cross	Yes
Curriculum Completion Requirement 24 months	Yes
Drug Calculation Competency Students must demonstrate drug calculation competency each semester in order to progress in curriculum courses.	No
Dismissal Policy	No
Re-entry Policy	No

Agency Requirements

Students in health majors must meet the published clinical agency requirements when participating in assigned labs. Requirements include immunizations, background checks, and drug testing. To be in compliance with Article, 23, Section 44-7-2920 of the S.C. Code of Law, all students enrolled in AHS 141, DAT 154, DHG 154, HIM 102, MED 102, MLT 110, NUR 160, NUR 201, PNR 110, RAD 101, RES 101, and SUR 101 must complete the requirements listed above prior to being assigned to any direct care entity. Results of the background check/drug screening could affect the student's ability to complete required clinical rotations and/or become credentialed. For example, a felony conviction could make a student ineligible to take the licensing exam(s) required by the profession or prevent the student from participating in the clinical training component.

Graduation Requirements

Complete all required courses specified in the curriculum.
Fulfill all financial obligations to the College.
Achieve a cumulative final GPA of 2.0.
Earn at least 25 percent of the total credit hours of his/her curriculum at FDTC. Exceptions can be made only by the Vice President for Academic Affairs.