The Coding Specialist program which is approved by the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) Foundation for Professional Certificate Approval Programs (PCAP) provides specialized training for individuals interested in becoming a coding specialist in a variety of settings where diagnostic and procedural data are coded for reimbursement and other data collection purposes. Upon successful completion of the program the student will be eligible to sit for the following coding exams administered by the American Health Information Management Association:

• Certified Coding Specialist-Physician Based (CCS-P)
• Certified Coding Specialist (CCS)

Coding Specialist Program Learning Outcomes

1. Describe health care organizations from the perspective of key stakeholders.
2. Apply policies, regulations, and standards to the management of information.
3. Identify policies and strategies to achieve data integrity.
4. Determine compliance of health record content within the health organization
5. Explain the use of classification systems, clinical vocabularies, and nomenclatures.
6. Apply privacy strategies to health information.
7. Apply security strategies to health information.
8. Identify compliance requirements throughout the health information life cycle.
9. Describe the concepts of managing data.
10. Determine diagnosis and procedure codes and groupings according to official guidelines.
11. Evaluate revenue cycle processes.
12. Evaluate compliance with regulatory requirements and reimbursement methodologies.
13. Apply legal processes impacting health information.
14. Demonstrate compliance with external forces.
15. Identify the components of risk management related to health information management.
16. Identify the impact of policy on health care.
17. Demonstrate fundamental leadership skills.

Admission to the Program

Students are admitted to the program once per year in the Fall. In order to apply to the program, for fall admission, the student much complete the following steps no later than July 15th:

1. Submit an application for credit courses to South Suburban College.
2. Forward OFFICIAL high school/HSE/College transcripts to the Office of Admissions & Records.
3. Take the SSC College Placement test and complete any required college preparatory class in Math, Reading and English with a grade of “C” or better. Math must be completed through MTH 093 (General Mathematics) and Reading through RDG 082 (Reading & Learning Skills III) and English through ENG 099.
4. Complete HIT 100 (Foundations of Health Information Technology), this course must be taken at SSC and cannot be transferred.
5. Complete or transfer in HIT 103 (Medical Terminology), HIT 108 (Pathophysiology with Pharmacology) and BIO 115 (Human Body Structure).

UPDATED: 2/02/2023