Key Benefits

• PTI's Medical Coding program teaches the general rules of coding, then allows the student to specialize in coding for hospitals or coding for physicians.
• PTI medical coding students learn the universally used ICD–9–CM, CPT–4 and HCPCS diagnosis code sets.
• As graduates PTI medical coders will benefit from learning ICD–10 through brush–up courses when industry transitions at the beginning of October 2014.
• PTI has an advisory board of medical professionals that guides our curriculum so you learn what the healthcare field is looking for in skills and experience.
• PTI's comprehensive curriculum provides chart abstracting in three courses so students can read medical records, interpret them, and assign correct codes, a skill valuable to employers.

More about this program

Key Skills

Certifications

Courses

Employment

Careers

Tuition, Loan Debt & Graduate Information

• Key Skills

  In the PTI Medical Coding Program you will learn key skills such as:

  • Chart abstracting
  • Interpreting medical records
  • Assigning five–digit ICD–9–CM numeric and alpha numeric codes for diagnoses as established by the World Health Organization and modified for use in the U.S. by Medicare
  • Assigning current procedural terminology codes (CPT–4) for professional services as established by the AMA
  • Assigning HCPCS codes for supplies and drugs as established by Medicare
  • Using the manual to access the ICD–9–CM code set
  • Using the manual to access the CPT and the HCPCS code sets
  • Using ENCODER software to access the ICD–9–CM code set, the CPT code set and the HCPCS code set
  • Auditing code assignments for accuracy
  • Utilizing Medisoft, the physician office software
  • Using Electronic Health Record software
  • Anatomy, physiology and medical terminology

• Certifications

  • Graduates can take the CPC, Certified Professional Coder, or the CPC–H, Certified Professional Coder – Hospital, national certification exam through the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC).
  • PTI pays the $70 fee for each student's AAPC membership, a requirement to take the national certification exam.
  • PTI reimburses the cost of the exam to students who earn certification on either their first or second attempt.

• Courses

  • The Body in Sickness and Health 1, 2 and 3
  • Computerized Medical Office Procedures
  • Healthcare Delivery in the Medical Office
  • Insurance Billing and Collections
  • Coding for Physicians and Hospitals 1 and 2
  • Reimbursement Methods and Regulatory Guidelines
  • Information Management and Computerized Coding
  • Chart Abstracting for Physicians and Hospitals and Coding Simulation
  • Auditing for Physicians and Hospitals and National Exam Preparation

• Employment

  PTI Medical Coding graduates are prepared for entry-level positions at:

  • Ambulatory Care Centers
  • Billing and Collection Agencies
  • Durable Medical Equipment Suppliers
  • Healthcare Consulting Firms
  • Hospitals
  • Insurance Companies
  • Medical Centers
  • Pharmacies
  • Physicians Offices
  • Public Health Agencies
  • Specialty Practices
  • Transcription Services

• Careers

  PTI offers a comprehensive Career Services Department with a dedicated staff who will assist you in your career search. Companies that have previously hired PTI graduates include:

  • Adagio Health
  • Automated Physician Services
  • CorVel Corporation
  • Family Pathways
  • Fenner Corporation
  • Healthcare Management Providers
  • Heritage Valley Health System
  • Kindred Hospital
  • McKesson Automated Healthcare
  • Medical Billing and Management Services
  • Medical Service Associates
  • Millennium Pharmacy Systems, Inc.
  • M. Leco & Associates
  • Nuance Transcript Services
  • Ohio Valley General Hospital
  • Pediatric Alliance
  • Trinity Health Systems
  • University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC)
  • Wallace C. Gauntner MD PC
  • Some employers may require a background check and drug screening prior to employment.

  Some employers may require a background check and drug screening prior to employment.

• Tuition, Loan Debt & Graduate Information

  Related Occupational Titles:   click link for details

  Medical Records & Health Information Technicians - 29-2071.00

  Program Information for 2013/14:                                                

  • Program Tuition and Fees: $18,160                      
  • Estimated Cost of Books and Supplies: $2,000                 
  • Housing Cost for 12 month agreement (excludes food): $7,500-$8,460

  Graduate Information:

  • On-Time Graduation Rate for 11/12: 95%
  • Percentage of Available Graduates Working in Their Field of Study for 2011: 50%
  • Percentage of Graduates Working Part-time for 2011: 8%
  • Average Salary of Graduates Employed Full-time for 2011: $28,410
  • Title IV Median Loan Debt for 11/12: $12,467
  • Institutional Median Loan Debt for 11/12: $0