Which online course?
March 1, 2011 7:39 PM Subscribe
I am interested in online programs to become a medical coder. Trying to search for one is turning up hundreds.
How can I figure out which ones are legitimate and are respected in the medical community? I've asked for recommendations from the medical records department at the local hospital. The director just warns to be careful.
I live in the Southern part of the United States.
I am divorced and supporting 14 year old child. I can not take off two to four years to go to a university. The closest one is 50 miles away.
How can I figure out which ones are legitimate and are respected in the medical community? I've asked for recommendations from the medical records department at the local hospital. The director just warns to be careful.
I live in the Southern part of the United States.
I am divorced and supporting 14 year old child. I can not take off two to four years to go to a university. The closest one is 50 miles away.
I'll put in a plug for a former employer, CareerStep.
I don't know a lot about the actual certifications (I was just doing web development for their online courseware), and it's been about 10 years since I left. However, I will say that while I worked there, my overall impression was that the people who owned and ran the business genuinely cared about giving their customers useful training and legitimate certifications, and I personally know one graduate of their medical transcription program who it served nicely.
posted by weston at 3:46 AM on March 2, 2011
I don't know a lot about the actual certifications (I was just doing web development for their online courseware), and it's been about 10 years since I left. However, I will say that while I worked there, my overall impression was that the people who owned and ran the business genuinely cared about giving their customers useful training and legitimate certifications, and I personally know one graduate of their medical transcription program who it served nicely.
posted by weston at 3:46 AM on March 2, 2011
I have a few online mom friends who used CareerStep. Of those who completed the course, all of them are gainfully employed.
posted by chiababe at 7:04 AM on March 2, 2011
posted by chiababe at 7:04 AM on March 2, 2011
Do you guys have any idea of the salary range for a Medical Coder?
posted by CathyG at 8:14 AM on March 2, 2011
posted by CathyG at 8:14 AM on March 2, 2011
Best answer: The community college I work for farms its coding/billing classes to Career Step, so at least our health professions folks find it credible. One tip I know from my mom's experience in a coding certificate program: make sure that the program you choose will qualify you to take the certifying tests. Ask the local hospital for the certification test they look for, and verify that the program you're interested in will make you eligible to take it. One of my mom's classmates went through a whole coding program at a for-profit school and came to find that she wouldn't be allowed to take the test because the school's program was not appropriate in some way. She then transferred to to do much the same coursework at the community college, thus spending more money and time. She should have been there in the first place. Have you tried calling your closest community college's health professions department? They would have good information for you.
posted by TrarNoir at 12:45 PM on March 2, 2011
posted by TrarNoir at 12:45 PM on March 2, 2011
« Older Why did all my jam "fall" to the TOP of the jar? | Desperately seeking allhomes.com.au for Adelaide Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by SuperSquirrel at 9:08 PM on March 1, 2011