CCS or finish coding program first, any advice?

HI I need some advice, I really really hate my job!!! I work in a retail pharmacy, I have been taking courses for my schools coding program since 2002, I have 3 classes left for a medical coding certificate, is it realistic to expect to find a job with pharmacy technicial license, a coding certificate,an AA in general studies and a CPC-A? or should I take the CCS first before finishing my coding certificate program? Im also taking RHIT courses for AS degree at the same time and have never worked in a hospital or DR office. Any hope for me? thanks Kat

I'd get your RHIT and CCS, it makes you way more marketable. The RHIT is mainly for medical records management but you can code. However, the CCS certification really shows you can code. Having both should open up a lot of doors.

You really have to study hard for the CCS. Its a hard test.

Im going to study for CCS and take RHIT classes, after I take the CPC next month , but is it realistic to expect to find a job with CPC-A certification?I have not worked in the medical field except in a pharmacy but I want to leave my job as soon as I can.

Stressedout in Westminster, California said: Im going to study for CCS and take RHIT classes, after I take the CPC next month , but is it realistic to expect to find a job with CPC-A certification?I have not worked in the medical field except in a pharmacy but I want to leave my job as soon as I can.

hey there - don't be stressed out. i'm in the same boat as you. i looked into AHIMA credent. but decided to take course with AAPC - CPC, only because it's was faster. i currently work at a doctors office and do have a very minor background with CPT and ICD-9 code but don't know much. i have been doing some google myself to see what's better and i'm getting a lot of words that AHIMA credentialing is better. i really think it depends on what you want to do. I work at a hospital in a physician's office and our billing coordinator has Ahima's CCS-P and other w/CPC.

RHIT - RHIT applicants must meet one of the following eligibility requirements:
Successfully complete the academic requirements, at an associate’s degree level, of an HIM program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM)1
Graduate from an HIM program approved by a foreign association with which AHIMA has a reciprocity agreement2
The academic qualifications of each candidate will be verified before a candidate is deemed eligible to take the examination. All first-time applicants must submit an official transcript from their college or university.3

CCS- is hospital coding - i'm hearing this exam is very challenging

CCS-P/CPC is physician based

The reason I decided to go with CPC is, like I said the classed were faster and my plan right now is to work is to do physician based coding to get some experience.

I know this is alot of info, but wanted to share this with you. Feel free to e-mail me with any other ?s.

sschrack@nmh.org

Hi, thanks for the reply, i guess my main question is once I take CPC-A next month and I have the credential,would I be able to find a job in a Dr office at least? I only have experience in a retail pharmacy as a technican but the job is really stressful and I really hate working there. I make over $16 an hour now, would I expect to make the same in a DR office to start? I havent looked yet but I dont know many places that want to hire someone with no experience. Thanks again.

hey there - i know some places indicate experience required but i did some research and there are some places who are willing to hire. i'm sure they will hire someone with a cert and no experience rather than someone with flat out no experience. your pay won't be so high but once you establish experience it will open doors for you. you may possibly get the same amt as what you make now to start. but if you said you're getting certed for CCS, i know when i did my research, there were more jobs looking for CCS and willing to hire no experience. GOOD LUCK~!

Hi, thanks for your kind reply, It can be discouraging at times to be in school for a lot of years and have nothing to show for it (a good job). if I can ask, how did you get yor Dr office job? Maybe I can sneak my resume on the fax machine at work when no one is looking. I thought having both credentials CPC and CCS would be better to find a job, I looked myself and found very few jobs looking for CPC but I hope to also study for and pass CCS by next year after taking a prep course that my school offers. Thanks again for your encouragement, God Bless.

Hello...

I also have thought about doing medical coding with AHIMA. I received my BS in Biology 4 years ago and it really has done nothing for me. I thougth about going back to school for nursing or health administration.

What is the difference between CCS and CPC and which is better to have?

Thank You

I would think both, one of my instructors asked my why I was even bothering with CPC but I think the more credentials the better

Stressedout in Westminster, California said: I would think both, one of my instructors asked my why I was even bothering with CPC but I think the more credentials the better

It is not just credentials. Maintain crednetial is also very expesive. If you have multple credentials, you will requires to pay a lot for CEUs. For multiple credentials, I would say RHIT + CCS or RHIA + CCS is an ideal.