My experience at an AHIMA trainer session Part 3
During this three-day training, we learned as much as possible about this new classification system. I received a letter in the mail right before leaving for the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) Academy for ICD-10 trainer session in Grapevine, TX, only to find out that the learning doesn’t end after the three days!
I still have to take the “final exam” between late October and late January 2010 to demonstrate that I understand and can apply this new system to become an “AHIMA certified ICD-10 trainer.”
I was surprised that there was not a specific credential or at least a designation, even if it was just an appendage onto one of my AHIMA certifications, to notate that I had endured this training. Even the American Academy for Professional Coders designates its professional medical coding curriculum (PMCC) instructors with an “I” at the end of their credential (i.e., CPC-I).
I’m not sure how to publicize that I did this training other than to add it as a tidbit of information onto my bio. It should be identified somehow right?
It was amazing to sit through such an intensive training session. I recently taught a class in Boston, and I had to admit to my students that I was reminded of how my Boot Camp attendees feel when we cover so much material in a five-day class. I had an increased sympathy for them, having endured it myself recently. It reinforced to me how important it is to have engaging, fun, and energetic instructors — especially in an intensive learning format.
This three-day session was definitely an information-overload experience, but I feel confident that I can share this information with the masses when the need arises.
Has your coding manager or coding staff members attended any kind of ICD-10 training sessions yet? Now that I’ve shared a bit of my experience, we would love to hear what yours was like. Please post your comment here.
About the Author: Shannon E. McCall, RHIA, CCS, CCS-P, CPC, CPC-I, CEMC, CCDS, is director of coding and HIM at HCPro, Inc. Shannon serves as the director over the Certified Coder Boot Camp ® programs. She developed the Certified Coder Boot Camp® – Inpatient Version, the Evaluation and Management Boot Camp and most recently the ICD-10 Basics Boot Camp®. As a member of HCPro, Inc.’s Revenue Cycle Institute, Shannon works with hospitals, medical practices and other healthcare providers on a wide range of coding-related issues with a particular focus on education. Shannon has extensive experience with coding for both physician and hospital services. Prior to joining HCPro, she worked for a national medical practice management company, where her duties included serving as a client manager and as an instructor for the in-house coding training. Shannon also previously worked for a national consulting firm focusing on hospital inpatient, outpatient and ER services. Shannon is accredited as a Registered Health Information Administrator and a Certified Coding Specialist and a Certified Coding Specialist – Physician and an ICD-10-CM certified trainer by the American Health Information Management Association. She is also accredited as a Certified Professional Coder and a Certified Evaluation and Management Coder and is considered an approved instructor of the Professional Medical Coding Curriculum by the American Academy of Professional Coders. She is certified as a Certified Clinical Documentation Specialist and also actively serves as an advisory board member of the Association of Clinical Documentation Improvement Specialists (ACDIS). She served as the 2008-2009 Elected Director of the Virginia Health Information Management Association. Shannon holds a Bachelor of Science in Health Information Administration degree from the Medical University of South Carolina.
