The difference between AAPC CPC and AHIMA CCS-P ..., Study notes of Medicine

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The difference between

AAPC CPC and AHIMA

CCS-P. There’s a

surprise at the end.

By Jim H May

(HowToStudyForCpcExam.com)

When it comes to medical coding, there are two medical coding certifications that are known to be more prominent and widely recognized than others. AAPC’s CPC andAHIMA’s CCS-P are the two most widely recognized medical coding certifications. CPC is an acronym for Certified Pro- fessional Coder offered by the American Association of Professional Coders (AAPC). CCS-P stands for Certified Coding Specialist-Physician, which is offered by the American Health Infor- mation Management Association (AHIMA). When it comes to choosing between these two well known medical coding certifications, there are some factors to be considered to enable you make the best choice. Below are some of the major similarities and differences between AAPC’s CPC and AHIMA’s CCS-P.

Coding is known to be of two types, which are Facility coding and Professional coding. The first thing you ought to do when choosing your most preferred coding certification is to decide which of these coding types appeals to you the most. Facility coding has to do with the type of coding carried out on inpatient services. These are mostly patients who are on admission in hospitals. Facility coders are known to work mainly in hospitals generally. Both have their chal- lenges and advantages, so it really depends on which environment and skills you’d like to ac- quire in your medical coding career. When we talk of professional coding, we mean the type of coding carried out on outpatients as part of outpatient services. Some of these outpatient services that require professional coding include; emergency medicine, surgery centers, private practices, etc. Professional coders are known to work mainly in doctors’ offices.

When it comes to the two types of coding certifications mostly used, the CPC medical coding certification can be said to be more or less a professional coding certification. This makes it most suitable for people who are considering careers in surgery centres or in medical private practices. The CCS-P medical coding credential on its part is known to be more or less a facility coding cer- tification. This makes it ideal for people with dreams of pursuing careers in hospitals.

Another important factor worthy of note are the certification exams. For both the AAPC and AHIMA, you’ll need to sit for and pass a very lengthy exam as a necessary requirement. The standard in medical coding is high and there is a huge demand for highly qualified and profi- cient coders.

Jim regularly updates his website HowToStudyForCPCExam, about how to prepare and study for medical coding certification, ICD 10, medical coding in general, the certification exam, and related news about the industry. You can get great tips and useful resources to help you get certified. He also has a review of medical coding certification blitz videos you can check out. Click on this link to visit Jim’s website now!