Career Step & YES HIM Consulting, Inc. Announce Partnership to Develop Comprehensive ICD-10 Solution

March 17, 2011 - PRLog -- PROVO, Utah—Career Step, a leading online healthcare school, and YES HIM Consulting, Inc., a firm specializing in health information management and coding, have partnered to develop a comprehensive ICD-10 education solution for hospitals and physician groups; payers, such as insurance companies; and professional coders. This solution will combine the extensive health information management and coding expertise of YES HIM Consulting, Inc. with Career Step's experience in delivering quality curriculum through an easy-to-use, online learning platform.

"All healthcare providers must transition to ICD-10 by October 2013, and, given the complexity of this transition, that deadline is rushing toward us," said Karen Youmans, RHIA, President of YES HIM Consulting, Inc. "Many healthcare employers are trying to develop an education strategy to make sure they are prepared for that switch, which is why we have partnered with Career Step. This partnership brings the best of the best together to make sure the health information and coding industries have the best resources possible to make the transition to ICD-10."

Preliminary plans for the partnership's ICD-10 solution include coder assessment tools for managers to determine the training needs of their personnel; refresher courses in anatomy, pathophysiology, pharmacology, and medical terminology; and ICD-10 training for various levels of management, including C-level executives. The coder assessment tools will quickly help identify the areas that need attention within an organization; the refresher courses are designed to make sure professional coders are prepared for the more detailed approach of the ICD-10 codes; and the different levels of ICD-10 training ensure that organizations are ICD-10 ready throughout their operations.  

"We're very excited about our partnership with Karen Youmans and YES HIM Consulting," said Mark Thomas, Career Step COO. "Her extensive expertise in this industry will be a valuable asset to our curriculum development as we build on our high-quality medical coding education. Career Step has been providing coding education for nearly a decade, and we feel that this partnership will enable us to create a best-in-class, ICD-10 education strategy and implementation solution."

Ms. Youmans has over 25 years of experience in the healthcare, is certified as a Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA) and Certified Coding Specialist (CCS), and holds a Master of Public Administration in Healthcare Administration. Her team also holds a variety of health information and medical coding certifications, and, collectively, YES HIM Consulting, Inc. draws from over 200 years of experience in the health information and coding industries.

Career Step has been educating quality health information professionals for almost 20 years, training over 65,000 students, and has partnered with hundreds of healthcare employers to train quality professionals, deliver assessment testing, and provide continuing education courses. The school's curriculum is developed on a competency-based model, requiring students to master each skill before moving on to the next, and is delivered entirely online, providing students the flexibility to study on their own schedules. This curriculum development strategy and delivery model make Career Step a preferred training partner for employers who are looking for accountability and flexibility in an employee training solution.

For more information on this partnership or the ICD-10 education solution being developed, contact Mark Thomas at Career Step at 1-800-246-7837 or Karen Youmans at YES HIM Consulting, Inc. at 727-531-3839.

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About Career Step
Career Step, a leading online school, focuses on helping students gain the career skills they need to succeed in growing industries. The school has trained over 65,000 students in the United States and offers programs in the allied health and administrative services industries. Career Step's training programs are offered entirely online, and the school is committed to helping each student graduate and successfully transition to a rewarding career.

About YES HIM Consulting, Inc.
YES HIM Consulting, Inc. is a small consulting firm with a personal touch and experienced team—each with 20+ years experience in healthcare, Health Information Management, and coding. We focus on using this expertise in ICD-10 Coding education, Coding Compliance Audits, Revenue Cycle improvement projects, and Unbilled management. YES HIM Consulting, Inc. clients include hospitals, healthcare systems, and encoding vendors. Our team includes eight AHIMA-approved ICD-10-CM/PCS trainers.