Colorado Health Information Technology Students Learn New ICD-10 Coding System

Feb. 12, 2014 - PRLog -- Colorado – IntelliTec College in Colorado is currently preparing Health Information Technology students for recent industry changes brought about by the Affordable Care Act (ACA).New grads will now be able to effectively operate the new ICD-10 coding and reporting system. ICD-10 is already being taught to prospective Health Information Technicians at all three campuses in Colorado so that students can feel confident going into their fields, knowing they are as prepared as they can be.

ICD-10-CM is the International Classification of Diseases 10th Revision Clinical Modification. It’s a new coding and reporting system that will be used by health information technology professionals to report diagnoses and conditions to insurance companies and government entities. IntelliTec has been teaching and training with the new ICD-10 system for approximately a year now in order to prepare students for its implementation in the field, which will occur this October.

Visit http://www.intelliteccollege.com/career-training-programs/healthcare/health-information-technician.php for information abou the Hechnician program.

The change comes as an upgrade from the ICD-9 system, which had 17,000 codes, to now include over 60,000 codes. More specific descriptions of procedures, diagnoses and histories will simplify the process. Health Information Technology (HIT) Program Supervisor Leslie Barlow explains that “As part of the ACA, healthcare providers are required to implement Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems. We have also implemented a class that teaches our students the basics of EHR. The change supports another portion of the ACA that requires healthcare providers to make documented efforts to improve the quality of care provided.” The focus will mainly be on implementation and maintaining productivity during the change-over.

The Health Information Technology program prepares students to manage the flow of information for a healthcare facility. HIT professionals collect information, make sure that information is complete and correct and transmit it to insurance companies and government entities as billing information. They may be responsible for medical records or medical coding. Barlow says, “Either direction they choose, they will be managing information, keeping it secure, and ensuring its accuracy through communication and teamwork with other medical professionals.”

Any person who works in the medical field, especially in the Health Information Technology field, needs to be familiar with ICD-10 system. IntelliTec plans to continue to stay on top of any and all new changes that will come out of the Affordable Care Act, implementing new information, training procedures and equipment as it is needed.

IntelliTec College provides hands-on career training in Colorado with associate degree (occupational) and professional certificate programs. Campuses include Colorado Springs, Grand Junction and Pueblo. IntelliTec College has been training people for new careers in Colorado since 1965. Request more informationabout career training programs at http://www.intelliteccollege.com/ or call them at 1-800-248-2282.

CONTACTS:

Leslie Barlow
IntelliTec College in Grand Junction
Associate Director of Education / HIT Program Supervisor
lbarlow@intellitec.edu
970-639-0093