The courses, which train HIM professionals, as well as home health, nursing, and hospice coders, are designed to increase coder knowledge base and staff morale, and to improve staff efficiency.

The strength of the Barry Libman Inc. and JLU partnership is seen in the organizations’ complementary specialties:  Barry Libman Inc., recognized for its medical record coding expertise and resources, offers a robust education platform and effective marketing skills, as well as an in-depth knowledge of the HIM workforce. JLU, an expert in the area of home health, , and hospice coding education and consulting, brings knowledge and skill in communication of complex HIM issues.

“Barry Libman Inc. is excited to embark on this partnership with JLU Health Record Systems,” said Barry Libman, President.   “Between Barry Libman Inc.’s expertise in health information coding, audit and education; JLU’s expertise in home health and hospice; and our combined expertise in healthcare training, we have the capacity to influence HIM and coder training in an unprecedented way. We look forward to how this partnership might positively influence the HIM profession in years to come.”

Joan L. Usher, BS, RHIA, COS-C, ACE, president of JLU Heath Record Systems, recommends these home care coding courses to home health and hospice providers. “It is a win-win for the home health and hospice providers:  high quality coding and OASIS training is available at your agency location now resulting in significant advantages to the providers immediately and going forward.”

According to Usher, “these courses have helped many providers improve staff efficiency, which results in increased revenues and cash flow, while also ensuring regulatory compliance, which results in decrease audits and penalties.”  While Usher has offered in-person training for many years – the online learning modality results in more people being trained for less.  On-line learning will also save on travel time and agency cost. This valuable training is now available to a much broader audience and allows participants’ to learn at their own pace while not having to wait for a class to be scheduled.  ” said Usher.

Barry Libman Inc. provides medical record coding, audit, and educational services to the Health Information Management departments of healthcare institutions. Its increasingly popular Anatomy & Physiology for Coders, which prepares coders for the transition to ICD-10, is used to train staff at several prestigious organizations, including Johns Hopkins Hospital, Lahey Clinc, Carroll Hospital Center, and the Lifespan Health Network of Rhode Island.

JLU Health Record Systems provides performance improvement, nursing consultants, and health information and medical record professionals to service the needs of health care organizations. In addition, JLU educates organizations and provides individual training to achieve excellence in health care.

JLU offers a wide variety of courses in multiple categories, including ICD-9-CM Coding, ICD-9-CM ACE Coding Certification, ICD-10 Coding, OASIS C, HIPAA, Privacy & Security Issues, Electronic Health Records Issues & Compliance Activities, and more.

For more about JLU Health Record Systems, visit
http://www.jluhealth.com/index.htm

ABOUT JLU HEALTH RECORD SYSTEMS

JLU Health Record Systems provides performance improvement, nursing consultants, and health information and medical record professionals to service the needs of health care organizations. In addition, JLU educates organizations and provides individual training to achieve excellence in health care.

JLU offers a wide variety of courses in multiple categories, including ICD-9-CM Coding, ICD-9-CM ACE Coding Certification, ICD-10 Coding, OASIS C, HIPAA, Privacy & Security Issues, Electronic Health Records Issues & Compliance Activities, and more.

“We found the course extremely helpful and well organized,” said Ms. Marty Fields, Director of Health Information Management Department at Carroll Hospital Center. “This course will no doubt help our medical coders master the switch to ICD –10.”

The hospital has more than 400 physicians’ representing 38 medical specialties on its medical staff, and is Carroll County’s second largest employer. Annually, Carroll Hospital Center has more than 310,000 patient encounters for inpatient and outpatient medical care and community programs.

Anatomy & Physiology for Coders is a 12-week online course that students can access twenty four hours a day, seven days a week. The course, which trains medical coders
for transition to ICD-10-CM and –PCS, thoroughly covers the major body systems, as well as common laboratory tests, frequently prescribed drugs, and common diseases and disorders.

In addition, to help students master the material, quizzes and assessments are offered, as well as lesson notes, multi-media videos, interactive educational games, and full-color anatomical drawings. The course’s textbook is Donald Rizzo’s Fundamentals of Anatomy & Physiology.

Students taking Anatomy & Physiology for Coders are eligible for 24 CEUs (continuing education units) by the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA), and 6 CEUs by the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC).

The event focuses on equipping HIM professionals to prepare for the ICD-10-CM transition.   Barry Libman’s presentation, ICD-10-PCS – Procedure Coding, discusses some of the particularly challenging aspects of procedure coding in the new system.

“With ICD-10 around the corner, HIM professionals are preparing to learn the new system and handle the additional challenges,” said Barry Libman. “Procedure coding is significantly different in ICD-10 and will require training not only on the coding system itself, but additional knowledge of anatomy and physiology.  The coder’s role will be critically important and preparation is key. I look forward to discussing this important matter at the ICD-10 Summit.”

In addition to Barry Libman’s presentation, Barry Libman Inc.’s popular ICD-10 training course, Anatomy & Physiology for Coders, will be featured in the conference reception area. The 24/7, 12 week course is ideal for preparing medical coders for transition to ICD-10-CM and –PCS.

The Anatomy & Physiology for Coders product demonstrationwill feature an actual student module with lesson notes, multi-media videos, interactive educational games, full-color anatomical drawings, quizzes, and weekly assessments.

Barry Libman (RHIA, CCS, CCS-P), and an AHIMA-certified ICD-10 trainer, provides education and training on code updates and coding issues.  He has held several positions in the health information management field, working for hospitals, insurers, consulting firms, and regulatory bodies, prior to forming Barry Libman Inc. in 1998.

Libman graduated from Northeastern University and received a Masters in Healthcare Administration from Simmons College. He was given the Professional Achievement Award from MaHIMA, and served on the MaHIMA Board of Directors and as a representative to the House of Delegates at the AHIMA national conference.

The ICD-10 Summit includes several other important ICD-10-related presentations, including ICD-10 Essentials and Updates for 2012, ICD-10 and Your Data: What You Need to Prepare for 2013, and An ICD-10 Strategic Plan to Assure Optimal Health Care Operations and Cash Flow.

For more about the MaHIMA ICD-10 Summit, including registration information and directions, visit http://www.cvent.com/events/mahima-s-icd-10-summit/event-summary-124807da81b44eae8fefdb4268c4c485.aspx

For more about Barry Libman Inc.’s ICD-10 readiness course, visit http://www.barrylibmaninc.com/training-education/icd-10-anatomy-and-physiology-course/

“Our Intensive CCS exam prep course is designed to equip medical coders as thoroughly as possible, so that they can successfully complete the CCS exam,” said course instructor Mary Beth York, CCS, CCS-P. “As a virtual course with real-time instruction, the course employs the best of distance and classroom-based learning”

“The overwhelming response to our course at this time reflects the changes planned to occur in March 2013, when AHIMA coding credential exams will be based on ICD-10-CM/PCS instead of the current ICD-9-based CCS credentialing exams,” she added.

This accelerated thirteen-week course, which runs May 12 to August 4, 2012, prepares students to sit for the CCS exam shortly after completion of the course. The course consists of 13 classes taught using the Blackboard education platform with real-time class meetings via GoToMeeting technology.  Each class lasts three hours with additional weekly assignments. Class size is strictly limited to ensure plenty of individual attention.

Mary Beth York, the course’s instructor and Senior Associate with Barry Libman Inc., has more than twenty years experience in medical record coding, audit and documentation. She has taught in a variety of settings, including large classrooms, small groups, and personal instruction. Her teaching experience includes CCS and CCS-P exam preparation skills, interventional radiology, and physician education on documentation requirements and assignment of E&M levels.

To express interest and request an application visit http://www.barrylibmaninc.com/intensive-ccs-exam-preparation-registration/

For more information call 978-369-7180 or email info@barrylibmaninc.com.

Important announcement from AHIMA: Coding Credential Exams Scheduled to Change

American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) and the Commission on Certification for Health Informatics and Information Management (CCHIIM) have announced that starting in March 2013, all coding credential exams will be based on ICD-10-CM/PCS.  AHIMA coding credentials are Certified Coding Specialist (CCS), Certified Coding Specialist – Physician-based (CCS-P), and Certified Coding Associate (CCA).

About The Commission on Certification

The Commission on Certification for Health Informatics and Information Management (CCHIIM) is an AHIMA commission dedicated to assuring the competency of professionals practicing Health Informatics and Information Management (HIIM). AHIMA / CCHIIM certification exams are valid, reliable, and legally defensible assessment instruments which measure the competency of potential certificants against a codified and relevant body of HIIM competencies (also referred to as knowledge, skills, and abilities).
http://www.ahima.org/certification/aboutcchiim.aspx

The conference, which includes lectures by several of the healthcare industry’s foremost experts, takes place this March 16 at Jeff’s Catering in Brewer, ME.

“It is an honor to have an opportunity to speak at MeHIMA’s spring conference,” said Pepple. “This year’s agenda tackles several of today’s pressing healthcare-related issues, a major one of which is ICD-10. ICD-10, which we heartily welcome, is slated to replace the current ICD-9- coding system in 2013. And while there has been a recent CMS ICD-10 postponement announcement for certain healthcare entities, it is important that all healthcare entities make the most of the time they have left to ensure a smooth transition.

“To that end,” she added, “I am discussing the importance of seizing the moment with the ICD-10 readiness course, Anatomy & Physiology for Coders.”

Anatomy & Physiology for Coders has become increasingly popular, being distributed by several significant healthcare networks including Granite Healthcare Network in New Hampshire, Western Connecticut Health Network in Connecticut, and Johns Hopkins Medicine in Maryland.

Being online and accessible 24/7, the course is flexible, and yet spans a reasonable time frame, namely 12 weeks.

The course gives students a comprehensive and complete review of the major body systems, and discusses common diseases and disorders, frequently prescribed drugs, and common laboratory tests. Augmenting the course are lesson notes, multi-media videos, interactive educational games, full-color anatomical drawings, quizzes, and weekly assessments.

Susan Pepple oversees Barry Libman Inc.’s expansion of services, including online education for health information management professionals.  She has been Barry Libman Inc.’s vice president since its founding in 1998. Pepple is a graduate of the Harvard University Graduate School of Design (MCRP’80) and Southwest Missouri State University.

Other lecture topics at the MeHIMA annual spring conference include ICD 10 and Outpatient Coding Challenges (2 sessions) (by Andrea Clark), Refresher on Privacy, HIPAA and HITECH Training (by Wendy Pelletier), Netiquette and Telework (by Nora Brennen), Skeletal Complications of Malignancy and Pharmacologoical Treatment (by D. Patrick Boyle), The Structure and Implications of Mandatory Compliance Programs for Small and Large Providers (by Marci Alexander), and Healthcare Fraud and Abuse (by Eric Hafener).

Also scheduled is a panel discussion that addresses RAC-related improvements made by Maine hospitals over the past year. Panelists include Colleen Crocker, Jason McDowell, Sally Howard, and Mandy Reid.

Attendees will be provided with breakfast and lunch, and will also have several networking breaks. Attendees can earn up to 6 CEUs.

The conference precedes the American Health Information Management Association’s (AHIMA) 23rd annual Health Information Professionals (HIP) Week, which runs March 25 – 31 and is titled "Managing Health Information for Life." During this week AHIMA honors our nation’s thousands of hard-working health information management (HIM) professionals.

For more about the MeHIMA Spring Conference, including registration information and directions, visit
http://www.mehima.org/springconference/home.html

For more about Barry Libman Inc.’s Anatomy and Coders course, visit
http://www.barrylibmaninc.com/training-education/icd-10-anatomy-and-physiology-course/

To learn more about MeHIMA, visit 
http://www.mehima.org/index.htm

The course, Anatomy & Physiology for Coders, equips medical coders for transition to ICD-10-CM and –PCS. The course runs 12 weeks and is accessible online 24/7.

Course topics range from everything to common diseases and disorders, common laboratory tests, and frequently prescribed drugs. Moreover, the major body systems are reviewed thoroughly.

Lahey Clinic is one of the largest and most recognized organizations to join Barry Libman Inc.’s list of clients for its Anatomy and Physiology training program.  U. S. News and World Report has ranked the hospital nationally in three specialties, and also found the clinic performing highly in nine specialties. In addition, Lahey Clinic was the only Boston-area hospital for 2012 to be ranked a top cardiovascular hospital by Thomson Reuters.

On offering Anatomy & Physiology for Coders, Lori Jayne, RHIA, Privacy Officer and Health Information Management Director for Lahey Clinic, said, “The course resonates with Lahey Clinic’s mission to advance healthcare through the education of all staff members. Medical coders play a crucial role in healthcare services Lahey Clinic is committed to providing the tools necessary to help them excel in their important work.”

Lahey Clinic, a nonprofit group practice, is a physician-led organization with nearly 450 physicians. The hospital has physicians from virtually every medical specialty, who cooperate to develop personalized treatment plans for each patient.

Lahey Clinic is also a teaching hospital for Tufts University School of Medicine, and has residency and fellowship programs for more than 130 new physicians in multiple subspecialties.  Teaching assignments are held by many of its physicians at Harvard Medical School and Boston University School of Medicine

Anatomy & Physiology for Coders uses Donald Rizzo’s Fundamentals of Anatomy & Physiology as its textbook. In addition, the course uses lesson notes, interactive educational games, multi-media videos, and full-color anatomical drawings to maximize student engagement. To help students master the material, weekly assessments and multiple quizzes are given.

The courseis approved for 24 continuing education units (CEUs) by the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) and 12 continuing education units (CEUs) by the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC).

To learn more about Barry Libman’s Anatomy and Physiology Course for Coders, visit
http://www.barrylibmaninc.com

For more about Lahey Clinic, visit
http://www.lahey.org/

ABOUT LAHEY CLINIC

Lahey Clinic is a physician-led, nonprofit group practice. Nearly 450 physicians and more than 4,000 nurses, therapists and other support staff work together to provide compassionate care and superior patient outcomes. The Clinic's multidisciplinary approach allows patients’ access to preeminent physicians from virtually every medical specialty, who cooperate to develop personalized treatment plans for each patient.

The 12-week course, titled Anatomy & Physiology for Coders, prepares medical coders for the transition to ICD-10-CM and –PCS. The course is accessible online twenty four hours a day, seven days a week.

“Western Connecticut Health Network is pleased to collaborate with Barry Libman Inc. to offer medical coders courses for our region,” said Ms. Samina Ahmed, Director of Coding and Documentation at Danbury and New Milford Hospitals.

“Medical coders,” she added, “play a vital role in ensuring quality patient care, which is what Western Connecticut is all about. When healthcare professionals – such as medical coders – are well trained, then patients are well taken care of.”

Western Connecticut Health Network is a patient-centered system of care dedicated to improving health and well being in western Connecticut and adjacent areas of New York.

It was created in 2010 by Danbury Hospital, New Milford Hospital, and their affiliated organizations.

Along with Danbury Hospital and New Milford Hospital, the Western Connecticut Health Network includes the following affiliated organizations: the Western Connecticut Medical Group, Western Connecticut Home Care, Corporate Health Care, Emergency Medical Services (EMS), the Danbury Pharmacy and Corporate Healthcare for occupational healthcare services.

As an organized network of providers, services and locations, Western Connecticut Health Network brings together people, technology and processes to deliver timely, convenient, and appropriate care for all patients.

In Anatomy & Physiology for Coders – which includes the textbook Fundamentals of Anatomy & Physiology by Donald Rizzo – students are comprehensively grounded in the major body systems. Course topics also include common laboratory tests, frequently prescribed drugs, and common diseases and disorders.

Along with quizzes and assessments, which help students master the course, lesson notes, interactive educational games, multi-media videos, and full-color anatomical drawings are offered to promote student engagement.

The courseis approved for 24 continuing education units (CEUs) by the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) and 12 continuing education units (CEUs) by the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC).

The distribution of the course is through an affiliation with Barry Libman Inc., an organization that provides health information management coding, audit, and education services.

Anatomy & Physiology for Coders trains medical coders to prepare them for the transition to ICD-10. Students access the 12-week course online, at any day or time of the week.

The course is approved by the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) (for 24 continuing education units) and the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC) (for 12 continuing education units).

“Anatomy & Physiology for Coders is an excellent course for training medical coders in a flexible but efficient manner,” said MeHIMA president Connie Elliott. “We recommend this to all MeHIMA members that need an Anatomy & Physiology refresher course in preparation for ICD-10.  The course’s thorough and targeted material provides medical coders the educational base they need to successfully transition to ICD-10-CM and –PCS.”

MeHIMA, a component state association of the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA), seeks to promote the responsible use of health information. It contributes to the advancement of health information technology by providing Maine health information professionals with education and professional development.  MeHIMA also collaborates with public and private agencies and associations on health information issues.

In the Barry Libman Inc. Anatomy & Physiology for Coders affiliate program, state associations receive all the tools needed for promoting the course. Besides being a secondary revenue stream, the course can be used to supplement webinars, audio training programs, and on-premise seminars.

Anatomy & Physiology for Coders provides a complete review of the major body systems. In addition, the course covers common laboratory tests, frequently prescribed drugs, and common diseases and disorders.

The course includes lesson notes, quizzes, weekly assessments, multi-media videos, interactive educational games, and full-color anatomical drawings. The textbook is Donald Rizzo’s Fundamentals of Anatomy & Physiology.

To learn more about the affiliate program, visit

http://www.barrylibmaninc.com/training-education/affiliate-program/

For more about MeHIMA, visit http://www.mehima.org/

The MaHIMA Champion Award was presented to Pepple January 27 at the association’s annual winter meeting held at the Holiday Inn in Woburn, Massachusetts.  A full day of HIM-related technical sessions was supplemented by the presenting of this award.   150 people were on hand to see the event.

“We are very appreciative of Susan Pepple’s contributions to MaHIMA, and to HIM in general,” said Mary Radley, president of MAHIMA. “Her work is regularly characterized by going the extra mile to help the HIM profession thrive – both as a volunteer in the   Massachusetts association, and with individuals as they work to achieve their professional goals.”

“I am humbled and honored to be the recipient of the MaHIMA Champion Award” said Pepple at the award ceremony. “It has been a pleasure to collaborate with so many gifted and talented professionals as we work to meet the challenges of managing our volunteer association within this dynamic industry of healthcare.”

Pepple currently oversees Barry Libman Inc.’s expansion of services to include online education for the health information management professional.  She has been a Vice President at Barry Libman Inc. since its founding in 1998. Pepple is a graduate of the Harvard University Graduate School of Design (MCRP’80) and Southwest Missouri State University

ABOUT MaHIMA

The Massachusetts Health Information Management Association (MaHIMA) supports the provision of high quality medical care in Massachusetts through the effective management of personal health information.

MaHIMA keeps Health Information Management professionals up-to-date on important issues and dynamic changes affecting their workplace and their profession through MaHIMA's extensive calendar of educational sessions. MaHIMA members find a network of peers throughout the state to ask questions, raise concerns and share best practices. MaHIMA is an effective advocate for changes to Massachusetts laws and administrative rules affecting personal health information.

http://www.mahima.org/