Allegany College of Maryland Entrepreneurship 206 Web Syllabus

This course will address diagnostic (ICD) and procedural (CPT) coding. The course will broaden coding knowledge and enhance coding skills by covering a variety of medical specialties and coding issues encountered in healthcare providers’ offices.

Prerequisites: Office Technologies 110

Text:

Step-by-Step Medical Coding Online 5^th Edition. Buck, Carol J., Saunders 2004. ISBN 0-7216-0218-5.

ICD-9-CM Code Book (can be from any publisher but must be 2004 edition)

CPT-4 Code Book (can be from any publisher but must be 2004 edition)

Course Outcomes:

· Identify the purpose of the CPT manual

· State the importance of using the current year CPT manual.

· Recognize the symbols used in the CPT manual.

· List the major sections found in the CPT manual.

· Interpret the information contained in section guidelines.

· Identify elements of the CPT manual format.

· Identify and use modifiers accurately in assigning CPT codes.

· Accurately code a wide variety of patient services using the CPT code book.

· List the purposes of ICD-9-CM.

· Apply coding conventions when assigning diagnoses codes.

· Identify characteristics of Volume 1, 2, and 3 formats.

· Define principal diagnosis.

· Assign ICD-9-CM codes to the highest level of specificity.

Technical requirements for the course:

If you have never taken an online course before, this course will be different for you. Our primary means of communication will be through the Internet, therefore, you should be comfortable with using the Internet and email. You must have reliable Internet access (you must provide your own ISP), an email account, and a browser (Netscape 3.0 or higher or Internet Explorer 4.0 or higher).

If using a modem, 28.8 bps or higher is strongly recommended.

You are expected to have basic computer and Internet literacy skills. This includes the ability to work comfortably in a browser, send and receive email with attachments, use a search engine, and create and modify documents in MS Word. You will also need a Blackboard login account. I will assign that to you when I receive your initial email (see below).

You may also want to:

· Take the online quiz to see if distance learning is for you.

· Take the online quiz to see if you have the technical skills to succeed at distance learning.

Please note: Technical difficulties do occur during a semester. However, technical difficulties do not excuse late or incomplete assignments.

Course content

Please see the course calendar for a week-by-week list of what topics will be covered in the course.

How the course is conducted

Welcome to the online version of Introduction to Medical Coding. This introductory page is intended to help you get started. Since there will be no face-to-face class lecture, it is imperative that you are conscientious, motivated and self-disciplined. While the course is very flexible in terms of when you put in the time, you can expect to average about the same amount of time as a normal lecture course -- about three hours total a week per credit. This comes out to nine hours per week. Note also that the course is NOT self-paced. Assignments are due by specific dates. All tests and quizzes must be completed by midnight Saturday of the week assigned. You may work ahead if you like, but you may not “work behind”.

A list of all assignments and their due dates is included in the course calendar. I will NOT remind you of when assignments are due. You are expected to refer to the calendar and to complete all assignments on time. If you have difficulty with the assignments or have any questions, please contact me and I will be happy to assist you.

You will have opportunities to interact with other students enrolled in the course. You are encouraged to communicate with other students in the course by email, by use of the discussion board or by phone. Interacting with other students in the course will enhance your learning experience. I call this teamwork!

Course Materials:

Textbook

Your primary resource is the textbook “Step-by-Step Medical Coding Online, 5^th Edition”. If you don't want to come to campus to pick up the book, you can either order it from the Allegany College of Maryland bookstore and ask them to mail it to you (301-784-5348, there is an additional fee for shipping) or order it online from www.us.elsevierhealth.com. You may order a package that includes the coding books (www.us.elsevierhealth.com/product.jsp?isbn=072163947X) for $209 plus shipping or the text alone (www.us.elsevierhealth.com/product.jsp?isbn=0721602185) for $77.95 plus shipping. If ordering online, use the ISBN number indicated on the syllabus to be sure you order the correct textbook. If you choose this route, please be sure when you order that the textbook is in stock in order to avoid delays.

You must also have a 2004 ICD-9-CM and CPT-4 code book. I suggest that you buy the standard or profession editions. You will need Volumes I and II of ICD-9-CM. Once again, these can be purchased from the college bookstore or order them online. Some suggested sites are www.medicalcodingbooks.com or https://catalog.ama-assn.org/Catalog/home.jsp .

Getting Started

You may start on the course as soon as you register, based upon the assignments indicated in the syllabus. As soon as you register for the course you should send me an email. Without your email address, I have no way of contacting you. This must be done no later than the end of the second week of class, but the sooner the better. My email address is czumbrun@allegany.edu. Please be sure to send me the email from the account you will be using throughout the course. Blackboard will be the primary method for conducting the course. I will respond to your e-mail to let you know that you are registered and can log in to begin.

Please include in the subject line “Coding-Enrollment”.
In the body of the email include:

Your full name

The college which your are attending

Your full mailing address

Your e-mail address

Your preferred contact phone number

Grading and Testing

Assessment for the course will consist of tests and exams taken online. Your scores will be reported to you immediately along with any answers that you may have missed. You may take the quizzes any time before the due date on the calendar.

Scores are automatically entered into the Blackboard Gradebook. If you feel that you have answered a question correctly and Blackboard has marked it wrong, please e-mail me and I will print the test and verify your score.

You will be responsible for taking a CPT final exam and an ICD-9-CM final exam. These will be posted in the assignment section. You will e-mail your answers to me so that I can check them manually.

Students will not receive mid-term grades in the US postal mail. However, all grades will be posted on the blackboard site, so students will always have the opportunity to review grades as soon as I have completed grading of the assignments/exams.

The student’s final grade will be comprised of:

Chapter Exams	80%
Final Exam	20%

A = 93-100%
B = 85-92%
C = 74-84%
D = 65-73%
F = Less than 65%

Late assignments

All assignments are due by midnight Saturday of the week indicated. No late assignments will be accepted. The online quiz feature will be programmed so that quizzes will be unavailable after the due date has passed. Any assignment that is not handed in on time will receive a grade of zero unless there are extenuating circumstances that can be documented.

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) Board

If you have a question or problem please contact me by email at czumbrun@allegany.edu. I check email daily (weekdays only). If the question is something that others may be wondering about I will also post the question and answer to the discussion board.

Contacting me

If you need to speak to me by phone please call my office number at (301) 784-5132. My office hours are listed in the syllabus If this is not convenient for you please send me an email and we can arrange a phone meeting at a mutually convenient time. You may contact me by email at czumbrun@allegany.edu.

Blackboard

This course will be conducted using Blackboard software. You do not need to purchase software to use Blackboard; however, you will need a login and password to access it. I will provide you with this login and password.

After receiving your blackboard username and password you should immediately login to your Blackboard account and orient yourself with Blackboard. You should review the student manual by logging into Blackboard, clicking on the "Tools" button and then clicking on "Manual". You should also print a copy of the "Student Blackboard Handout" in the "Course Documents" section.

You should be able to perform the following functions in blackboard by the end of the first week of class:

Log into your blackboard account (remember to log out when finished!)
Find and read announcements
Find and read course assignments
Find and read course documents
Send email
Find the discussion board
Find the grades area

You may also preview Blackboard at http://company.blackboard.com/Bb5/manuals/Bb5-LevelOne-Student or http://www.blackboard.com prior to beginning the class.

E-Mail Policy

Always use the following guidelines when sending e-mail to me.

In the subject area, enter “Coding” and clearly identify the topic of your e-mail:

Example:    Coding – Question about …
                   Coding– Comments about….
                   Coding – Homework Assignment ….

I receive a lot of email. If you fail to put the word “Coding” in your subject line it is possible that I may overlook your email. I check my email daily on weekdays. If your question requires a lengthy explanation/response from me, I will respond within 24-48 hours. If your e-mail is a quick question or comment, I will respond as soon as I read it.

Please send me e-mail from the account that you will use for this course.

Submission of assignments as electronic files

All online tests and quizzes are automatically submitted to the Gradebook when you click the “Submit” button at the end of the exam. Please be aware that once you start a test, it must be finished. You will have one hour to complete the test. This is similar to the time and requirements for in-class tests.

The answers to the final exam questions will be submitted to me via e-mail.

Rules of conduct for participation in the Discussion Board

Students are encouraged to communicate with each other using the discussion board feature of Blackboard. Just because you cannot physically be in the same room as your classmates doesn’t mean you can’t communicate with them! The discussion board is provided so that students can get to know each other and discuss topics that are related to the course content. It can be a valuable source of information and support. However, please note that all messages are “public”, i.e. available for everyone in the class to view. When posting messages on the discussion board please keep comments on a positive note and avoid “flaming” (verbally attacking someone else). Please provide feedback to other students in a kind and constructive manner.

I will be posting current event articles in the external link section for you to read. You will then be required to join in discussion of the question that I pose in the discussion board. There are no right or wrong answers to these questions. They are simply posted for discussion purposes.

Student Conduct and Plagiarism

The college has a strict policy on academic dishonesty. You are expected to abide by the policy as defined in the student manual.

Plagiarism is passing off someone else’s work or idea as your own. Academic Dishonesty also includes failure on your part to keep your current and past assignments out of the hands of other students who may misinterpret their origins. To receive credit for quantitative assignments, please show all calculations. It is also suggested that you keep a record and/or rough draft of written or other work until you have received your final grade.

Accommodating Disabilities

Any student in this course who has a disability that may prevent him or her from fully demonstrating his or her abilities should contact me personally as soon as possible, so I can discuss accommodations necessary to ensure full participation and facilitate your educational opportunity.

A final note:

This course is still a work in progress. Please, as the semester proceeds, tell me what is working, what is not working, and what else you think I could do to help you be successful in this course. Thanks, and I hope you will enjoy Step-by-Step Medical Coding Online!

Course Calendar

(Calendar is subject to change at instructors' discretion)

All tests/exams are due by midnight on the date listed.

WEEK	ASSIGNMENT	DUE DATE
Week 1	Chapter 1 Introduction to the CPT (Chapter 1 Test and Chapter 1 Exam)	January 31
Week 2	Chapter 2 The Evaluation and Management (E/M) Section (Chapter 2 Exam Parts I and II)	February 7
Week 3	Chapter 3 The Anesthesia Section and Modifiers (Chapter 3 Exam Parts I and II)	February 14
Week 4	Chapter 4 Introduction to the Surgery Section and Integumentary System (Chapter 4 Exams Parts I and II)	February 21
Week 5	Chapter 5 Musculoskeletal System Chapter 6 Respiratory System (Chapter 5 and 6 Exams Parts I and II)	February 28
Week 6	Mid-term exam (covering Chapters 1-6) Chapter 7 Cardiovascular System Chapter 8 Female Genital System and Maternity Care and Delivery (Chapters 7 and 8 Exams Parts I and II)	March 6
Week 7	Chapter 9 General Surgery I Chapter 10 General Surgery II (Chapters 9 and 10 Exams Parts I and II)	March 20
Week 8	Chapter 11 The Radiology Section (Chapter 11 Exam Parts I and II)	March 27
Week 9	Chapter 12 The Pathology/Laboratory Section Chapter 13 The Medicine Section and Level II National Codes (Chapters 12 and 13 Exams Parts I and II) CPT Final Exam	April 3
Week 10	Chapter 14 An Overview of the ICD-9-CM (Chapter 14 Exam Parts I and II) Chapter 15 Using the ICD-9-CM	April 10
Week 11	Chapter 15 Using the ICD-9-CM (Chapter 15 Exam)	April 24
Week 12	ICD-9-CM Final Exam	May 8