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hours. Experienced instructors teach the course using a curriculum specifically designed to equip coders with the baseline they need to adapt to the new code set. Students have access to more than 200 coding samples, and they can use them to practice ICD-10 coding on their own, even if their office still uses ICD-9. "In the Bryant & Stratton course, students gain hands-on experience with coding in addition to the draft book of all the ICD-10 codes," says Beth Sassano, CCS-P, CPC, CPC-I, CPMA, instructor at Bryant & Stratton College and Chief Operating Officer at North Medical Cardiovascular Group. "We give students three or four diagnoses to code, and we discuss how they arrived at their answers. We provide feedback to questions and help health workers draw on their expertise to discuss the uses of the code set." Coding the Future Although the original ICD-10 compli- ance date of Oct. 1, 2013, no longer applies, the eventual adoption of the new code set is certain. Additionally, health care workers face the prospect of a possible beta version of ICD-11 being adopted by the interna- tional community in the near future. "Coders proficient in ICD-9 generally transition more easily to the ICD-10 code set," explains Wilkie. "Conversely, coders who begin with no knowledge of the former code set take longer to grasp the intricacies of ICD-10." The improved coding adaptability among coders familiar with ICD-9 implies that those who have adopted ICD-10 will be prepared in case legislators decide to move ahead to an even newer code THE PROFESSIONAL SKILLS CENTER at Bryant & Stratton College has locations in the Albany, Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse areas. Along with the medical coding program, Bryant & Stratton offers national certification programs in: + Certified EKG Technician (CET) + Certified Phlebotomy Technician (CPT) + General Capabilities + Medical Billing + Medical Transcription MDNEWS.COM s MD NEWS Central New York | 11 SUPPLEMENT CODING WITH CLINICAL KNOWLEDGE "THE ICD-10 CODE set will require coders to have a broader base of clinical knowledge than they have needed in the past," says Phoebe Wilkie, CPC-I, CCS-P, Director of the Professional Skills Center at Bryant & Stratton College in Albany. "Bryant & Stratton has a baseline program called 'Clinical Foundations' that offers an integrated approach to terminology, anatomy & physiology, pathophysiology, and pharmacology." Health care professionals involved in coding information for inpatients deal with a greater volume of codes. They also receive information from more sources, creating variety in the levels of clinical documentation they'll have to code. As a result, hospitals have a greater need for trained coders. To gain the supplementary knowledge necessary to code in ICD-10 or perform other common tasks involved in coding and billing, health care workers can also take these courses: + Customer Service for Healthcare Providers + Ethics & Confidentiality Seminar + Microsoft Office Productivity + Introduction To Coding + American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC) Professional Medical Coding Curriculum + Fundamentals of Inpatient Coding + CCS Exam Prep set. Since coding involves interindustry communication and reimbursement, practices and health systems not using the up-to-date codes will be at risk of losing deserved compensation from agencies with more advanced coders. Students who have taken the Bryant & Stratton course provide their organiza- tions with assurance of reimbursement and efficiency. The organizations, in turn, gain the ability to communicate with a wide network of health systems and practices and provide a higher level of patient care. "Health care workers need to embrace the new code set," says Sassano. "The change to ICD-10 is coming, and it will help coders, physicians and patients." Visit www.bryantstratton.edu/PSC to learn more about the coding certification courses available at Bryant & Stratton College. s Bryant & Stratton has been serving the educational needs of the Central New York community since 1976.