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Get To Know AAPC

Get To Know AAPC

AAPC, which stands for American Academy of Professional Coders, is a “training and credentialing organization for the business side of healthcare,” according to www. aapc.com.  AAPC was created in 1988 in the effort to raise the standards of medical coding by offering medical coding professionals and medical coding students with trainings, certifications, continuing education and support, networking opportunities and career choices.  AAPC has grew beyond just outpatient coding and currently offers training and credentials in documentation and coding audits, inpatient hospital/facility coding, regulatory compliance and physician practice management.

AAPC offers numerous different certifications including the following: Professional Service Coding (CPC), Hospital Inpatient Coding (CIC), Hospital Outpatient Coding (COC), Payer Perspective Coding (CPC-P), Professional Billing (CPB), Medical Audition (CPMA), Medical Compliance (CPMA), Physician Practice Management (CPPM) and other specialty coding certificates.  The services AAPC offers go beyond just certifications. AAPC offers trainings for all levels of medical coders, from pre-credential to post-credential needs.  AAPC also offers an extensive amount of ongoing education services including local chapter meetings, workshops, online trainings, newsletters, and conferences.

AAPC relies on several different boards (National Advisory Board, Chapter Associations Board, Physicians Advisory Board and Legal Advisory Board) to keep the organization running smoothly.  The National Advisory Board consists of industry professionals who offer AAPC leaders insight into coding issues, trends and needs.  This board also advocates for the mission of AAPC and the coding profession.  The Chapter Advisory Board is a non-profit association that governs AAPC local chapters.  According to aapc.com, “The Board provides policy, rules, regulations, direction, and advice to the AAPC local chapters and is also charged with ensuring that the local chapters function in accordance with the mission of the AAPC.”  This board is also responsible for awarding the hardship scholarship fund, which is a scholarship that provides financial assistant to AAPC members who may need assistance with their credentials and membership.  The Physician Advisory Board is a voluntary board who give a physician’s view of coding issues and trends.  The final board AAPC relies on to function is the Legal Advisory Board.  This board offers advisory to the AAPC National Office.

3 Major Benefits of mHealth

3 Major Benefits of mHealth

In today’s world, you can virtually access anything you need through mobile devices such as smart phones and tablets.  Healthcare is no exception.  The use of mobile technology in healthcare settings, also known as mHealth, has increase drastically over the past few years.  According to the 2015 HIMSS Mobile Technology Survey, 90% of respondents report they are using mobile technology in their workplace to interact with patients.  These respondents are utilizing different mobile tools, 73% using app enabled patient portals, 63% using telehealth services and 57% using text as a form of communication.  Mobile technology is reshaping the healthcare industry.  Here are the biggest benefits of using mobile technology in the healthcare field:

1. Easy access for patients

MHealth gives patients the opportunity to be more proactive in managing their health and well-being.  Patients are able to access their personal health records instantly.  They are also able to track what they eat, how much they exercise and what symptoms they may be having all through their mobile devices.  Using mHealth also makes it easier and more convenient for physicians and patients to communicate with one another through non-traditional forums.

2. Makes care more accessible

Telehealth services, such as digital hospital rooms and virtual medicine kiosks, give doctors the ability to treat and diagnosis patients from remote locations.  This gives patients the ability to interact with doctors at anytime from anywhere.   Telehealth is especially beneficial in communities where healthcare needs are underserved.

3. Improves time management for healthcare professionals

MHealth improves time management in several different ways.  Utilizing telehealth gives healthcare professionals more time throughout their day to help additional patients.  This is because telehealth eliminates in office visits that are unnecessary, giving more time for those that are.  MHealth also give healthcare professionals instant access to patient’s medical records and medical history, giving professionals more time to spend on patients current needs.

In short, the new era of mHealth is changing the healthcare industry as we know it.  Giving healthcare entities the ability to increase productivity by improving time management, offer more accessibility to all patients regardless of location, and give patients easy and convenient access to their health records and information.