Certifications
Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA)
Also referred to as Medical Office Secretary or Medical Office Assistant, the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) will perform routine administrative and clinical tasks to help keep the physicians’ offices and clinics running efficiently. Tasks may include the following:
- Review and answer correspondence
- Coordinate collection and preparation of operating reports such as time and attendance, terminations, and budget expenditures
- Work with unit operating practices, such as record keeping systems
- Interview job applicants
- Answer calls, schedule appointments, greet patients, and keep files
- Update and maintain patient charts
Benefits to obtaining a Medical Administrative Assistant Certification may include increased subject matter expertise, more job opportunities, and a higher pay scale.
- Information obtained from National Healthcareer Association website – to visit for more information, click here.
Certified Billing and Coding Specialist (CBCS)
A Certified Billing and Coding Specialist’s main focus is on converting a medical procedure, diagnosis, or symptom into specific codes for submitting a claim for reimbursement. As a CBCS, you may perform some or all of the following duties:
- Understand company claim policies
- Assign codes to each diagnosis and procedure
- Rely on information of disease processes
- Understand patient requests for an initial appointment
- Code patient medical records correctly to optimize reimbursement for medical services
Beneifts to obtaining a Billing and Coding Certification may include more job opportunities, higher wages, and increased job security.
- Information obtained from National Healthcareer Association website – to visit for more information, click here.
Certified Professional Coder (CPC®)
AAPC’s Certified Professional Coder (CPC®) credential is the gold standard for medical coding in physician office settings and held by more than 60,000 coding professionals. CPC®’s are critical to compliant and profitable medical practices and typically earn 20% more than non-certified coders – according to the Medical Coding Salary Survey. The CPC® increases your chances of being hired and retained in a competitive job market.
A Certified Professional Coder has proven by rigorous examination and experience that they know how to read a medical chart and assign the correct diagnosis (ICD-9), procedure (CPT®), and supply (HCPCS Level II) code for a wide variety of clinical cases and services.
- Expertise in adjudicating claims for accurate medical coding for diagnoses, procedures and services in a physician-office settings
- Proficiency across a wide range of services, including evaluation and management, anesthesia, surgical services, radiology, pathology and medicine
- A sound knowledge of medical coding rules and regulations including compliance and reimbursement – allowing a CPC® to better handle issues such as medical necessity, claims denials, bundling issues and charge capture
- Knowing how to integrate medical coding and reimbursement rule changes into a practice’s reimbursement processes
- Knowledge of anatomy, physiology and medical terminology necessary to correctly code provider diagnosis and services
- Information obtained from AAPC website – to visit for more information, click here.
Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS) Certification
The Microsoft Office specialist (MOS) certification exam gives students the ability to qualify their education and demonstrate high proficiency in Microsoft’s Office software suite. Individuals who work in positions where Office programs are used frequently, such as administrative assisting or data entry, benefit from MOS certification.
For more information about MOS certification – click here.
Sources Cited
- Unknown. National Healthcareer Association. http://www.nhanow.com/medical-admin-assistant.aspx 2011
- Unknown. National Healthcareer Association. http://www.nhanow.com/billing-coding.aspx 2011
- Unknown. American Academy of Professional Coders. http://www.microsoft.com/learning/en/us/certification/mos.aspx 2011
- Unknown. Microsoft Corporation. http://www.microsoft.com/learning/en/us/certification/mos.aspx 2011
