AUSTRALIAN CODING CLASSES IN KOCHI

Complete a clinical coding course that is accredited by the Health Information Management Association of Australia (HIMAA), such as a Diploma of Clinical Coding (HLT50321) or Bachelor of Health Information Management. 

INTODUCTION

Recently, researchers in Australia, America, England, and Canada have conducted national surveys of clinical coders in their respective countries. In Australia in 2002, the National Centre for Classification in Health (NCCH) in collaboration with the Health Information Management Association of Australia and the Clinical Coders' Society of Australia conducted the National Clinical Coder Workforce survey, a study of clinical coders and coding managers.1 In America, in 2002, the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) commissioned an independent national workforce research study to the Center for Health Workforce Studies (CHWS), State University of New York at Albany, to provide a picture of health information management roles today and forecast through 2010.2 In England, in 2003, the National Health Service Information Authority (NHSIA) conducted a national clinical coder survey, along with a survey of coding managers, in a similar format to that completed by Australia.3 In Canada, in 2002, a study was conducted by the Canadian Health Record Association (CHRA) (currently known as the Canadian Health Information Management Association [CHIMA]) and Thiinc iMi, which provided information regarding the various roles health record professionals have in the healthcare sector, the qualifications of health record professionals, and their salaries.4

While these surveys have been conducted independently, they have addressed similar issues in terms of coders' salaries, educational backgrounds, roles and responsibilities, resources, experience, and continuing education needs. While several papers/reports have been generated from individual research at a national level, there has been no systematic comparison of the coder workforce at an international level to date. This paper will describe the findings of each of the national surveys and seeks to identify similarities and differences in important aspects of the coder workforce at an international level.

 AUSTRALIAN CLINICAL CODERS

In Australia, clinical coders are responsible for allocating ICD-10-AM codes to diagnoses and procedures as part of their work, and the process of coding refers to the tasks of allocating ICD-10-AM codes using books or an encoder, data entry or indexing of codes, checking of coding edit reports, updating coding books, quality assurance activities relating to coding, participating in meetings to discuss coding issues, or any other activity related specifically to coding.

Coders in Australia generally have one of three professional backgrounds. Some coders have qualifications in Health Information Management from one of four universities in Australia that offer this program. Each undergraduate program offers a significant component of clinical coding and related subjects (medical terminology, medical science, anatomy, and physiology) as part of the core HIM curriculum. Graduate HIM coders often participate in other activities relating to the management and administration of the medical record or health information service within their hospital of employment, although they may also choose to code exclusively.

The HIMAA also offers educational courses for clinical coders. Both medical terminology and various skill levels of clinical coding courses (introductory, intermediate, and advanced) are offered by the Association through its distance education program, and this training avenue provides a significant source of education for practicing coders. There is no prerequisite knowledge or previous educational attainment required to enrol in an HIMAA medical terminology distance education program, although it is necessary to have completed the medical terminology component or demonstrate skills in this subject before the coding subject is undertaken.

Other coders may not have received formal education in coding, but have been taught to code   "on the job" through either a structured educational program offered by their hospital or hospital group or informally one-on-one with another coder. Coders without some form of formal education in coding are becoming less common in Australia.