Program of the Month: Medical Healthcare Management

June 1, 2018 Youngwood, Pa.

Westmoreland County Community College’s associate degree program in Medical/Healthcare Management provides students with the academic, simulations and internship experience to start careers as medical receptionists, medical registrars, billing specialists, insurance verifiers, schedulers, entry-level coders and claims processors.

The program combines course work in human biology, medical terminology for the ICD-10 coder, electronic health records, medical billing, understanding of medical insurance and inpatient/outpatient coding. During the last semester, students have the opportunity to apply their skills by completing an internship as well as preparing for the CPC coding exam, which is offered at the college.

Medical receptionists, billers, and/or coders perform administrative tasks within a variety of settings including, but not limited to, physician’s offices, billing units, clinics, insurance companies and various hospital departments and surgical centers.

Upon completion of the associate degree program, graduates are eligible to sit for a variety of national certification exams in both billing and coding. They are also able to further their education by transferring to various four-year institutions to obtain bachelor, master, and doctorate degrees in healthcare or business management.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment in this field is projected to grow 13 percent from 2016 to 2026, which is faster than the average for all occupations.

Westmoreland also offers a certificate and diploma in Medical/Healthcare Management. Both can be applied to the associate degree.