This practical guide prepares you for a career in medical coding with comprehensive coverage from the most trusted source in the field. In it you’ll get an introduction to Current Procedural Terminology (CPT), as well as in-depth explanations of the sections found in the CPT manual, in sequential order. Each chapter in Unit 1 introduces various procedures and demonstrate how to properly code them. Practice exercises reinforce important concepts and allow you to test your comprehension. This detailed, up-to-date resource also features complete coverage of the International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) and third-party reimbursement, along with 1997 documentation guidelines for E/M services, and Alpha II iCoder exercises.
- Full-color presentation makes content visually stimulating.
- In-text exercises throughout each chapter reinforce coding rules and concepts and emphasize the book’s step-by-step organization.
- Concrete “real-life” coding examples allow you to apply important coding principles and practices to actual scenarios from the field.
- Medical procedure illustrations and discussions help you better understand the services being coded.
- Three varieties of answer blanks test your understanding of correct coding practices.
- Coding Shots provide tips for complicated coding scenarios and advice for entering the job market.
- Stop! notes offer a brief summary of material just covered to help ensure retention and understanding and provide a transition into the next topic.
- Caution! notes warn users of common coding mistakes and reinforce the concept of coding as an exact science.
- Check This Out! Boxes offer notes on accessing reference information, primarily via the Internet.
- Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting boxes present the official guidelines alongside text discussions and visually indicate inpatient vs. outpatient use.
- 30-day trial access to Alpha II iCoder introduces you to professional coding software and acts as a supplement to the main text material.
- Companion CD provides a variety of activities that reinforce material from the text.
- Updated text presents the latest coding information available.
- Quick Check features immediately reinforce key concepts and test your retention and understanding.
- New From the Trenches quotes provide valuable insights from instructors and professionals in the medical coding field.
- Coders Index makes it easy to instantly locate specific codes.