LCCC to offer Certified Document Improvement Practitioner certification

CHEYENNE, Wyoming – A new short-term course that will allow students in the Health Sciences and Wellness Pathway at Laramie County Community College to be Certified Documentation Improvement Practitioners will be offered for the first time in the Spring 2023 semester. 

The Certified Documentation Improvement Practitioner (CDIP) credential demonstrates knowledge of clinical care, expertise in medical coding skills and health record documentation. CDIP professionals expertly bridge the gap between provider documentation and medical coding guidelines and regulations. The certification will be a specialization for graduates in LCCC’s Health Information and Technology (HITM) program.

“Individuals prepared for these tasks are highly-skilled and considered role models within the broader health information community,” said Ann Howard, HITM program director. 

Angela Kortemeier, HITM instructor, identified the need for a CDIP course several years ago. At the time, the program’s personnel were focused on accreditation of the HITM associate of applied arts program. Once accredited, Kortemeier developed the course while preparing for the CDIP exam. The HITM AAS degree program is the only Health Informatics and Information Management (CAHIIM) accredited program in Wyoming.

HITM program students in their final semester are eligible to register for the course. 

“We encourage our students to increase knowledge of future career opportunities,” Howard said. “However, while students are allowed to register for the course, it is recommended that candidates for the exam have professional health information and management credentials, and/or experience in the field to ensure passing successfully.”

The specialization in CDIP will allow HITM students in the final semester of the program to become knowledgeable about a future health care career opportunity. 

Students interested in the health information technology and management (HITM) field enjoy the process of translating human disease and conditions into codes for reimbursement of patient services, Howard said. Additionally, those students will become skilled the collection and reporting of data from patient health records to national registries, ensuring privacy and security of electronic and paper patient health records and analyzing health trends and patterns utilizing visualization of data in graphs and charts.

CDIPs work with physicians, nurses and other providers to ensure clinical documentation written in the record supports compliant medical coding. 

Candidates must meet one of the following eligibility requirements to be considered for the course:

• LCCC HITM student in the final semester of the associate of applied arts program
• Hold an associate degree or higher in allied health or health care discipline, and/or
• Hold a CCS, CCS-P, RHIT or RHIA from the American Health Information Management Association credential
• While not required, a minimum of two years of clinical documentation integrity experience is recommended.
   

For more information about the Health Information and Technology Management program, contact Ann Howard at ahoward1FREELARAMIE or 307.432.1686.