Blog Series to Chronicle CCA Journey

Rebecca Harmon, MPM, RHIA, an experienced HIM professional who regularly writes and speaks on education, workforce issues, and management, is sharing her CCA preparation journey in a series of blog posts on her experiences taking Libman Education's CCA Exam Preparation course.

Titled "Prepping for the CCA," this series is a week-by-week narrative of Harmon's setbacks, victories, and everything in between. However, it is not just about a single coder's personal journey; it is intended to foster a community experience through challenges shared by fellow coders, and by encouraging them to relate their own journey.

“The 'Prepping for the CCA' series is a reach-out to the coding community; a way to not only share ideas and discoveries, but to receive them as well,” says Harmon. “When preparing for a coding credential, we all go through moments of excitement, anticipation, and uncertainty; and we all experience setbacks, standstills, and milestones. By sharing my own experiences, I hope to be an encouragement to my peers—and I look forward to being encouraged by them as well.”

Harmon returned to HIM practice in a leadership role after spending several years as an HIM educator. Having a history of diverse health care experience that began with a tour of duty in the US Navy, she regularly writes and speaks on education, workforce issues, management and life.

With Harmon’s vast experience and current role in HIM leadership for a major medical center, one might wonder why she is undertaking a CCA credential.

“I've decided that after all this time as an RHIA, I need to expand my horizons and add a coding credential to my resume,” she explains. “As an HIM manager I know how critical coding is to the revenue cycle of the hospital and, in fact, to the survival of the health care system. Although I have never worked as a coder, I'm very interested in ‘closing the loop’ in my HIM experience.”

To begin reading the "Prepping for the CCA" series, visit www.libmaneducation.com/cca-prep-student-perspective-part-1-new-challenge.

Libman Education’s CCA Exam Preparation is an online course that provides valuable study and test-taking strategies, a review of medical terminology and common diagnoses by body system, and intensive ICD-9-CM and CPT coding practice. For more about the course, visit www.libmaneducation.com/cca-exam-preparation-course.

Source: Libman Education