Pain Management Coding Alert

Question: I work for a small practice where I do a little bit of everything; coding, budgeting, billing, practice management. We are formulating our budgets for training and certifications for 2017, and I am considering taking the Certified Physician Practice Manager (CPPM®) exam. Could you tell me a bit about this exam?

Ohio Subscriber

Answer: For the CPPM® exam, you should look at the who, what, when, where and why of the exam. Check out this info on CPPM® certifications, and why you might consider getting it:

Who? The American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC) administers the Certified Physician Practice Manager (CPPM®) exam.

What? According to the AAPC, a CPPM® certification will demonstrate that you have expertise in:

• The workings of different insurance plans;
• The processes, workflow and reform of the healthcare business;
• Where fraud, abuse can occur;
• Corporate compliance;
• What constitutes quality healthcare;
• Accounting, physician reimbursement, and medical practice revenue cycle management;
• Human resource management;
• Forming relationships with marketing and business partners;
• Securing data, specifically protected health information (PHI), for compliance with the Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act (HIPAA) and
• Health information technology (IT), electronic health records (EHRs) and the health information exchange.

When? Schedule a CPPM® exam on the AAPC Certification Exam Locations page: https://www.aapc.com/certification/locate-examination.aspx.

Where? On the aforementioned website, you can search for an exam by either:

• Country, state, or index or
• Country, zip code, and proximity.

Why? According to the AAPC website, the CPPM® credential “is a logical next step for those with strong experience in other areas of healthcare, and are ready to advance their careers in physician practice management.”

With this certification, “experienced practice managers will benefit from the broadened skillset and validation of their knowledge and experience in this skilled profession,” AAPC continues.

For more information on the CPPM® exam, see: https://www.aapc.com/certification/practice-manager-certification.aspx.