TrustHCS becomes First Company to Welcome AHIMA Apprentices for Clinical Coding

SPRINGFIELD, Mo., April 9, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Today TrustHCS announced it is sponsoring the first two apprentices from the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) Registered Apprenticeship program. The apprentices, Jill Tracy, CCA, CCS, and Kirsten Gibbs, CCA, will receive on-the-job experience for medical coding while earning a salary and receiving mentoring from TrustHCS.

"We're always honored to have new HIM professionals join the company, but sponsoring apprentices marks a game changer for how graduates begin their healthcare career," said Torrey Barnhouse, president of TrustHCS. "It's a direct response to the increased demand for people trained and experienced in clinical coding and clinical documentation improvement—especially in preparation for the October 1, 2015 implementation of ICD-10."

As part of their apprenticeship, Tracy and Gibbs will receive direct experience with actual cases and the latest coding technology.

By sponsoring apprentices, TrustHCS stands apart in the United States labor market. In the U.S., apprentices make up only .2 percent of the labor force, compared to 2.2 percent in Canada and 2.7 percent in Great Britain, according to a July 2014 Brookings Institution report.

"Apprenticeship opportunities represent a major pathway to develop skills within the workforce," said William J. Rudman, PhD, RHIA, executive director of the AHIMA Foundation and vice president of education visioning for AHIMA. "The Apprenticeship becomes a foundational bridge linking the employer community to our academic institutions and enabling more opportunities for advanced skill development. By acting as a sponsor, TrustHCS is closing the gap between education and on-the-job experience." 

Tracy and Gibbs are starting their apprenticeships during a pivotal time in the health information management industry. With the upcoming implementation of ICD-10 there is a greater need for skilled accurate code assignment to improve clinical detail, capturing higher quality information for measuring healthcare. Implementation of ICD-10 will require a well-trained health information workforce ready to assign ICD-10.

TrustHCS will follow guidelines set out in AHIMA's Registered Apprenticeship program, the first national registered program for HIM apprenticeships in the U.S. The guidelines were certified by the U.S. Department of Labor as part of new federal investments in skills and job training. The AHIMA Foundation as the 501(c)3 charitable arm of AHIMA, serves as a bridge between interested employers (also known as sponsors) and apprentices. The apprenticeship connects job seekers looking to gain experience with employers looking for qualified workers.

About TrustHCS
TrustHCS is a health information management consultancy committed to supporting the revenue integrity efforts of our healthcare clients through the provision of coding, coding compliance, clinical documentation improvement and education services. For more information, visit www.trusthcs.com.

About AHIMA Foundation
The AHIMA Foundation is the charitable arm of the American Health Information Management Association. Through the generous support of members and industry partners, the AHIMA Foundation advances the HIM profession through innovative research programs, scholarships and workforce development programs and development of HIM educational initiatives. Together, we provide Better Health Information for All.  www.ahimafoundation.org

SOURCE TrustHCS

Related Links

http://www.trusthcs.com