MC Strategies, Inc. Announces New Annotated
EduCode® Coding Curriculum

New curriculum will help prepare coders for ICD-10-CM

Released on = September 16, 2004, 5:28 am

Press Release Author = Ford R. Phillips

Press Release Summary = MC Strategies, Inc., a leader in Web-based learning
solutions for the healthcare industry, announced recently they have created a new
annotation feature for their EduCode® e-learning curriculum. With this new
annotation feature, as HIM professionals learn today how to improve their coding
skills for ICD-9-CM, they can also begin preparing for tomorrow’s new ICD-10-CM
system.

Press Release Body = Atlanta, GA, September 16, 2004 – MC Strategies, Inc., a leader
in Web-based learning solutions for the healthcare industry, announced recently they
have created a new annotation feature for their EduCode® e-learning curriculum. With
this new annotation feature, as HIM professionals learn today how to improve their
coding skills for ICD-9-CM, they can also begin preparing for tomorrow’s new
ICD-10-CM system.
According to the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), the new ICD-10-CM
system will provide significant improvements in data quality and consistency of
coding. ICD-10-CM will be used for reporting diagnoses in all settings, and the
new ICD-10-PCS will be used for reporting inpatient procedures. Educating coders on
the new classification system will be a crucial step in the successful transition to
ICD-10-CM.

”MC Strategies through our WebInservice® division and the EduCode® curriculum has
been educating HIM professionals on clinical code sets, medical terminology and
healthcare compliance since 1991. Our current clients will be gradually introduced
to the new ICD-10 coding scheme as we move towards a fully ICD-10 enabled solution.
New clients can be assured that the EduCode curriculum will meet their
current and future HIM education needs. Our clients can count on us to help them
reach a better understanding of ICD-10 in the months and years ahead,” said Mike
Kaminaka, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing at MC Strategies.
“Using this new annotated EduCode coding curriculum, students will learn how to
improve their present coding skills and at the same time be proactively preparing
for the future when ICD-10-CM is implemented,” said Maribel Brogden, Director of
Content Acquisition and Partner Relationships at MC Strategies. “The new curriculum
also contains lessons specific to ICD-10-CM. As new ICD-10-CM classifications are
implemented, they will be added to the lesson sets,” Ms Brogden continued.
“By adopting the new coding curriculum today, coders could be completely educated
and productive on the new ICD-10-CM by the time it is fully implemented in 2007.
Therefore, they would have a very small or, perhaps no, learning curve at all,”
commented Teri Jorwic, MPH, RHIA, CCS, Senior Consultant at MC Strategies.
Page Two – EduCode Curriculum Adds ICD-10-CM Annotation Feature
Within the new EduCode curriculum, as HIM professionals learn how to code a
particular diagnosis under the ICD-9-CM classification system, lesson screens
contain special links. When the learner selects the link, an annotation will appear
that demonstrates to the learner how to code that same diagnosis under the impending
ICD-10-CM coding system. These annotations within selected lesson screens on current
ICD-9-CM and future ICD-10-CM/PCS code sets, along with reviews of draft official
coding guidelines for use of the codes, will allow learners to begin to develop an
understanding and comfort level with ICD-10.
In addition, the new classification system requires that coders have a more thorough
knowledge of anatomy, physiology and medical terminology. WebInservice also has
expert-authored online content that covers these areas, such as their Human Body
Essentials I and II curricula.

About MC Strategies, Inc.
MC Strategies, Inc., headquartered in Atlanta, GA, is the most experienced firm in
developing and maintaining Web-based training content for the healthcare industry.
The company’s WebInservice division is a pioneer in providing Web-based learning
solutions and has a client base that includes some of the country’s largest
integrated delivery networks, over 1,200 hospitals and approximately 70 colleges and
universities.
END
WebInservice® and EduCode® are registered trademarks of MC Strategies, Inc.

Web Site = http://www.mcstrategies.com

Contact Details = Ford R. Phillips
325 Market St.
Alton, IL 62002
(618) 463-1027 phone
(618) 463-0881 fax
rbendmktg@aol.com