Reliable and accurate medical coding is like money in the bank. And over a month, the Certified Medical Coder preparatory course can train a trusted office staffer to be a high-caliber coder with a mastery of terms and coding conventions.

Brought to you by the San Antonio-based Practice Management Institute and hosted by the Los Angeles County Medical Association, the CMC course takes place over five Tuesdays in the spring: March 4; March 11; March 25; April 1; and April 8. The PMI requires attendance on all five days for successful course completion. An identical course takes place in Riverside on different days during the same period (See Page 33).

The class size is limited to 30 participants and it costs $749 per person for LACMA member physicians and their staff, while nonmember physicians and their staff must pay $999 each. The fee covers custom printed materials, lunch and a certification exam for each person.

The class will cover topics including: anatomy and physiology terms; ill-defined conditions; neoplasms and adverse effects; supplementary classifications; obstetrics/gynecology codes; coding from chart notes; surgical coding guidelines; pathology and laboratory services; and coding-problem exercises.

Sign up a staff member or yourself--contact LACMA Economic Advocacy Director Socorro Perrins at 213/226-0338 or socorrop@lacmanet.org.