Certified Provider Credentialing Specialist Training & Certification

<h3 id="section---WhatIsACertifiedProviderCredentialingSpecialist">What is a Certified Provider Credentialing Specialist?</h3> <p>A Certified Provider Credentialing Specialist, or CPCS, work in healthcare settings, like hospitals, doctors' offices and more. They are tasked with confirming the credentials of healthcare workers, including their education and licensure. Their duties can also include making sure their organization is adhering to applicable policies and laws that have been set by government groups. The healthcare industry is constantly growing and jobs in the field are expected to increase by 15% from 2019 to 2029. This will create more positions, meaning more organizations may be hiring CPCSs to verify the credentials and ensure regulatory compliance. </p> <p /> <table border="1"><tr><td><b>What is a CPCS?</b> </td><td>A professional who verifies credentials and ensures compliance</td></tr> <tr><td><b>College Programs</b> </td><td>Associate's degree, bachelor's degree</td></tr> <tr><td><b>Courses</b> </td><td>Healthcare policies, medical terminology, healthcare administration</td></tr> <tr><td><b>CPCS Certification</b> </td><td>Applicants must meet certain qualifications and pass an exam</td></tr> <tr><td><b>CPCS Salary</b> </td><td>$58,805</td></tr> </table><h3 id="section---WhatCollegeProgramsCanPrepareMeForACPCSPosition">What College Programs Can Prepare Me for a CPCS Position?</h3> <p>Certified Provider Credentialing Specialists need to have an understanding of medical terminology and related healthcare topics. The educational requirements for these positions vary by employer. The more related work experience that a candidate has, the less education they may need along with it. Some of the programs that can prepare students for roles as CPCSs are shown in the table below. </p> <p /> <table border="1"><tr><th>Program </th><th>Possible Concentrations </th><th>Program Length </th><th>Courses</th></tr> <tr><td>Associate's Degree </td><td>*Medical Administration Assistance <br />*Healthcare Administration </td><td>2 years </td><td>*Medical terminology <br />*Management in Healthcare <br />*Healthcare Records</td></tr> <tr><td>Bachelor's Degree </td><td>*Healthcare Administration or Management </td><td>4 years </td><td>*Healthcare Regulations <br />*Healthcare Administration <br />*Insurance and Reimbursement</td></tr> </table><h3 id="section---WhatCoursesWillITake">What Courses Will I Take?</h3> <p>The courses included in a college program that prepares students for CPCS roles depend on the school and degree level. Students will take a combination of general education and program-specific courses. General education courses can include communication, English, social sciences and math. Program-specific coursework may include some of the courses listed below. </p> <p /> <table border="1"><tr><th>Class </th><th>Content</th></tr> <tr><td>Medical Terminology </td><td>Students learn about the structure and components of medical terms as well as terms for human anatomy and health topics</td></tr> <tr><td>Healthcare Records </td><td>This course explores medical record storage, privacy, access and usage</td></tr> <tr><td>Healthcare Policies </td><td>Students learn about the policies and regulations that impact the U.S. healthcare system</td></tr> <tr><td>Healthcare Administration </td><td>This course reviews healthcare management processes, such as coding, processing insurance and more</td></tr> </table><h3 id="section---HowDoIGetCertifiedAsACPCS">How Do I Get Certified as a CPCS?</h3> <p>The CPCS credential is offered by the National Association of Medical Staff Services (NAMSS). The qualifications for taking the exam include: </p> <ul><li>Current employment in the healthcare industry </li><li>Employed for at least 12 months (consecutively) </li><li>Must have 3 years of experience working in the healthcare industry within the most recent 5 years </li></ul><p>Once a candidate meets the qualifications, they can schedule an exam with NAMSS. The exam covers topics such as credentials and verification, compliance, and efficient operations of documents and healthcare data. </p> <h3 id="section---HowMuchDoesACPCSMake">How Much Does a CPCS Make?</h3> <p>The earnings of a CPCS can vary by state, organization and level of education. PayScale.com reports that those with the CPCS credential make an average salary of $58,805. Those working in related roles are shown in the table below along with CPCSs. </p> <p /> <table border="1"><tr><th>Job Title </th><th>Average Annual Salary</th></tr> <tr><td>Certified Provider Credentialing Specialist </td><td>$58,771</td></tr> <tr><td>Credentialing Specialist </td><td>$50,000</td></tr> <tr><td>Credentialing Supervisor </td><td>$59,000</td></tr> <tr><td>Credentialing Coordinator </td><td>$53,000</td></tr> <tr><td>Credentialing Manager </td><td>$63,000</td></tr> </table><p><i>Source: PayScale.com</i></p>