ATU-Ozark’s HIT program to Hosted Coding Training

HIT instructor, Brenda Huntsinger teaching HIT professionals new coding rules.

The Health Information Technology department at Arkansas Tech University-Ozark Campus hosted a training in ICD-10-CM training on campus September 18, 2019.

Due to new industry standards some health information professionals require training in ICD-10-CM, which is a disease driven coding system used in skilled nursing facility reimbursements.

The purpose of this training was to understand and apply ICD-10-CM as applicable to the PDPM reimbursement. Participants

 Five continued education (CEU) hours for Arkansas license nursing home administrators have been approved by the Office of Long Term Care.

Attendee Lisa Porter traveled to the training from Kirby, Arkansas. “This is a training we need. [ATU-Ozark HIT instructors] are answering questions for us. This was a really good experience for my coworker and me.”

The ATU-Ozark HIT Department Chair, Bonnie Sher, and instructors, Brenda Huntsinger, and Constance Askins will conduct the training.  Debbie Fort, the Administrator of the Alma Health and Rehabilitation will be a guest speaker as well.  

Debbie Fort spoke about the importance of the training.

“This is a very important subject right now, because starting October 1st, the whole payment system changes and it’s going to be based on what the ICD 10 codes are,” explained Fort.

“This was one attempt to reach out to meet our diverse community needs whom the HIT students are trained to serve.  We look forward to future opportunities to serve,” stated ATU-Ozark’s HIT Chair, Bonnie Sher.

 Twenty-six HIT professionals attended the 2019.

For more information on ATU-Ozark’s HIT program, please visit

https://www.atu.edu/ozark/academics/p-hit.php.