Northern Virginia Community College
Northern Virginia Community College

Revised 9/2026

HIM 199 - Supervised Study - CDC Students only (1 CR.)

Course Description

Assigns problems for independent study incorporating previous instruction and supervised by the instructor. May be repeated for credit.

General Course Purpose

The purpose of the clinical experience provided through this simulated laboratory is to give students opportunities to apply healthcare coding principles, guidelines, and classification systems to simulated medical records representing a variety of healthcare settings. Through case-based and laboratory activities, students develop and demonstrate entry-level coding competencies, including code assignment and reimbursement classification. Students also analyze coding data, evaluate coding accuracy and quality, and develop reports to communicate coding quality findings. The course emphasizes the practical application of coding knowledge and skills in preparation for entry-level practice.

Course Prerequisites/Corequisites

Prerequisites/corequisites are ENG 111, HIM 111, HIM 141, HIM 250, HIM 110, HIM 254, HIM 255, HIM 260 or permission of instructor. The course will be offered to any student who meets the prerequisites/corequisites and is program placed in the Clinical Data Coding (CDC) program.

Course Objectives

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

  • Apply current healthcare coding guidelines accurately to assign codes for inpatient, outpatient, physician office, and other ambulatory care encounters.
  • Demonstrate coding proficiency by achieving a minimum of 85% accuracy, consistent with entry-level competency expectations.
  • Determine appropriate Diagnosis-Related Group (DRG) and Ambulatory Payment Classification (APC) groupings based on documented diagnoses, procedures, and services.
  • Assign appropriate Present on Admission (POA) indicators using applicable coding guidelines and documentation.
  • Analyze coding data to identify trends, patterns, and quality issues and create graphical reports that communicate coding accuracy and quality findings.

Major Topics to Be Included

  • Healthcare Coding Fundamentals
  • Inpatient Coding
  • Outpatient and Ambulatory Coding
  • Healthcare Coding Guidelines and Compliance
  • Diagnosis-Related Groups (DRGs)
  • Ambulatory Payment Classifications (APCs)
  • Present on Admission (POA) Indicators
  • Coding Documentation and Clinical Validation
  • Coding Quality and Accuracy
  • Coding Data Analysis and Reporting
  • Integrated Coding Applications