Revised 08/2025

HIM 250 - Health Data Classification Systems I (4 CR.)

Course Description

Focuses on the current classification systems used in the healthcare industry. Introduces the professional standards for coding and reporting of inpatient/outpatient diagnostic codes as well as inpatient procedures. Utilizes standards in identifying and accurately assigning codes to diseases and procedures as they relate to statistical research and healthcare financing. Lecture 4 hours per week

General Course Purpose

This course is designed to introduce students to the most current ICD classification systems used. Attention will focus on the official code set used in the healthcare industry in the United States. Classification/language systems such as: ICD, ICD-10-CM, ICD-10-PCS, ICD-O, ICIDH, DSM, SNOMED, Reed, UMLS will be covered. This course is a requirement of the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM) which is the accrediting organization for degree-granting programs in health informatics and information management. The course will be offered to any student which meets the prerequisites and/or is enrolled in the Health Information Management (HIM) or Clinical Data Coding (CDC) programs.

Course Prerequisites/Corequisites

HIM program placed students only:

Prerequisites/corequisites are BIO 142, HIM 110, HIM 130, HIM 141, HIM 142, HIM 220, HIM 226 or permission of instructor. The course will be offered to any student who meets the prerequisites/co-requisites and is program placed in the Health Information Management (HIM) program.

CDC program placed students:

Prerequisites/co-requisites for CDC students are ENG 111, HIM 111, HIM 141 or permission of instructor. The course will be offered to any student who meets the prerequisites/co-requisites and is program placed in the Clinical Data Coding (CDC) program.

Course Objectives

Upon completing the course, the student will be able to:

  • Apply the principles for coding healthcare data using the current ICD-10-CM/PCS
  • Utilize the appropriate application of ICD-10-CM/PCS coding guidelines
  • Identify principal diagnosis and procedure for sequencing diagnoses and procedures as applicable to the appropriate patient care setting
  • Read and interpret clinical information from primary health records to identify all diagnoses and procedures which affect the current episode of care
  • Learn to clarify conflicting/ambiguous clinical information with the responsible healthcare provider
  • Apply the appropriate use of AHA’s Coding Clinic as a coding resources
  • Demonstrate basic knowledge of encoders
  • Describe the system used to keep ICD-10-CM/PCS updated and demonstrate knowledge on how to impact the update process
  • Demonstrate appropriate handling of ethical issues that coders may encounter

Major Topics to Be Included

  • Introduction to the current classification system used in the US
  • Coding format, conventions and basic coding guidelines: diagnoses, operations, procedures
  • Coding steps, UHDDS, medical record as source document, official coding guidelines
  • Introduction to the use of encoders (3M etc.)
  • Ethical issues in coding and clinical documentation
  • Methods used to update the current coding system