Accreditation of online universities works pretty much the same way for medical billing and coding schools that offer online education as traditional universities. This process is essential to ensuring that you get the quality education you are paying for, and that prospective employers know that your education meets rigorous standards.
Here are some facts that you should know!
To achieve accreditation, all colleges must meet criteria for educational excellence, quality of faculty, and service that are established by the Council for Higher Education.
The two types of accrediting organizations are “regional” and “national.”
Regional accreditation is actually held in higher regard by prospective employers.
There are 6 regional accreditation agencies:
* Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools
* New England Association of Schools and Colleges
* North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
* Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
* Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
* Western Association of Schools and Colleges
National accreditation of online universities is often sought for online universities and other forms of non-traditional schools. The two major national certifying organizations are:
* Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology
* Distance Education and Training Council
The national certifying organizations specific to medical billing and coding schools are:
* American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC)
* Commission of Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM)
There are two types of accreditation:
* Institutional – awarded to a school in it’s entirety
* Specialized – focused on a particular field of study in the school
You should consider “specialized accreditation” whenever you will need to be licensed in a particular field, and also when the job market for a particular field is very competitive. In this instance you will want your degree or certificate program to be valued by prospective employers. Often this can give you a decided edge over others in the field who are trying to get hired coming out of medical billing and coding schools.
When you begin evaluating online universities for your educational needs, first check with the accrediting organizations above to make sure that the online universities you are considering are properly accredited and that their faculties, services, and programs achieve the standards of excellence that are required.
It is also advisable for you to see the advice and guidance of a professional who is already working successfully in this field. They can help steer you toward a quality education program that will prepare you to get that all important first job.
Accreditation for online universities is your assurance that you will receive a quality education and be viewed favorably by prospective employers in the medical billing and coding field.