AAPC's membership continues to grow

The American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC, www.aapc.com) announced today its membership reached a record high 90,000. Donna Peters, from Yorba Linda, CA was the 90,000th member and to reward her, the AAPC is giving her a CPC® certification exam free of charge. Already the nation's largest training and certification association for medical coders, the AAPC's membership continues to grow with its focus on outpatient credentials and strong member services.

Donna has a B.A. in Communications from California State University – Fullerton and eight years of human resource experience, giving her a unique view of health care on the employee side. After speaking with a friend who does medical coding, she was excited to build on her existing experience in HR with a new career in medical coding. Donna plans on taking the (CPC®) certification exam in July of this year. Once certified she plans to research and find a specialty that best matches her interests and experience. She is confident that her education and certification with the AAPC will help her grow professionally.

"The demand for highly qualified medical coders has steadily increased over the years as physicians feel the pain of increased workload and lower reimbursements. Many physicians are reducing time and stress by hiring a CPC," said Reed E. Pew, AAPC president and CEO. "The AAPC provides coders with the knowledge and tools necessary to help physicians manage their revenue cycle while they remain focused on patient care."

The AAPC announced in mid-2009 its drive to reach 100,000 members by the end of 2010 and expects to achieve that goal.

"Reaching 90,000 members demonstrates our commitment to providing high-quality, cost-effective education that meets the ever changing demands of today's professional coders," said Terry Leone, President of the AAPC National Advisory Board and President of Catamount Associations LLC in Palmyra, NY. "We will continue to provide our members the skills necessary to succeed in the years to come."

Members of the AAPC enjoy many benefits, including medical coding training, networking and employment resources. The AAPC expects continued growth over the next several years in the physician office and outpatient arenas as more and more patients opt to use outpatient facilities because of the lower cost of services.