“Quality is never an accident; it is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, intelligent direction and skilful execution; it represents the wise choice of many alternatives” - William A Foster

MIAA's Clinical Coding team provide a variety of services to support the improvement of clinical coding being recorded by an organisation, such as a comprehensive suite of training courses and audit solutions. The team include highly qualified and experienced staff that will tailor services and delivery to the specific needs of client organisations.

The team have been contracted for local, regional, and national work programmes, including the support and development of the National Clinical Coding Qualification exam papers, and the End Point Assessments for coding apprentices. Clinical coding data is used for a variety of important clinical and statistical functions within the NHS, including:

• Clinical – Clinical governance, clinical audit, and outcome and effectiveness measurement.
• Statistical – National Tariff Payment System, cost analysis, commissioning, aetiology studies, health trends, epidemiology studies, clinical indicators, and case mix and resource planning.

Training & Development

The team hold the TAP Diploma in Learning and Development and are NHS Terminology and Classifications Delivery Services Approved Experienced Clinical Coding Trainers. They have trained over 600 clinical coders and other NHS staff during their careers.

The team offers training in all aspects in the support of clinical coders, including the Clinical Coding Standards Course (the first course all new clinical coders must attend), Clinical Coding Standards Refresher Course, specialty workshops (e.g., Obstetric & Perinatal, Trauma & Orthopaedic), medical terminology and anatomy and physiology.

In addition to the training programme delivered each year, the team can develop bespoke training courses and packages to meet the needs of the organisation.

The delivery of the training can be either at our offices in Regatta Place, on the site of the client or remotely delivered over an online platform.

“We always enjoy the training courses provided by MIAA. Their knowledge and understanding of the classifications, are excellent and their patience with all delegates is much appreciated.”

Clinical Coding Course listings & booking

Clinical Coding Audit

The team are NHS Terminology and Classifications Delivery Services registered Clinical Coding Auditors, and have provided over 100 audits, as well as supporting national programmes, such as the Payment by Results Data Assurance Framework Audits.

All clinical coding audits aim to measure and assist in improving the quality of the clinical coding within an organisation, assessing how well the coded data accurately reflects the diagnosis and procedures described in the clinical records. However, in order to arrive at this determination, the audit will review the appropriateness of the source documents, identify any clinical coding training requirements, and any other elements that impact the quality of the clinical coding.

Clinical coding audits can be conducted to support evidence towards Data Security Protection Toolkit self-assessment, as well as be targeted to risks specific to an organisation. These can be carried out on behalf of the service provider or commissioner.

Solutions

The Clinical Coding team provide a variety of services with experience and knowledge gained from over 25 years of NHS experience providing insight that can benefit clients. Some of the options that have been included in work programmes include: 

• Coding process reviews – Looking at all points that have an impact in the quality of the clinical coding, for example, how the source document is received and reviewed, the work environment, the departmental structure, internal processes, relationships with clinical and other organisation staff, etc.
• Record management to support clinical coding – Reviewing the current quality of the clinical documentation and providing comment on how this can be improved to benefit the accuracy and usefulness of the clinical coding data being recorded on the system.
• Outpatient coding – Review the current quality of the coding assigned to an Outpatient attendance and make realistic recommendations for its improvement.
• Mentoring and coaching – Provide a tailored, individual-specific, programme to support development at all experience levels and with a focus on progression within the profession.
• Non-coder awareness – Both training courses and presentations for staff that have a vested interest in the clinical coding being recorded to highlight the process that is followed, issues that impact its quality, the outcome of poor-quality documentation and clinical coding and what can be done to support improvement.
• Coding support for data analytics programmes – The team have been contracted over the years to support regional and national programmes that use clinical coding data to monitor and plan services being offered. Programmes that the team have been involved with include Greater Manchester’s Effective Use of Resources and NHS England’s Evidence Based Interventions.