
Earning a physician practice management certification can be a game-changer for your career. It demonstrates your expertise and commitment to delivering high-quality patient care.
To get certified, you'll need to meet the eligibility requirements, which typically include having a bachelor's degree and relevant work experience in the field.
Certified physician practice managers (CPPMs) must stay up-to-date with industry developments and best practices by completing continuing education requirements.
Preparation for Certification
To prepare for the Certified Physician Practice Manager (CPPM) exam, you'll need to have a strong understanding of the revenue cycle, compliance regulations, human resources, and health information. The exam is a 200 multiple choice question proctored exam that takes more than five hours to complete.
The CPPM exam is offered by the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC), and it's a great way to demonstrate expertise in corporate compliance, marketing, human resource management, and physician reimbursement. To succeed in a Physician Practice Manager role, you'll need to have a solid foundation in these areas.
UC Online's Physician Practice Management Certification program can help you prepare for the CPPM exam and the knowledge to succeed in a Physician Practice Manager role. Their faculty provides insights to help you prepare for the exam and their curriculum builds your knowledge as a business professional in the healthcare industry with courses like Healthcare Finance, Healthcare Compliance, and Fundamentals of Human Resources.
Cppm Prep
If you're planning to take the Certified Physician Practice Manager (CPPM) exam, you're likely wondering what to expect. The CPPM exam is a 200 multiple choice question proctored exam that takes more than five hours to complete.
To prepare for the exam, it's essential to have a solid understanding of the revenue cycle, compliance regulations, human resources, and health information. The exam will also test your knowledge of marketing and business relationships.
One of the key responsibilities of a Practice Manager is to implement policies and procedures that keep the medical office running smoothly. This requires detailed management of multiple processes, including scheduling, billing, and collections.
Here are some of the key areas you'll need to focus on to prepare for the CPPM exam:
- Revenue cycle
- Compliance regulations
- Human resources
- Health information
- Marketing and business relationships
To help you prepare, UC Online's faculty provides insights to help you prepare for the CPPM exam and the knowledge to succeed in a Physician Practice Manager role. Their curriculum includes courses such as Healthcare Finance, Healthcare Compliance, and Fundamentals of Human Resources.
Why Study?
Studying for certification can open doors to new career opportunities. By preparing for the Certified Physician Practice Manager (CPPM) credential, you'll be well-equipped to advance your career in physician practice management.
You'll gain a solid understanding of healthcare regulations and processes. This knowledge is essential for any healthcare professional looking to move into a management role.
The CPPM credential is a logical next step for those with experience in healthcare and other areas. It's a way to validate your knowledge and experience in physician practice management.
You'll have a good understanding of key areas, including healthcare regulations, fraud and corporate compliance, quality in healthcare, and medical office accounting. These skills are essential for any practice manager.
Here's a breakdown of the key areas you'll cover:
- Health care regulations and processes
- Fraud, abuse and corporate compliance
- Quality in health care
- Medical office accounting, physician reimbursement and revenue cycle management
- Human resource management
- Marketing and business relationships
- HIPAA and data security
- Health IT, EHRs and office technology
Application and Qualifications
To get certified as a physician practice manager, you'll need to meet certain qualifications. The Certified Medical Manager (CMM) credential is the only nationally accredited professional certification specific to practice management.
The CMM credential is for managers of solo provider and small group physician practices, and it validates knowledge of the Nine Domains of Medical Practice Administration. To become a CMM, you'll need to meet the following qualifications.
Here are the specific requirements:
- 2 years of experience working within the healthcare industry in support of patient care
- 12 post-secondary education credits related to healthcare or management
- Each year of experience above the 2-year minimum reduces the education requirement by 1 credit
Once you're certified, you'll need to maintain your credential through continuing education and continuous membership or retesting annually. This ensures that your skills and knowledge stay up-to-date in today's complex healthcare environment.
The CMM exam itself is 3 hours long and consists of 200 multiple-choice questions. You can take the exam remotely with webcam and AI proctoring, or in-person at a test center for an additional fee.
Certification Process
The certification process for physician practice management involves a rigorous evaluation of your knowledge and skills.
To become certified, you'll need to meet the eligibility requirements, which typically include having a bachelor's degree and a certain amount of work experience in the field.
You'll also need to choose a certification program that aligns with your career goals, such as the American Academy of Medical Management (AAMM) or the Medical Group Management Association (MGMA).
The AAMM certification program requires a minimum of 5 years of experience in medical management, while the MGMA program requires a minimum of 3 years of experience in a medical group practice management setting.
Once you've chosen a program, you'll need to apply and submit your application, which will typically include providing documentation of your education and work experience.
After submitting your application, you'll be eligible to take the certification exam, which will test your knowledge and skills in areas such as financial management, human resources, and operations management.
The certification exam is typically a multiple-choice exam that consists of 100 questions and takes 2 hours to complete.
Upon passing the exam, you'll be awarded your certification and can use the credential to demonstrate your expertise and commitment to the field.
General Management
A physician practice management certification is a great way to advance your career in healthcare management. By completing a certificate program, you'll be able to prepare healthcare business processes, workflow, and best practices.
You'll also learn how to execute fraud, abuse, and corporate compliance policies, which is crucial in today's healthcare environment. This includes describing quality initiatives and healthcare risk management, as well as performing medical office accounting, physician reimbursement, and revenue cycle processes.
To become a successful practice manager, you'll need to perform human resource management responsibilities and create a marketing plan and communication plan for business relationships. You'll also need to use practice management software to successfully direct and organize staff and processes.
Here are the key skills you'll need to master in practice management:
- Prepare healthcare business processes, workflow, and best practices
- Execute fraud, abuse, and corporate compliance policies
- Perform medical office accounting, physician reimbursement, and revenue cycle processes
- Perform human resource management responsibilities
- Create a marketing plan and communication plan for business relationships
- Use practice management software to successfully direct and organize staff and processes
With a physician practice management certification, you'll be able to explain HIPAA regulations and data privacy and security measures, as well as describe ethical considerations common to the healthcare environment. This will make you a valuable asset to any healthcare organization.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to become a physician practice manager?
To become a physician practice manager, you typically need a bachelor's degree in a related field and at least 5 years of experience in medical practice management. This role requires strong organizational and communication skills, as well as a working knowledge of healthcare regulations and laws.
Sources
- https://online.uc.edu/blog/physician-practice-management-certification-program-cppm-prep/
- https://my.pahcom.com/cmm
- https://www.charteroak.edu/certificates/physician-practice-management-certificate.php
- https://ucclermont.edu/academics/academic-departments/tech-and-health/certificates/certificate-physician-practice-management.html
- https://www.charteroak.edu/catalog/current/certificates_credentials/physician_pract_mgt_cert.php
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