Medical coders to receive national awards

Founders of CedarEdge Medical Coding, LLC will be in Washington, DC on May 17 to 19 to receive honors as the 2009 Small Business Administration (SBA) National Home-Based Business Champions of the Year.

Those receiving awards are Nancy Reading, Jenny Cox, Barbara McGann and Kris Simeona. They helped pioneer regional home-based work opportunities in medical coding. The four women will also receive state and regional awards during ceremonies in Salt Lake City on May 4.

Dr. Bill Olderog, San Juan Campus Small Business Development Center (SBDC) director, says the recognition is a “testament to the power of partnerships and the importance of perseverance.”

CedarEdge and the College of Eastern Utah – San Juan Campus and its Small Business Development Center formed a partnership nearly five years ago that includes industry leaders in medical coding. The nomination for all three awards were prepared and submitted by the CEU San Juan Campus SBDC.

Olderog says the efforts of CedarEdge and their partners have created an “industry shaping” business model capable of securing and delivering contracts for home-based businesses scattered throughout Utah and southwestern Colorado.

Entry into the virtual, home-based medical coding market, Olderog says, is difficult, if not impossible, without work experience, business partners, training and mentoring.

He says the four women “beat the odds” through “perseverance and countless hours of mentoring, tutoring, and personal support.”

Coders trained by the CedarEdge group, Olderog says, have now become mentors and role models for others. “After nearly five years of operation, the rural coders of CedarEdge have not only met industry expectations, they have exceeded them.”

CedarEdge founders and their partners hope the awards will help the rural medical coding program gain added momentum. Meetings with leaders in government, industry, and education are currently underway to explore other opportunities for current and prospective coders in rural communities in Utah and Colorado.

For more information, call Buddy Redd (435-678-8102) or Dr. Bill Olderog (435-678-8177) at CEU-San Juan Campus SBDC.