RUMFORD – Kim Gallant has been awarded the Certified Professional Coder credential after successfully passing the national certification exam. The exam and certification are sponsored by the American Academy of Professional Coders. The academy is a national organization recognized for its professional accreditation, education and networking opportunities for medical coders.

Improper medical coding can lead to denials of claims for payment for services or, at the least, delay of payments. This means that trained coding professionals are vital to hospitals, physician practices and other medical providers.

An eight year veteran of Rumford Hospital’s practices, Gallant is a mostly self-taught coder, although she did take a 15-week course to prepare for the national exam. She took a course for medical secretaries while at Mountain Valley High School, which provided her with knowledge of medical terminology as a base for her coding work.

Gallant lives in Dixfield with her daughters.