MARBLEHEAD, Mass.--HCPro, Inc. has furthered expanded into the medical coding, reimbursement, compliance, Medicare and revenue cycle markets by acquiring HRAI Coding Specialists, LLC (HRAI), a Richmond, VA-based company founded by industry expert Hugh Aaron. HRAI provides educational courses in the form of intense, multi-day Boot Camp formats and audioconferences.
Aaron, a healthcare lawyer and a Certified Professional Coder, is a thought leader in the medical coding and compliance fields. Aaron speaks at many industry conferences throughout the year.
In conjunction with the transaction, Aaron has accepted the position of Senior Vice President of Compliance and Regulatory Affairs/Regulatory Counsel at HCPro, and will join HCPro's Executive Team. He will continue to oversee the quality of the Boot Camp courses, audioconferences, and onsite training programs in addition to having extensive involvement in HCPro's new product development process. Aaron also will formulate HCPro's strategic plan for several assigned markets.
After completing six acquisitions in 2005, the HRAI deal is HCPro's third acquisition of 2006. In February 2005, HCPro acquired a subscription Web site, JustCoding.com, which gave HCPro additional access to coders who use the site for continuing education.
"We are absolutely delighted that Hugh and the staff and faculty of HRAI are joining HCPro," said Bruce Guzowski, HCPro's CEO. "Hugh and the HRAI team have a wealth of industry expertise and they will help us deliver new and exciting products and services to the medical coding, reimbursement, compliance, Medicare and revenue cycle markets."
Aaron said, "There was only so much we could accomplish independently. Joining HCPro provides the HRAI team with tremendous access to resources. I am confident this relationship will give us the ability to continue to enhance our existing courses while at the same time allowing us to offer our existing customers and HCPro's customers' innovative new courses and new ways for healthcare professionals to obtain coding and regulatory information."
HCPro is purchasing all the assets of HRAI, including the Company's five primary courses, including the Certified Coder Boot Camp(R) - Original Version, Certified Coder Boot Camp(R) - Inpatient Version, Medicare Boot Camp(R) - Hospital Version, Medicare Boot Camp(R) - Professional Services Version, Medicare Boot Camp(R) - Long Term Care Version. HRAI offers about 100 courses a year either on an open registration basis or on-site at hospitals, health systems, academic practice plans or health plans.