Its not that they don't want to help, it really is true that most facilities can not accomodate students. The health care field has been hit with the recession as well, with reimbursement getting cut, facilities are cutting back. My dept is running on bare bones, and we just don't have the time to take in students, to take away from our daily work, to show them how to code. If we aren't coding, we are losing revenue.
I would suggest instead of trying to find an intern/externship, start looking for an entry level HIM job, something that will get your foot in the door and help you gain experience. Once you are an internal candidate, you should have an easier time moving up to a coding position when one becomes available.
Cordelia, CCS, CPC