What is a Medical Coding –

Medical Coding

Medical Coding
As every parent knows, young children love to play roles.  One of the more popular games is pretending to be a doctor.  “I’ll be your doctor and you can be a nurse.”

But this is not what most children (and many adults) feel: The healthcare sector offers a plethora of career opportunities beyond being a doctor or nurse.

Medical coding is one of the most neglected options.  is a medical programmer?”  You have come to the right place.  Read on to take a closer look at this growing occupational therapy.

What is medical coding, exactly?

Before we talk about medical coders, it is important to understand what medical coding is at its core.  Medical coding and record keeping can be found as crude in 17th-century England, but it has developed rapidly during the last few decades.  1

According to the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC), the medical coding definition is as follows: “Medical coding is a change in the universal medical alphanumeric code of healthcare diagnosis, procedures, medical services and devices.”  2Put simply, refers to this.  The process of converting important medical information into simple codes for the purpose of documenting medical records and informing accurate medical billing

Today healthcare settings have somewhat different types of medical codes, but each of them allows for uniform documentation between medical facilities.  Having this standard system allows more seamless transfer of medical records and more efficient research and analysis to track health records.

What is a medical coder?

Medical coders are the persons responsible for converting physicians’ reports into useful medical codes.  These professionals work behind the scenes in various settings, ensuring that all relevant information is coded properly to ensure continuity and accuracy.

After a medical provider examines or treats a patient, the insurance company needs to understand what was done to process the bill.  The common language is too precise to convey its exact information to the insurance company, so a set of specific codes have been established to define medical procedures.  It is useful and efficient in such a way that it is the role of medical coders to pass this information.

Where do medical coders work?

You can assume that you know the answer to this question – hospitals, of course!  But there are many other settings that a medical coder can work on.  The simple answer is that these professionals are employed anywhere who provide medical services.  In this you  According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) .3 include hospitals, clinics, urgent care facilities, nursing homes, treatment centers and more.

Some insurance agencies appoint medical coders to handle patient claims from the other side of the table, verifying the accuracy of incoming claims.  Speaking of accuracy, some law companies also employ medical coders to help identify billing fraud.

Medical programmers need attention to detail, because a small code error can lead to very large problems.  They should also be able to remain focused because their work is somewhat repetitive, but very important.

A handful of technical skills require medical coders to be successful in the field, but transferable skills are also important.  We used real-time job analysis software to examine approximately 17,000 medical coding job postings from 4 last year.  The data showed that the most important skills employers want.

  Top Technical Skills:

  ICD-10

  Customer billing

  Health Information Technology

  Cpt coding

  Incompatible coding

  Outpatient coding

  ICD-9

  Anatomy

  HCPCS Coding

  Clinical documentation

  Top Transferable Skills:

  Communications

  Research

  computer literacy

  Microsoft Office®

  attention to detail

  help

  Organization

  Analytical skills

  problem solving

  time management

If you can relate to some of those transferable skills, then you can be a natural fit for a career as a medical coder.  And don’t be intimidated by the list of technical skills – those are skills that you acquire with formal education.

How do you become a medical coder?

Special training and certification is required to become a medical coder.  It is not just a task that anyone can do but it is what makes medical coders important in the world of health.

Although training is necessary, the time it takes will be significantly less than other healthcare professions.  Many medical coding programs can be completed in nine months.  This fast and flexible option means that aspiring medical coders can fit this training into their busy schedule.  It is an ideal route for working adults with financial and family obligations.

Upon completion of the medical coding program, the next stage is the CCA (Certified Coding Associate) or CCS (Certified Coding Specialist) exam offered by the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA).  This step is not always necessary, but is generally favored by employers.

What is the Career Outlook for Medical Coders?

I heard about the expected professional development in the healthcare sector.  Therefore, it is not surprising that the functions of medical programmers have increased.  The BLS unemployment project will increase medical programmers by 13 percent by 2026, double the average for all occupations.  3

39,180.3.  This is above average for all businesses.  Factors such as experience, training, and job readiness can also contribute to higher medical wages.  The BLS reports that the most profitable professionals can earn more than $ 60,000 annually. 3

Considering becoming a medical coder?

Now you have a basic understanding of medical coding definition, what a medical coder is, and these professionals have a significant role in the healthcare industry.  Job compatibility and short cut to entry makes it an attractive option for those seeking a start in the medical field.

If you are considering following this career path, then it is time to prepare for what will happen next.  Our article “Your 5-Step Guide to Becoming a Medical Coder.”