Are you interested in a medical coding career? Are you wondering what you need to do to become a medical coder?
One way to begin a career as a medical coder is with training. Medical coders translate doctors’ notes and medical information into code. [1] These medical codes are used to bill insurance companies and are stored in the Center for Disease Control’s database.
To learn more about medical coding, read “What Is Medical Coding and Is It for You?”
Medical Coding Can Be a Constructive Career
Medical coding can be a fulfilling career. Your work will benefit numerous patients, aid doctors in recording treatments and other details, and speed up the payment process for insurance companies.
Find the Best Medical Coding Program for You
Medical coding skills can be learned in a trade school program. Trade schools, when compared to a typical four-year program, offer lower-cost programs and a shorter timeline. Trade school programs allow for accelerated preparation for many professional industries.
The Midwest Technical Institute (MTI) Medical Coding Specialist Program provides students the opportunity to develop skills and knowledge necessary for entry-level positions in the medical coding field. These classes instruct students in the analysis of medical records (charts) and the assignment of codes, and also include anatomy and medical terminology.
Students learn about diseases that affect the human body, etiology (disease causes), pathology (disease behavior), symptoms, signs, diagnostics and treatment in order to properly code medical records. The program provides students with the training needed to become familiar with the content of a medical record, and students learn to locate the necessary information to support or provide specificity for accurate coding.
This 28-credit program is 9 months (35 weeks) long and requires 765 clock hours, of which 225 are externship hours and 135 are additional outside clock hours. Daytime and evening classes are available at the Springfield, IL and East Peoria, IL campuses.
Take the Certified Professional Coder (CPC) Exam
After completing the appropriate training, prospects should register to take the Certified Professional Coder (CPC) exam, which is administered by the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC).
Becoming a CPC demonstrates you have:
- Expertise in reviewing and assigning accurate medical codes for diagnoses, procedures, and services performed by physicians and other qualified healthcare providers in the office or facility setting (e.g., inpatient hospital)
- Proficiency across a wide range of services, including evaluation and management, anesthesia, surgery, radiology, pathology, and medicine
- A sound knowledge of medical coding guidelines and regulations including compliance and reimbursement — allowing a CPC to better handle issues such as medical necessity, claims and denials, bundling issues, and charge capture
- Understanding of how to integrate medical coding and payment policy changes into a practice’s reimbursement processes
- Knowledge of anatomy, physiology, and medical terminology necessary to correctly code provider diagnoses and services
Seek Medical Coding Employment
Medical coders typically work in [2] medical offices, clinics, hospitals and insurance companies as part of the healthcare team.
Most of the day for medical coders is spent using a computer. Coders dedicated working hours to reviewing documentation to understand patient’s diagnoses and procedures and abstract physician names. Medical coders need to translate doctor’s notes and records into code for insurance and payment purposes.
Working as a Medical Coder is a Growing Opportunity
This is a growing field [3]. The employment of health information technicians is projected to grow 13% from 2016 to 2026, which is faster than the average for all occupations (7%).
Two years ago, 206,300 individuals were employed as medical coders and health information technicians. By 2026, more than 234,100 individuals are expected to be employed in the field.
Training Can Help You Begin as a Medical Coder
You can develop a future in the growing field of medical coding. Training can help you launch a fulfilling career as a medical coder, assisting in doctors’ offices and aiding the medical documentation process through accurate coding. Contact the Admissions Team at Midwest Technical Institute to learn how to enroll in the Medical Coding Specialist Program.
Sources
[1] https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/medical-records-and-health-information-technicians.htm#tab-2 [2] https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/medical-records-and-health-information-technicians.htm#tab-3 [3] https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/medical-records-and-health-information-technicians.htm#tab-6