The Importance of Medical Coding Specialists

2007-03-08 10:33:40

( Pharmeceutical-Medical )



Medical coding is the method of converting or transforming records of medical diagnosis, procedures and injuries into numerical or alphanumeric designated codes. The transformation of records requires that a healthcare practioner review the record after it is converted, to ensure the correctness in translation. The encoding of data allows a person or doctor in the medical industry to access records for use in clinical cases, research and education.

There are high demands for the accuracy of medically coded data as they are used as a basis for reimbursement cases as well as to evaluate the processes and outcomes of health care.

A medical coding specialist is someone who understands the contents of a medical record so that they can determine which numerical classification they fall under.

Certified medical coding specialists must have knowledge in human anatomy, pathology, pharmacology, etiology, clinical disease prognosis and procedures. They must have word processing skills and type at a certain speed.

A medical coding specialist is somewhat different to a medical billing specialist. Medical billing specialists are in charge of database management, maintaining and analyzing spreadsheets, retrieving and saving electronic mails, aside from taking charge of the medical billing of physicians and hospitals. They should be knowledgeable in the laws regarding bill collection, release of patient records, subpoenas, workers’ compensation cases and Medicare regulations for reimbursement claims.

Medical coding specialists should receive proper training from medical billing and coding schools or medical coding courses online. The skills and knowledge of medical coding are related to the ability of obtaining reimbursement for services through medical billing and therefore, some people decide to study medical coding and billing courses at the same time.

In looking for medical coding and billing schools, you should ask whether the total cost of education includes the cost of books, exams, fees, and the tuition fee. A good school will also provide you with placement services upon course completion.

With numerous medical coding and billing schools found online and around the US, you should compare different schools in order to obtain the best education. Some say that there is no need to enroll in a specific program to qualify as a medical coder and there is no requirement for certification for completing a medical coding course if you enter this field. However, if you wish to earn more in this field, it is recommended that you take a two-year course on medical coding as well as pass certain certification exams.


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