Medical coding is the transformation of healthcare diagnosis, procedures, medical services, and equipment into universal medical alphanumeric codes. The diagnoses and procedure codes are taken from medical record documentation, such as transcription of physician’s notes, laboratory and radiologic results, etc.
Job Description
- Assign codes to diagnoses and procedure, using ICD (International Classification of Diseases) and CPT (Current Procedural Terminology) codes
- Ensure codes are accurate and sequenced correctly in accordance with government and insurance regulations
- Follow up with the provider on any documentation that is insufficient and unclear
- Communicate with other clinical staff regarding documentation
- Search for information in cases where the coding is complex or unusual
- Receive and review patient charts and documents for accuracy
- Review the previous day’s batch of patient notes for evaluation and coding
- Ensure that all codes are current and active
Innovations in medical coding:
The current international standard for medical coding is ICD-10 (the tenth version of the International Classification of Disease codes) from the World Health Organization (WHO). ICD‑10 has over 14,000 codes for diagnoses.
Besides, the next update to this international standard, ICD-11, has already been formally adopted by WHO member states in May 2019. WHO member state that implementation of ICD-11 will begin on January 2022. The new ICD-11 has over 55,000 diagnostic codes, four times the number of diagnostic codes contained in the WHO’s ICD-10.
Eligibility
Class 12: Science stream
Undergraduate courses: BSc degree in life science (biology/human anatomy/physiology), biotech, biochemistry, bioinformatics, endocrinology, nursing, pharmacy, nutrition and dietetics etc
Postgraduate courses: MSc in biology/human anatomy/physiology, biotech, biochemistry, bioinformatics, nutrition and dietetics, pharmacy, etc
Skills Required
Technical Skills
- Strong knowledge of anatomy, physiology and medical terminology
- Excellent typing and 10-key speed and accuracy
- Superior mathematical skills
- Familiarity with ICD-9 codes and procedures
- Solid oral and written communication skills
Non-technical Skills
- Commitment to a high level of customer service
- Independent drive and focus
- Strong moral character
- Critical thinking
Study courses
- Coding certification, consulting and pilot execution in Cardea Healthcare Solutions, Bengaluru
- Medical coding and billing certificate courses in Cigma Medical Coding Acdademy, Kochi
- Distance eLearning Postgraduate and Executive Diploma Programmes in medical coding and medical record technology; Certified Professional Coder (CPC) Training from Academy of Medical Coders India, Noida
- Basic Medical Coding and Advanced Certification in Medical Coding at Resolve Medical Coding training institute (branches at branches Chennai, Madurai, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Hyderabad and New Delhi)
- Certification in Medical Coding, Advanced Medical Coding, CPC Certificate Program, ICD 10 CM Certification Program in National Institute of Medical Coding (NIMC), Chennai
Career progression:
According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, the medical billing and coding field is expected to grow by 15 percent between now and 2024. That’s almost 30,000 job openings in the next seven years.
Entry-level positions: Medical Records Coordinator
Intermediate-level positions: Coding educator, validation specialist, coding supervisor, specialty coder, Medical Coding Specialist
Advanced-level positions: Heath Information Manager (HIM), compliance auditor, fraud/waste investigator
Master-level positions: Coding director, compliance officer, HIM director, project management, college professor, VP coding, operations director, CEO
Pay
Rs 1,92,000 – 9,00,000
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