flynn043

We've all seen or heard those bold tag lines in print ads and on television and the radio advertising the lucrative opportunities in medical coding and billing. But can companies and schools who make these claims really get you ready to enter the work force? Maybe, but there are some steps you should take before you give your money to any education institution. Let me first state that I am neither here to endorse nor denounce any school or college. I am simply trying to arm prospective students with the knowledge they need to make the best choices about their future careers. Step 1: Assess Your Community's Need for Coders Before you hand any money over for that coding program that promises to deliver, you need to do a little homework about your local job market. Yes, it is true - there is a national shortage of coders and the need for more coders in the future is only expected to increase. But that doesn't mean that coders are needed everywhere. Some places may be satur...

Wow, I've been gone a long time! Now that we are through the holidays and I am over my annual post holiday illness, stay tuned... I will be posting weekly posts beginning next week. I haven't forgotten about you! Also, if you are in the Denver area, I am now on a schedule with our monthly events. I will be hosting events the fourth Tuesday of each month beginning January 26. Next Tuesday's topic is the second in a reimbursement series. This month's topic is hospital diagnosis-related groups (DRGs). Here are future topics: Tuesday, February 23 - Hospital Ambulatory Payment Classifications (APCs) Tuesday, March 23 - Introduction to Physician Reimbursement Tuesday, April 27 - Discussion Panel: Resumes and Interviewing For information about locations and to get email notices, sign in to your Facebook account and join The Coder Coach group. It's free and this is the best and easiest way for me to get information about events out to the masses.

I am part of a select group of coding professionals who have chosen coding as a first career. In my graduating class, I was the only "traditional" college student - starting an HIM program right out of high school. The others in my class were stay-at-home moms returning to the workforce or people looking for a change in career. Today I see more and more people seeking a second (or third) career and choosing coding. Over the last year I've watched my father look for a new job after giving 35 years as a machinist to a manufacturing company. Last year, his company moved operations out of the country and laid off hundreds. And as he goes on interview after interview, it's unfortunate to see that his 35 years of experience is not seen as an asset, but rather as a method to "do the math" and see when he might be ready for retirement. I am happy to report that my father was recently offered a job and starts next week. We all have our fingers crossed that this...

Last month I attended the AHIMA conference in Grapevine, TX. One of my favorite things to do at the conference is to attend the exhibits - not because I really want to buy something from every vendor, but because I find it's the best place to network and catch up on the industry's latest trends. This year, I focused on some key areas - mainly ICD-10 (for work) and education (for me and for all of you). In talking to some of the schools represented at the exhibits, I realized a lot has changed since I graduated and took my RHIT exam. Of course, I already knew this, but I never really thought about how different it is to network into a new position in this new educational system. As students seek out more online education opportunities and medical records move to an electronic format, schools are able to set up virtual labs to closely mimic the real world. The unfortunate drawback to this is that as a society, we've become so "virtual" that employers are seeing...

I know, I know, I've been a stranger, but there is more to come and soon. Fall is always a busy time for coding pros as we read up on coding and payment changes. This coming week I have the pleasure of attending AHIMA's annual convention and exhibits in Grapevine, TX and I am sure I will have plenty of material (and hopefully a little more time too!) to blog about industry issues. So stay tuned! And if you are planning to attend the conference, maybe I will see you. :)

A lot of schools will tell you all about their coding programs, but what they may not tell you is what the local job market looks like. And as more and more distance education schools pop up, it becomes your responsibility to find out if there is a need for coders in your area. While it is true that there is a national coder shortage, there is no guarantee that coders are needed in the geographic location where you currently reside. So how badly do you want to be a coder? Are you willing to move somewhere else if there aren’t positions close to you? Where the Job Postings Are The initial research is simple. Check local and national job postings. This may mean going to a variety of sources, such as the local newspaper, AHIMA, AAPC, and employer job listings. Don’t expect to find a whole lot in the newspaper ads (although smaller physician practices still use newspapers to post positions), since there are many professional job listing sites and coding positions are ...

The thing I like best – and sometimes least – about coding is that it is a dynamic field. If you want to learn a trade that will stay the same, this isn’t it. But if you love to learn new things all the time and can adjust to the ever changing coding and reimbursement rules and guidelines, you may just find coding to be your passion. Like any trade that is highly technical and subject to change, there are trade publications that you should be reading. And you should start as soon as you’ve made the decision to become a coder – even if you don’t understand everything you’re reading at first. The Basics So what should be on your reading list? Let’s start with the basics for the job. Of course you need the latest version of any and all of the codebooks for the health care setting in which you work. For most of us, this list includes ICD-9-CM, CPT, and HCPCS Level II. And yes, you need the current year. While not all of the codes change annually, some of the changes can be sign...