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Coding Specialist
A medical coding (or clinical coding) specialist is an individual who reviews and
analyzes health records to identify relevant diagnoses and
procedures for distinct patient encounters. The medical coding
specialist is responsible for translating diagnostic and
procedural phrases utilized by healthcare providers into coded
form. The translation process requires interaction with the
healthcare provider to ensure that the terms have been translated
correctly. The coded information that is a product of the coding
process is then utilized for reimbursement purposes, in the
assessment of clinical care, to support medical research activity
and to support the identification of healthcare concerns critical
to the public at large.
The medical coding specialist must have a thorough understanding of the
content of the medical record in order to be able to locate information
to support or provide specificity for coding. Certified medical coders are trained
in the anatomy and physiology of the human body and disease processes
in order to understand the etiology, pathology, symptoms, signs,
diagnostic studies, treatment modalities, and prognosis of diseases and
procedures to be coded. Simply locating diagnostic and procedural phrases
in the coding manuals or with encoder software without applying knowledge
of disease processes and procedural techniques leads to coding errors. The
medical coding specialist works as part of a team to achieve the best quality
patient care.
Click on the link to see sample job descriptions:
There is a nationwide shortage of certified medical coders in
hospitals, physician practices, and other healthcare facilities. According
to the United States Bureau of Labor, employment of medical record and health
information technicians is expected to grow much faster than the average field.
Each year, AHIMA collects professional data from its credentialed
members as part of the annual membership cycle. To find out additional
information on trends in the health information management industry
including medical coder salaries, click here.
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