If you are looking for an interesting job in the medical field that offers new challenges and opportunities, consider a medical coding career path. Medical coders play a significant role in the medical world. They take reports from doctors and transform them into a set of codes for processing medical claims. Prism Career Institute provides medical assistant training at our campuses in Cherry Hill and West Atlantic City, NJ, and Philadelphia, PA, and includes classes in medical coding. Here, we walk you through what this career entails and how medical assistant programs enable you to pursue it.
A Glimpse at Life as a Medical Coder
As a medical coder, you are responsible for handling all the paperwork and records that contain patients’ information at hospitals and medical offices. This is an important occupation, because without specialized individuals to handle these documents it would be difficult for doctors and nurses to access past medical information from their patients. Medical coders use various formulas to code medical documents, including:
International Classification of Diseases
International Classification of Disease, (ICD) is a diagnostic form of medical coding that includes vocabulary to categorize injury, death, and illness causes. ICD codes are used to represent a doctor’s diagnosis and the patient’s condition. Also used in the billing process, ICD codes determine the medical necessity of the patient.
Current Procedure Terminology
Another type of coding that a coder may use regularly is Current Procedure Terminology (CPT). CPT features five-digit numeric codes that are divided into three categories and correspond to several major medical fields. These fields include:
- Anesthesia
- Surgery
- Evaluation and Management
- Pathology
- Radiology
- Laboratory
- Medicine
The second category of CPT codes corresponds to performance measurement, and the third category corresponds to emerging medical technology. All are beneficial in categorizing medical records.
Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System
Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) codes primarily correspond to procedures, equipment, and services that are not covered by CPT codes. These services include:
- Medical equipment
- Ambulance rides
- Prosthetics
- Some drugs and medications
HCPCS is known as the official code set for outpatient hospital care, chemotherapy, Medicaid, and Medicare. These code sets are categorized into different levels, which are organized into sections. This system makes it easier to divide up codes.
Medical Coding is a Job in Demand
Since medical billing and coding careers are vital to the administrative aspects of healthcare, the occupation is in high demand. The need for medical coders and billers skyrocketed following the COVID-19 pandemic, and trends suggest demand will remain high. Physicians in the United States see roughly 860.4 million patients each year, each of whom requires a medical coder to report the office visit.
Besides the job security that comes with being an in-demand field, medical coders also reap the following advantages:
- Earning a competitive salary: Medical coders have an average salary that ranks above the national average for all occupations. The career also offers room for advancement and additional certifications that may elevate your salary.
- Accelerated education: Medical billing and coding classes can be completed in as little as four months. While some schools offer two to four-year programs, the expense and length are not necessarily required. Many programs are achievable in short periods.
- Flexible working options: Some medical coding positions are remote, allowing coders to work from home.
Many medical assistant programs, including the one at Prism Career Institute, feature a great 40-hour course of study on medical coding. It is helpful to understand what medical coding is when working as a medical assistant, as you may sometimes assist with billing and coding practices. Those interested in pursuing the medical assistant program at Prism Career Institute who wish to gain experience with medical coding can explore our career services page for additional information.
Gain Knowledge of Medical Coding at Prism Career Institute
While Prism Career Institute does not exclusively offer medical coding certification programs, students will receive baseline training in medical coding by enrolling in the medical assistant program. Classes are taught by outstanding instructors with extensive experience in medical assisting. Contact us today to learn more about our outstanding programs in Philadelphia, PA, and Cherry Hill and West Atlantic City, NJ.