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You know, I love joking around about how I chose to become a doctor because I couldn’t do math to save my life although I did get data and tech savvy later.
I know so many physicians that hold a genuine passion for computer science. As they should, considering how we have incorporated hi-tech innovation into medicine in recent years. The two simply can’t exist without one another now.
So, it was only a matter of time before medical coders became a thing.
The honest truth is, while doctors and nurses are imperative to dispensing healthcare to the masses, you need someone behind the scenes to make sure it’s all running smoothly. Because, let’s be real, when you’re too busy being a doctor, who takes care of the paperwork?
Medical coding has become a need in this day and age of digital records and streamlining information.
It also makes for a great side hustle for anyone wanting to experiment with the nonclinical side. So, if you’ve been wanting to switch it up or just want to streamline your own practice, medical coding just might be what you need. Today, we’ll discuss:
- What does it mean to be a medical coder
- How to get into the field
- How it benefits healthcare on a whole
Medical Coding: Turning Medical History Into Binary
It’s surprising how medical coding is still niche, considering how useful it is nowadays where computers have become our secret overlords. I kid, but everything is going digital, so why not medical records? Because that’s essentially what medical coding is.
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Medical coding is a process in which someone trained in alphanumeric coding language turns things such as medical diagnosis, reports and records into a standardized code.
This standardized code later gets used in various formats, but more specifically in the patient billing process. Meaning there is no need to rifle through physical files for a singular patient’s record – it’s all right there, easily accessible.
But more than that, it’s easily decipherable. Reducing all that patient information down to mere numbers means that the computer can finish the logistical work for you. No more playing guess work when you have to organize everything for bills and payments, the coding does it all.
It also aids with insurance companies and providers going through the patient history when creating the bill the patient will be charged with. Medical coding isn’t limited to just the diagnosis and tests, it also takes care of doctors notes, any additional services the patient might’ve opted for, etc.
So, it isn’t hard to see why more and more clinicians are opting to employ a medical coder. It just makes dealing with patient work that much more efficient.
Plus, it’s a desk job! If you’re tired of working actively in the medical field, medical coding is a nice inbetween.
Does Being A Medical Coder Pay Well?
Medical coding is on a roll right now.
Not only is it fairly approachable when it comes to learning a new skill, but the pay grade after isn’t too shabby either.
In terms of salary, you’re looking at nice and even $50k annually. Some states might offer less but a lot of them actually offer way more, hitting the $80k mark in areas like Sacramento. And the job market is looking great.
Thanks to more and more healthcare facilities looking towards digitizing their records and wanting more clarity with insurance policies, medical coders have become very high in demand.
Let’s not forget that the salary being currently offered will grow exponentially as time goes by. According to recent data, the job availability in medical coding is expected to grow by at least 8% this year alone.
That’s way more than any other non-clinical specialty in all of healthcare currently. Talk about bonus points!
Okay, How Do I Get Into It?
Fun fact: you don’t have to be a physician to become a medical coder. But it doesn’t hurt.
Medical coding is more about professional training and then gaining experience out on the field. Which, thank God, because imagine having to do a new degree after medicine? At that point, I would retire early.
That isn’t to say you can’t get a degree in medical coding. That’s actually one of the best ways to start out early. Because employers tend to prefer recruiting those with an actual degree in the field, either as an associate or as a minor in a degree that involves health administration.
But you could also go for a medical coding diploma or even a certification course. The courses would help give you the credentials you need, basically blaring it out to any future employers that you have the specialized education required for the job.
Speaking of, what is this super special knowledge that makes for a medical coder? Not shockingly, being well-versed in code languages!
It also would help to have a hang on medical terminology and pathophysiology, because understanding medical diagnoses is kind of the entire job. Then again, if you’re already a practicing physician, this shouldn’t be a problem for you at all.
Luckily, AAPC has their CPC (Certified Professional Coder) certification that is the most widely accepted course all across the country. And it’s fairly cheap, under $500 for two attempts.
But if you want to go really hard at it? There’s always the CCS (Certified Coding Specialization) certification, that would help you stand out amongst the crowd.
Later on, you can even get into AAPC to gain work experience as a medical coder, meaning job opportunities truly open up to you. Or you could always just work for yourself if you own your own practice.
I mean, that’s the best kind of employment. And you get to set the hours.
Jokes aside, medical coding is both affordable and relatively easy to get the hang of if you enjoy coding in general. It just helps to be a physician while doing it because that covers the whole medical knowledge part.
Final Thoughts
Learning extra skills as a physician might sound like more trouble than you bargained for, but it can be so helpful. Medical Coding is just one of them.
The thing about medical coding is that it has a promising future ahead. The world is already practically online, and so is most medical data. Therefore, it makes sense for that data to be digitized as well.
Medical coders help create ease for patients, doctors, and any third-party providers involved.
It’s all part of innovation in medicine. Because we reduce all these tests, histories and treatments down into a simple coding language, things get acknowledged faster; there is less wait time for the patient when it comes to getting treatment, and so much more.
