Career Preparation for Detail-Oriented People

medical billing and coding training

Paying close attention to details is an important attribute in most lines of work, from business to the culinary arts to medicine. Indeed, medicine is one of the most important professional arenas where having a good eye for details and a determination to be accurate and efficient at all times is not just an asset but a necessity.

Medical billing and coding has become one of the fastest-growing professions in health care.

Medical Billing and Coding is a health care administration profession that is seeing a huge surge in interest and study and is an ideal field for people who are very detail-oriented and offers great opportunities to excel. It also offers a lot of career options for an individual, whether you want to work in a medical office or hospital billing department, or perhaps even as an independent contractor directly from home.

First Comes the Coding

Though the title places the Billing qualifications first, the coding aspect of Medical Billing and Coding is actually more important because you cannot bill patients or insurance companies correctly if you do not know the codes. “Codes” refers to the universal number codes assigned to different illnesses, conditions, procedures, medications, et cetera, that are a part of health care. Provided with the patient’s medical record, the medical coder assigns specific codes that both report that the procedure was performed and provides the billing department with the proper information to make a claim for reimbursement by an insurance company.

A medical coder must be well-trained, with a thorough working knowledge of human anatomy and medical terms. They also have to be well-acq

uainted with a variety of different insurance plans, with regulations and compliance. They must also be skilled at using the primary coding resource books: CPT®, HCPCS Level II and ICD-9-CM. These codes allow the coder to document the physician’s diagnoses, the procedures performed and the supplies used for a patient’s treatment.

The Bill, Please!

Simply put, medical billing is the process that converts a health care service into a billing claim. Medical billers are responsible for following the claim to ensure that the hospital, practice or individual physician receives their reimbursement for services rendered. Medical Billers are responsible for assembling all the billing data, including charge entry, payments, follow-up with the insurance company and with the patient. A medical biller must not only understand how to read a medical record, but must also be knowledgeable about the same codes that Medical Coders must know.

Traits of a Great Medical Biller and Coder

The medical billing and coding profession has grown to such an extent that truly any personality can find a position that suits them. The most successful billers and coders, however, have some characteristics in common. Highly-developed organizational and analytical skills; the ability to be professional and work well with others; and a knack for reading really poor handwriting are all important attributes for skilled medical billers and coders. Perhaps the most important trait, though, is attention to detail.

When it comes to medicine, minute details can make a huge difference. For example, when doing procedural coding, any incisions and openings into the body are classified as “common surgical procedures”. Simple enough. However, an incision into the body, or an “-otomy”, is quite different from an opening, or an “-ostomy”. Mistaking an “s” for a “t” could lead you to assign the wrong code and bill for the wrong procedure, a mistake that could cost the patient, the hospital, and even the insurance company.

In billing, it is more a matter of paying attention to the completion of the billing and that each code has been paid correctly.

Get the Right Training … at SOCHi!

Medical Billing and Coding used to be two separate careers, but now more than ever these two closely related fields are being brought together, allowing individuals to train in both areas. SOCHi offers a comprehensive training program, preparing you for both inpatient and outpatient work in the field. In addition to medical subjects such as anatomy and physiology, and medical terminology, SOCHi provides training in the business side of a medical office, as well as the important coding system being used, including the new ICD-10-CM and ICD-10-PCS coding. Upon completing the Medical Billing and Coding Training Program at SOCHi career school, you will be ready to sit for certification exams in Professional Billing (CPB), Professional Coding (CPC), and Inpatient Coding (CIC), preparing you for employment in a wide variety of environments.

Ready to apply? Then visit SOCHi’s website now and begin your first steps toward a detail-oriented career that truly makes a difference!

Revision Disclaimer: As of September of 2018, SOCHi no longer provides AAPC certification for our Medical Billing & Coding students through our curriculum. As our students grow and learn to discover their abilities at SOCHi, so does our curriculum! Our curriculum is adapting and growing to accommodate our diverse student body. Stay tuned to see how SOCHi is growing to assist you on your journey to success!