medical coding training at home.
Are you interested in a career in healthcare, but don't know where to start? For the past twelve years, I have been working in the healthcare field as a medical biller, coder, practice manager and consultant. Over the years I have been responsible for hiring medical office staff. I share my experiences with you in hopes of providing guidance and insight as you begin your own healthcare career. Many websites and articles advertise medical billing classes that promise $50,000 salaries to those who enroll in their course. However, this method does not guarantee success. A medical billing career requires not only an education but also experience and a strong knowledge and understanding of the available resources that will help you through the day-to-day challenges.
First, let's talk about experience. The most practical way to get into the field is to seek an entry level position with a doctor's office or hospital billing department or with a medical billing services. Following this path, you will be exposed to the healthcare environment while receiving on- the-job training from an experienced mentor. Don't expect immediate gratification. As with any career, you must gain knowledge through experience before you can climb the employment ladder. You will find that the education you receive on the job is very different from the information you learn in a medical billing school. This is not to say that a formal education in medical billing is bad, quite the contrary, it is a great place to start. A formal medical billing education will provide the foundation on which the rest of your career will be built. As a matter of fact, healthcare workers can increase their earning potential with certifications in billing and coding.
As you begin your career in the medical field, you will find that even the most seasoned medical biller does not know everything about billing. What they do know, however, is where to find the answers. Resources and networking plays a significant role in a medical billing career. The internet holds an abundant amount of information regarding medical billing. Understanding medical documentation guidelines and how they apply to evaluation and management is essential for any medical biller, as well as a good grasp of ICD-9 (and ICD-10) and CPT coding. Being familiar with one's Medicare website is also a plus. Most importantly, developing networks with the right people will allow you to ask questions, learn from and share information and ideas. An excellent website for resources and networking is synahealth.com. There you will find useful web links and medical information while networking with others in the field.
Finally, don't be intimidated by your lack of experience, but at the same time know where you belong based on your experience level. Look for positions that specify entry level until you have gained experience. If you don't find any good jobs that specify entry level try searching for the following specific job titles: accounts receivable collector, payment poster, charge or data entry, or medical billing clerk. Read the job description and research the company in advance of the interview. Nothing is worse than asking an interviewee what they know about the company or the job description and they reply: nothing!
Prepare your resume and cover letter to show an eagerness and ability to learn. Make sure that you customize your resume for each individual job. This can be done by focusing on your related experience or training as it applies to the company's needs. For example: the company's job requirements say that they are looking for an AR collector. If you don't know what an AR collector is, do a Google search and find out! Then update your resume to hi-light your training, your experience or the personality traits that will help you to do the job well.
Once you are scheduled for an interview, be prepared. Know about the company's services and know the meaning of every term in the job description and think in advance how you can fulfill their requirements. Keep in mind; you can refer to training and personality as well as experience. Let's refer back to our example of the AR collector. Your research has taught you that an AR collector is the person who calls the insurance to find out why a medical bill has not been paid. What else did you learn during your web search and what can you surmise based on the job's description? First you know that this is a person who calls the insurance. Do you have good phone skills? Next, we see that the collector is questioning why the medical bill is unpaid. Are you a good investigator and problem solver?
You will find that most employers are more interested in the right personality than anything else. Employers want to see resourcefulness, dedication, determination, and effort before they offer you a job. Finally, when interviewing never be afraid to tell the employer that you don't know an answer immediately, then be sure to follow up with a statement that hi-lights your resources such as: "I am not sure about that just now, but I have established a network or highly experienced billers and resource websites through which I can research the correct answer." Know where you stand and know that no career is impossible if provided the proper direction.
medical coding training at home.