Most patients will never meet a medical coder, but they often have coders to thank for the care they receive. Medical coders, also known as medical records clerks and health information technicians, help doctors understand what treatments will work best for specific patients based on prognosis and prior therapies. Coders also ensure that providers follow laws regarding medical records, and they give hospitals and doctors the data to track the most effective therapies. A career in medical coding requires specific educational credentials and offers strong hiring prospects.
Medical coders don’t provide health care, but they do help determine whether patients receive the right treatments. Coders retrieve patient records for doctors and nurses who need to know prior history for future diagnosis and treatment. They also comb through files to look for preexisting conditions. As patients receive care, coders keep track of medical records to document improvement or deterioration in condition. If a patient must be admitted to a hospital or has regained enough health to go home, the coder processes the admission and discharge paperwork.
Medical coders play a key role in ensuring that a health care provider meets regulations that govern recordkeeping. It’s the coder’s job to protect patient privacy by keeping medical histories confidential. Plus, coders review records to determine if the records contain the personal information and treatment details the law requires. When agencies, health professionals or insurers ask about patient specifics, coders must know legal rules governing the release of that information. Coders also serve as liaisons between the provider and the billing office.
Medical coders electronically record, store and report on reams of data, and they use those statistics in several ways. First, coders must organize and keep numbers for clinical databases and patient registries to help hospitals and clinics track a treatment’s long-term effectiveness. Coders also follow patient outcomes to enable providers to evaluate the quality of care. To help providers get reimbursement, coders assign clinical codes with classification software. Plus, hospitals use coders’ compilations of medical records to research how to control costs or enhance care.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) counted 179,500 medical records and health information technicians, including medical coders, as of 2010. Hospitals employed the largest share of medical coders, at 39 percent. Another 23 percent of coders worked inside doctors’ offices, while 10 percent worked for nursing homes or agencies that provided in-home care. In hospitals or other health centers open around the clock, coders may have to work overnight or on weekends and holidays.
Medical coders must have a postsecondary certificate and professional credentials. Training is available at community colleges and professional schools, and emphasizes teaching coding skills as well as medical terminology, techniques for obtaining patient information, organizational skills, communications skills and the coder’s role in the medical profession. Employers also prefer medical coders who are certified as a Registered Health Information Technician. To earn this designation, coders must pass an exam given through trade group AHIMA. The 3 1/2-hour test has 150 multiple-choice questions on topics including data anomalies, data organization, generating spreadsheets, reviewing data trends and calculating health care statistics.
Thanks to demographic and technological trends, medical coders will see strong job gains. Employment for medical coders will jump 21 percent from 2010 to 2020, according to the BLS. The agency credits the bright forecast to an aging population, which will boost demand for health care and increase claims for reimbursement from insurers. What’s more, federal health reform calls for a transition to electronic medical records, which means more jobs for technicians to organize and manage health information. The best job prospects are for coders certified in health information.
Medical coders earn about as much as the average U.S. worker. Figures from the BLS showed a median annual income of $33,310 as of May 2011, slightly less than the overall average of $34,465 for all jobs. Among industries, business, professional and labor groups paid the most for coders, at an average of $55,760. The federal government ranked second for average yearly pay at $46,290. Scientific research and development services also paid more than average at $45,720. Medical coders working in New Jersey had the highest annual pay by state, with an average of $51,850. The District of Columbia placed second, at $44,620, while Hawaii came in third, at $42,290.
- O*Net OnLine: Summary Report for Medical Records and Health Information Technicians
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: What Medical Records and Health Information Technicians Do
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Medical Records and Health Information Technicians -- Job Outlook
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2011 -- Medical Records and Health Information Technicians
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Medical Records and Health Information Technicians -- Work Environment
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: How to Become a Medical Records or Health Information Technician
- Rasmussen College: Gain Niche Skills for an In-Demand Healthcare Career
- Allen School of Health Sciences: Medical Coding Specialist
- AHIMA.org: RHIT New Test Specifications
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: May 2011 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates United States
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