Medical coding mainly aims to use symbols to express medical information instead of using words. This article explains some of the details of working in the field of medical symbols, in addition to explaining the two main types of symbols that are used in the current period, and ends by mentioning some of the skills that are needed. Workers in the fields of medical coding and billing.
Is medical coding a health information management system?
Medical coding is one of the systems for managing health information. This coding is defined as converting diagnoses and health care procedures, as well as medical services and equipment, into universal medical alphanumeric codes, according to the American Society of Professional Coding. This means that coding aims to document medical records and prepare bills based on Easy codes instead of basic medical information according to medical coding conditions.
There are many educational institutions that provide a medical coding program via the Internet instead of in person, which is suitable for many people who do not have colleges, universities, or specialized accredited training centers near them, including the College of Health Care Professions program in the US state of Houston. , Borough of Manhattan US Medical Coding Program.
Why enroll in a medical coding program?
There are many reasons why a person should apply for medical coding:
Getting a Job: A person can obtain many rewarding jobs in healthcare fields when studying medical coding, as well as when studying medical billing as well.
Multiple work options: Work options for medical coding specialists are not limited to just one field; However, they can work in many organizations in different locations, and work-from-home options are available in some organizations as well.
Great salary: In the United States of America, workers in the field of medical coding receive salaries of up to $44,090 annually, and the value of the salary increases significantly with specialization, professionalism, and obtaining more certificates.
Regular working hours: Many jobs and businesses require completing tasks during vacation days or continuing after the official working hours, but the medical coding job is usually characterized by regular timing, which enables workers to arrange their schedule well.
Job stability: Expectations indicate that the demand for qualified workers in the field of medical coding or medical billing will not slow down in the future, as a result of several factors, which provides job stability for those seeking it.
Obtaining the certificate in a short time: Medical coding does not require a long time to study at the university; However, one can obtain an accredited certificate after attending a training course within one year to start working after that.
What are the two different types of medical coding?
There are two main types of medical coding currently used in healthcare institutions: They are the International Classification of Diseases coding and the current procedural terminology coding. Despite the differences between these types, they aim to achieve one goal, and this goal is unified documentation among health authorities.
Latest ICD coding updates
Since the emergence of the International Classification of Diseases coding until the present time, this system has witnessed several updates until 2022, the most recent of which is the following:
ICD-9 Ninth Edition: The codes in this version consist of 3 numbers, then a decimal point, with one or two numbers after the comma. They are usually found on older documents, and some codes in this version may include letters to indicate some meaning.
ICD-10: Tenth edition codes include one letter plus two numbers to the right of the decimal point, then a comma, followed by just one number to the right. The number of codes in this version exceeds 14,000.
ICD-11: To date, the 11th edition is the latest version of the ICD coding. The code includes a number, then one letter, then two numbers to the right of the decimal point, followed by a comma, then two numbers.
The two different levels of coding of current procedural terminology
Medical billing and coding is an important part of the healthcare system for recording and documenting medical services and determining their costs. Here is an explanation of each:
Medical bills:
A medical bill is a document that contains details of medical services provided by a healthcare provider to a patient.
The bill includes information such as the patient's name, date of service, and types of services provided (doctor visits, examinations, x-rays, surgeries, medications, etc.).
The cost of each service is determined based on certain definitions or prior agreements between health service providers, insurance companies or patients.
Medical coding:
Medical coding is used to identify and record medical services uniformly and accurately.
Diseases, medical procedures, and medications are coded using specific codes, such as International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes to classify diseases, Current Physician (CPT) codes to identify medical procedures, and National Codes of Merit (NDC) to identify medications.
Correct coding contributes to simplifying billing processes, improving registration accuracy, and providing accurate reporting about medical services.
Combining medical billing and coding helps accurately determine costs, facilitates dealing with insurance companies, and provides accurate information to patients about the services that were provided to them.
There are two different levels of medical coding known as Current Procedural Terminology, which are explained below:
Level 1: At the first level, current procedural terminology codes are used for services or procedures that the health care provider often performs directly.
Level 2: Level 2 of current procedural terminology includes codes that do not relate to procedures or services provided by a health care provider; They are symbols of ambulance services, equipment, etc.