Our Medical Coder job description includes the responsibilities, duties, skills, education, qualifications, and experience.
About the Medical Coder role
A Medical Coder is responsible for reviewing and analyzing patient medical records to accurately assign codes of diagnoses and procedures to patient records for reimbursement and data collection. This role requires a deep understanding of medical terminology and coding conventions as well as a keen eye for detail.
Role Purpose
The primary purpose of a medical coder is to review and analyze patient medical records to assign and sequence numeric and alphabetic codes to diagnoses and procedures for insurance reimbursement, data processing, and medical research. A medical coder must have a thorough understanding of medical terminology, anatomy, pharmacology, and disease processes in order to accurately identify and assign codes. They are also responsible for resolving any coding issues and conducting coding quality reviews.
Medical Coder Summary
A Medical Coder is responsible for reviewing medical records and assigning appropriate codes using a classification system. The codes are used to generate billing information and medical data for insurance companies and other healthcare organizations. The Medical Coder must be familiar with medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, and have strong attention to detail. They must also be able to work independently and have excellent communication, organizational, and problem-solving skills. This position requires a certification from an accredited program.
Medical Coder Duties
- Review medical records to identify diagnosis and procedures
- Assign codes to diagnosis and procedures using established coding guidelines
- Create and maintain patient records
- Answer coding questions from providers
- Track and monitor coding trends
- Audit medical charts for accuracy
- Provide coding support to other departments
Medical Coder Skills
- analyzing medical information
- translating medical terminology into codes
- maintaining patient records
- monitoring coding compliance
- staying up to date with coding changes
Medical Coder Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in Health Information Management or related field
- Certified Professional Coder (CPC) certification
- Proficiency in ICD-10, CPT and HCPCS coding systems
Personal Traits
- Attention to detail
- Ability to learn new coding systems
- Strong organizational skills
- Excellent communication skills