As every parent knows, small children love role-playing. One of the most popular games is pretending to be a doctor. “I will be the doctor, and you can be the nurse,” your little ones will exclaim from time to time. However, most kids and even many adults do not realize that the healthcare field offers a wide range of career opportunities beyond being a doctor or nurse.

After completing a medical coding program, one can become a medical coder. This is one of the most overlooked careers in the medical field. Here is a guide to help you understand more about the medical coding career.

What is Medical Coding?

Before talking about what medical coders do in their routine duties, it is significant to have a solid understanding of what is at the core of medical coding. Medical coding and record-keeping back to as far back as the 17th century in England. However, it has rapidly evolved during the past few decades.

According to the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC), medical coding is transforming healthcare diagnosis, procedures, medical services, and equipment into uniform or universal medical alphanumeric codes. Put in simple terms, it refers to the process of translating vital medical information into simple codes to document medical records and inform accurate medical billing. One can do all this after completing a medical coding certificate program.

There are various types of medical codes used in modern healthcare settings. However, each of them allows for uniform documentation between different medical facilities. Having this standard system allows for a more flawless transfer of medical records and more efficient research and analysis to prevailing track health trends.

Who is a Medical Coder?

Medical coders are the individuals in charge of translating doctor's reports into useful medical codes. These professionals work behind the scenes in most medical settings while ensuring all relevant information is coded correctly to ensure consistency and accuracy.

After a medical provider examines or treats a patient, the insurance company requires to know what was done to process the bill. It is the medical coder's role to pass along this information in an approach that is useful and efficient.

Where Can Medical Coders Work?

Many people assume to know the answer to this question — a hospital, of course! Nevertheless, there are several other settings that a medical coder might work. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), these professionals are employed anywhere that offers medical services, including hospitals, clinics, urgent care facilities, nursing homes, treatment centers, and more.

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