A researched look at the career of medical billing and coding by a certified coder.
Medical billing and coding specialists are responsible for evaluating and deciphering doctors’ notes, patient charts, and exam and procedural files in order to translate them into codes for billing the insurance company. There are a myriad of unique types of medical codes, and medical billing specialists must be very skilled in all, in addition to the complex medical terms used to describe physical anatomy, physiology, health diseases, and physical functions and processes. Medical billing specialists tend to be very trained workers, in high demand in the field. Because so many different medical entities depend upon billing specialists, there exist a wide plethora of options for finding jobs in medical billing. As an individual considering a job in medical billing and coding, then you should know about the many avenues for entering into the industry. These are employment opportunities for medical billing and coding:
Hospitals
Hospital facilities tend to provide employment for a large number of medical billing specialists in an effort to efficiently process a high volume of patient invoicing and billing needs. Billing and coding specialists who are employed by have been known to work in major offices alongside quite a number of other medical billing specialists and administrative specialists. Medical billers tend to report to high-level office managers, as opposed to the doctors individually. Because hospitals are open twenty four hours a day, seven days a week, billers who work in hospitals tend to benefit from flexible scheduling options.
Physician Offices
All types of doctors office, from chiropractic to podiatry facilities, need the services of billing specialists. Depending on the size of the office, billers who are employed by specialists may be told to answer to the head physician or, in the case of larger practices, may work in a separate office under the supervision of an office manager or human resources administrator. Medical billers who work in doctors offices tend to work a traditional Monday through Friday, daytime-hour shift.
Clinics
There are a myriad of different types of clinics, each performing its own set of functions. From urgent care facilities to blood and urine analysis clinics, medical billing specialists are a important and integral part of the group. The environment for billers working at clinics include a secluded offices, a reception desk, or a special area within the lab. Clinic operating days and hours are just as varied as clinic types, and billing specialists who work within clinics can expect a number of scheduling options. Moreover, medical billers working at clinic environments with more than one branch may schedule their time amongst multiple clinic locations.
Direct Billing Companies
Medical billing groups specialize in providing billing services remotely, allowing them to work directly with to a wide variety of medical professionals that require medical billing skills. Billing specialists working with billing groups tend to have a variety of scheduling options, depending on group guidelines, and should plan to work in offices alongside a variety of other billing and coding specialists.
Start Your Own Business
There is a developing trend in the medical billing industry as specialists lean towards starting their own businesses and working from a home-based office. If you are considering opening your own medical billing business that you plan on operating on your own need to be prepared to get a license in addition to the necessary training requirements.
As you can see, as a medical billing specialist, you will have a wide variety of choices when it comes to finding a place to work. Before seeking a job and committing to just one employer, consider your preferences in terms of scheduling, the type of boss you want to end up working with, your potential coworkers, and the type of environment you want to work in. Don’t forget that, as a skilled billing specialist, your skills are in high demand and you can afford to be picky. Good luck, and happy job hunting!
Copyright (c) 2011 Ceete Sheekels, PhD
