How Do I Train for Medical Billing and Coding?

Medical office administration is a rewarding career that offers both stability and promotional potential. Every medical provider needs quality administrative professionals to audit medical records, schedule appointments, order medical supplies, and secure reimbursement from insurance companies.

The work is highly detailed and subject to strict compliance and ethical rules. As a result, employers seek out well-trained medical professionals with excellent credentials. Billing and coding tasks are vital to the continued success of healthcare institutions, enabling them to continue patient care while serving as a layer of quality assurance.

Medical office administration is an excellent choice if you’re seeking a challenging career where you can use your problem-solving and organizational skills to make a difference. The best way to secure a job in the industry is by completing a formal training program. Your education will make you an attractive candidate and qualify you for the best positions with top employers in your community.

How Do I Train for Medical Billing and Coding?

Medical billing and coding is one of the many administrative tasks needed to keep a medical facility running. All cases must be reviewed and translated into a universal coding language that records diagnoses and treatments. Medical office administrators read and interpret narrative healthcare data and assign relevant codes to depict the course of a patient’s care.

The medical office administrator then uses that information to generate invoices for healthcare services and supplement them with relevant narrative information to justify medical services to insurance providers. They then submit bills and complete necessary follow-up tasks to resolve discrepancies, appeal denials, and secure payment.

Medical office administrators leverage their understanding of anatomy, pathophysiology, billing standards and practices, and federal regulations to generate accurate invoices. They also review charts to ensure they are complete and consistent with documentation standards.

Where Does a Medical Office Administrator Use Billing and Coding?

One of the greatest attributes of the billing and coding profession is its flexibility. Federal regulations require that all healthcare cases, from a simple primary care visit for a cold to a complex spinal surgery, be documented and coded. As a result, medical office administrators can choose an employer that suits their professional goals and personal needs. Options include:

Hospitals

Hospitals provide emergency services, acute and sub-acute care for various specialties, in-patient treatment, and surgery. Each of these distinct types of cases must be reviewed and coded. Most hospital administrators work in a centralized clerical center or within a specific clinic. These positions allow you to gain valuable experience by coding different types of cases. Most large employers have a hierarchal structure that offers opportunities for career advancement into more skilled positions or supervisory roles.

Skilled Nursing and Long-term Care Facilities

Long-term care facilities deliver ongoing care to patients for extended periods. Medical office administrators in these facilities must follow specific medical standards for in-patient and outpatient care. Cases will feature ongoing maintenance treatment and acute interventions based on the course of patient care. These positions are specialized.

Primary Care and Specialist Offices

Both individual practitioners and multi-physician practices employ medical office administrators. In these roles, you will focus your clerical roles for a particular specialty. Administrators in doctor’s offices are often responsible for the entire revenue cycle, from chart review to collections.

Working for a medical practice may offer greater flexibility than in a hospital system. You will likely code for and communicate with a consistent group of patients, allowing you to develop familiarity and relationships. These positions may offer more work-life balance than hospitals and other larger employers.

Public Health Agencies

Federal, state, and local governments hire medical office administrators to conduct audits and assist with oversight. These positions require strong clerical skills and advanced administrative and regulatory knowledge. They are typically best suited for veteran administrators.

Working for a public health agency requires strong investigatory skills, excellent communication traits, and conflict-resolution abilities. You will be searching for errors and missteps that could jeopardize patient safety.

How Do I Get a Job Performing Medical Billing and Coding?

Step 1: Attend a Vocational School

The top employers have high standards for their medical office positions. As a result, they offer the best salary and benefits. These institutions usually require the completion of a formal training program for their entry-level medical office administrators. Promotional opportunities almost always have an educational prerequisite.

These positions are too critical to the success of a healthcare facility to allow employees to learn on the job. Completing a comprehensive Medical Office Administration program from a vocational school will maximize your employability and position you for success.

Vocational schools structure their curriculum with the foundational knowledge needed to work alongside doctors, nurses, and experienced medical professionals while honing the practical skills you need to read charts, code cases, research complex cases, and respond to denials.

Step 2: Enjoy Career Services Offered by the Vocational School

Vocational schools measure their success based on graduates’ ability to secure employment. Beyond offering coursework, vocational schools provide career services. This office advises students about succeeding in the workplace. They have job postings from local employers and can help you learn to identify quality opportunities.

You should leverage your resources by asking the office about common interview questions, proper business attire, and tips for standing out from other applicants.

Step 3: Apply to Jobs in Your Community

After graduating, the next step is to apply for jobs. First, assess what you want in terms of hours, work environment, and scope of work. This self-assessment will help narrow down the types of healthcare facilities that best fit your needs.

Then begin a search for opportunities using internet career sites, local job boards, and your vocational school’s career office. You can also check directly with prospective employers’ websites.

Be sure to read the job posting carefully. It will list prerequisites and qualifications. Hospitals and larger employers may have more detailed and stringent requirements than doctor’s offices. Next, compile your documents. You will likely need to submit a resume, write a cover letter, and complete an online application.

A Solid Resume

Do not overlook these materials. Your resume provides a snapshot of your education, skills, and abilities. You want to emphasize your knowledge. While honesty is vital, you can focus on specific skills mentioned in the job posting to tailor your resume to the position.

A Convincing Cover Letter

Your cover letter is your opportunity to express your interest in the job. Explain why you’re drawn to healthcare for the employer and provide some relevant biographical information. Review these documents for spelling, grammar, and formatting mistakes. The career services office at your school can help you prepare a strong resume.

Interview Training

After applying, you will have an in-person or telephone interview. This meeting is your opportunity to sell yourself to the company and to learn about your prospective employer. The best way to succeed is by preparing. Research the employer’s medical specialty, history in the community, and institutional goals.

This knowledge will show the interviewer that you’re a serious applicant and invested in the company. They will ask about your interest in healthcare, your strengths and weakness, and what challenges you anticipate as a new employee.

Prepare answers for these questions that emphasize your interest in the position and the skills you learned during your education. Prepare questions to ask the interviewer about day-to-day operations, their on-boarding process, and the challenges their medical professionals typically encounter.

Step 4: Network with Instructors, Classmates, and Community Employers

Vocational schools allow you to build a network of instructors and peers. Beyond supporting each other through coursework, they can become job resources. Instructors at vocational schools are industry veterans who offer real-world insights. Their experience gives them a vast network of connections to employers in the community. They can refer you to job opportunities and advise you on top employers. Your peers can help by offering references if they’ve already obtained employment and tips on interviewing successfully.

You should also seek out alumni and instructors who work for community employers. Their familiarity with you and your school tells them you obtained a comprehensive education and are a promising candidate. Following organizations and local employers on social media can also keep you up to date on opportunities. Remember, many of today’s employers check their applicants’ social media as part of the interview process. Ensure your profiles communicate professionalism.

Want to Learn More?

All healthcare facilities, from hospitals and physician’s offices, to rehab centers, clinics, and every other type of medical practice, rely on skilled Medical Office Administration program to function. We’ll train you on a wide range of medical administrative practices, medical billing and coding and many other medical office processes. Plus, you’ll get real-world experience through a 135-hour school externship in an actual healthcare facility. You’ll also interact with people from all walks of life, making your daily routine anything but dull.

So, let’s take the first step together! Contact us now to learn more.

• How Do I Train for Medical Billing and Coding?
  • How Do I Train for Medical Billing and Coding?