ANSWERS: 1
  • Medical coding jobs should increase by 20 percent from 1998 to 2018, much faster than average for other professions, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Medical coders organize patients' medical data, including medical history, tests, diagnosis and treatments. Students must learn the specific health system codes (CPT, ICD-9 and ICD-10) used for diseases and treatments as well as medical terminology and pharmaceutical terms. Finding an easy way to learn medical coding involves using resources developed by professional organizations in the health care coding arena.

    Considerations

    Learning medical coding has traditionally been a long, difficult process. Classes and an in-person, hands-on practicum made learning complicated by the need to travel to class locations, juggling schedules to be available during class times as well as time for homework and study. In the past few years, a number of companies have begun online training programs to help students learn medical coding in an easy way. Unfortunately not all online training programs are the same, and many do not prepare students for certification exams or for real-world applications of what they are learning.

    Selecting Program

    The best way to find an online program to learn medical coding is to explore programs developed by the professional organizations that represent medical coders, and that offer the examination and certification that hospitals and other healthcare organizations respect the most. The American Academy of Professional Coders represents the needs and interests of medical coders and have developed easy online training modules to help students learn medical coding at their own pace and in a way that prepares them for real-world scenarios (See References). The American Health Information Management Association also operates a robust distance learning program that not only provides training that will prepare students for the medical coding job market, but also helps prepare them for the certification exam that the association also offers (See References).

    Benefits

    By trusting the organizations that represent medical coders professionally and that run the gold-standard certification process that hospitals, doctors' offices and other healthcare organizations respect the most, students will not only learn medical coding in the easiest way possible, but also the best way that will prepare them for medical coding jobs. An affiliation with the two most-respected organizations in medical coding will also increase a student's marketability once he enters the job market.

    Source:

    Bureau of Labor Statistics: Outlook for medical coders

    American Academy of Professional Coders: Training

    American Health Information Management Association: Distance Learning

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