Medical codes simplify communication between healthcare providers, insurers, and other agencies by using universal identifiers for every diagnosis, illness, injury, procedure, and treatment. Coding specialists must have a basic understanding of medical terminology so they can apply the correct codes when entering the data into a computer. Coders rely on several sources for the numeric and alphanumeric codes used in this field. The International Classification of Diseases (ICD) assigns standard codes to illnesses and injuries, while Current Procedure Terminology (CPT) and the Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) identify the services and treatment provided. Once coding is completed, the next step is billing.

Training is available through technical schools, colleges, correspondence courses, and simple, concise, yet thorough on-line study programs such as ours. From there, it is just practice, practice and more practice. Our course has numerous patient records for you to code and an expert mentor in this profession to make sure you are provided with the training and mentorship to succeed.

Think about the paperwork involved with just one doctor’s office visit or medical procedure. You may not realize it, but there is even more beyond what you see. Whenever you or someone you know visits a clinic, needs emergency medical care or has a planned surgery, it creates paperwork and documentation that must be meticulously processed and tracked. The information that must be properly documented includes the type of procedure conducted and the amount and type of supplies that were used; these are the details your insurance provider and medical facilities need to determine payment for the medical procedure.

Literally, every provider, individual doctor, clinic, hospital involved in patient care require coders. The profession has enormous potential ---- simply put no one gets paid without a chart or office visit being coded first!

If you are looking for a career path that is stable and growing, The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that medical coding will be in demand in the years ahead. Those who pursue a medical coding education may start careers in hospitals, outpatient clinics, doctor’s offices, dental practices, or anywhere else patient and procedure information is documented and processed. Because medical coding skills are often transferable (coding systems are standardized for ease of communication between organizations), expertise in the field may open job opportunities throughout the United States and abroad.