A community of 30,000 US Transcriptionist serving Medical Transcription Industry

Career in medical coding? - anon

Posted: Jul 22, 2011

I am considering training for medical coding but I don't want to spend the $$ if in a few years that industry goes the way of medical transcription with computers taking over our jobs and putting us out of work. I would welcome any and all information and opinions on this as well as recommendations for coding programs to enroll in.

I'm not concerned about that. - Coder

[ In Reply To ..]
Look through the posts below for previous discussions on this.

Why I think medical coding is a great career! - My Thoughts

[ In Reply To ..]
Medical Coding determines how much money a hospital or facility makes. A lot of attention goes to any activity that makes a difference in the bottom line. Coding does.

I was talking to my doctor last week, who is planning to retire early. He says the changes are driving him to retire. He also believes what I have also heard, that doctors will be replaced by computers in the future. You'll just walk in to an exam room, no nurse will be needed, you'll just type in your own identifying information, hook yourself up to a monitor, and the machine will print out the results. No doctor needed.

The same thing will happen when something's wrong with your car. No mechanic needed. Pharmacy techs are already being replaced. Realtors are being replaced. Computer technologists are being replaced. I talked with one this week from overseas who was sharper than the ones I had talked with before they connected me to him to solve the problem. The others, low-paid technologists from America, didn't understand the question.

Some people are already ordering their groceries online. Their refrigerator places the order for them. No grocery clerks needed.

My point is this. Absolutely nothing is 'safe' from being replaced by technology. If we look for something safe, I don't think we are going to find it. Ditch digging? That's done by computerized machinery in many cases. Maybe fence installation. Someone has to dig those post holes. Someone has to feed the cattle I suppose.

No career is safe.

The other truth is, there will always be jobs in these areas for those who have the very best of skills. Nobody cares as much about degrees as they used to, but credentials (proof of having skills) mean more than ever before.

If you decide to go into coding, go into it by getting the skills that will prepare you for a CCS exam and maybe a CPC as well. You can't have too many credentials. People with degrees are going without jobs. Coders with credentials are doing just fine, if they have good work ethics, are able to work with people well, etc. Those skills are always going to be important too. The only way someone with a CCS will fail these days, in my opinion, is if they have poor work ethics or a really bad personality that nobody wants to hire.

I took a long, hard, serious look at coding, - and the similarities - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
to where MT was about a decade or so ago were just too close for me. The fact that most is done inhouse, there currently seems to be a shortage of them and it's something the hospitals need, and the fact that it's already headed in the direction of OC's, remote work, and subcontractors. Going to school at night while working full-time, it would take years to learn any profession, not to mention money I don't have and can't afford to borrow. No, it just seemed too risky. If I were already doing it, or just about there school-wise, and most certainly if I were 25 instead of 60, I would maybe give it a shot, but would probably then start right off the bat continuing in night school and learning yet another trade. So if you go into it, (or any healthcare office profession these days), do so with your eyes open for some kind of a backup career, just in case. If I still had the energy to do this all over again, I'd probably look more at court reporting (mainly because as a juror I've found the whole process really fascinating), or else think about becoming a paralegal.

Court Reporting and Paralegal Work Are Getting Lots of Bad Press These Days - I would not go that direction

[ In Reply To ..]
Court Reporting students, because most never get to the speed required to be graduates, really don't seem to be recommending court reporting. It's turning into a career disaster. Coding is one of the best careers, although I understand not wanting to study for it if you are at or near retirement age. I probably wouldn't do that either. I think it, like everything else, will probably change a little here or there, but it's one of the best careers out there, if you are certified.

There are hospitals that have been on EHR systems for years and still use both medical transcriptionists and medical coders. I'm seeing a lot of MTs that have transcribed for years lose jobs and then find out that they can't pass employment tests. Some of them never were very good but have been getting along all these years. Now things are getting tougher. We're going to lose a lot of people who have always thought they were good at transcription or coding. The certified ones are going to be fine, if they have workable personalities and can deal with change. Otherwise, more jobs are going to be opening up. We see that happening now.

Well, ok, but . . . - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
Well, if that works for you, fine, but I'm not sure your view of coding, as a profession, is particularly clear. You'd be willing to go into court reporting -- which is famous for being a problem to learn and even more of a problem to get work -- because you thought what you saw of it on jury duty was fascinating, but you aren't willing to consider coding because you THINK it looks like MT was ten years ago? And because you assume it's headed toward subcontractors?

Nothing could be further from the truth. When the financial health of your organization hinges on accurate coding and when CMS is sending RAC auditors in to try to take back what they already paid you--and that's just a minor part of it--you aren't going to do anything that will reduce your control over your coding.

It certain does not take years to learn, either, even if you are working full time, and it doesn't have to be burdensomely expensive.

Coding career - Anonymous

[ In Reply To ..]
The OP raises some legitimate concerns. I recently completed a coding program only to learn that it is not easy to land a job as a new coder, certification or not. I am working in a coding-related position abstracting data. I'm not seeing coding heading toward subcontractors, but computer-assisted coding is having an impact and reduces the need for coders in some instances. You make the prospect of RAC auditors, etc. sound attractive; to me, that's just stressful,in addition to employer productivity expectations. Not everyone will find coding a good fit; isn't it better to question things before spending money and finding that you have made a mistake?

That also depends on where you live and what kind of certificaton you have - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
A lot depends on where you live, the kind of certification you have vs. what the employer wants, and timing. If you only have 3 hospitals in your area and they aren't hiring, it is a problem. You would then have to look at insurance companies, clinics, and maybe even doctors' offices.

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