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

Transition from Transcription to Billing/Coding - Toni

Posted: Nov 14, 2011

I am a medical transcriptionist that has been typing radiology the last 11 years. My job is going to be phased out by voice recognition soon. I'm thinking of going back to school for medical billing/coding. Has anyone else made this transition? Do you like or hate it?

Coding will be gone in just a few years. - VAMT

[ In Reply To ..]
My suggestion is that you do a search and read the numerous threads discussing the fact that technology will soon render coding obsolete. Why invest time and money into learning something that won't even be around in 5 years?

Good luck!

Oh, and BTW: You are a medical transcriptionist WHO, not THAT. You are a PERSON (who), not a THING (that).

You may be right - Toni

[ In Reply To ..]
You are right, I am a person not a thing. Sorry about that. And you may be right about coding becoming obsolete soon. I'm worried because transcription is all I know and I don't know what other "job" to move on to. I thought billing/coding would be something I could move on to. I worry about spending thousands of dollars on an education that will put me right back where I am now eventually. Sigh...

If I could learn on-the-job, I'd be willing to switch - to coding, but wont invest thousands -sm

[ In Reply To ..]
in a school, or a couple years of my already too-short time, in something that will likely be farmed out to the Indians.

Transition - Ms. MT

[ In Reply To ..]
Toni, I took a coding course (finished in February) and currently work doing a coding-related job for the same employer because there is not enough transcription work for everyone right now since we switched to VR. I miss transcription, though, and would go to work for one of the companies except that my benefits are really good. It never hurts to have a back-up, but coding jobs are difficult to get without certifioation and experience unless you already have a foot in the door. I don't know about coding being outsourced, but it is becoming computer assisted, and that might reduce the demand for coders in the future.

Ms. MT a question - Toni

[ In Reply To ..]
What course did you take? I am looking into that now. Hearing good things about Andrews.

Andrews - Ms. MT

[ In Reply To ..]
Andrews is a well-respected school, particularly in this forum, I did not attend there and would prefer not to share the name of my program. AHIMA also offers an inpatient/outpatient coding program. AAPC offers an outpatient program, they are both well respected and widely recognized by the health care community. Several community colleges also offer coding programs if you want to attend classes on site and work toward a degree.

Santa Barbara City College - Mary

[ In Reply To ..]
Santa Barbara City College (SBCC) has AHIMA approved HIT programs all available online: Medical Coding Specialist Certificate, AA degrees in RHIA and RHIT, and Cancer Tumor Registrar. This is a community college so the rates as less than a lot of online schools.

read the rules VAMT - peachey

[ In Reply To ..]
you aren't supposed to correct grammar or spelling here. Read the rules.

I think it's a great idea! I talked with a physician today about coding - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
The physician I talked to said that coding is going to be more in demand in the future, not in doctors' offices, but in hospitals, so you need proper credentials, a CCS. We talked about the fact that in doctors' offices and small clinics, they don't really need coders and never have, but the new changes in coding are complicated. He said coding is going to be a big thing for years to come.

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