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breaking into coding - Jo

Posted: Jul 4th, 2015 - 2:27 pm In Reply to: MT looking to break into coding - Heather

I am also a long-time MT transitioning into coding. You CAN get into hospital coding without experience. I am proof of that. It takes a lot of work, but I passed the CCS exam and was just hired a few days ago for a hospital position. I took courses through AHIMA. I was also given a coding test by the hospital which I passed with no problem.

Anyone going this route, I would advise study, study, study. I studied for 2 months prior to taking the exam. Practice, practice, practice a wide variety of complicated coding cases. You are assigned them as coursework, but do MANY more than assigned if you want to get good at it. Know your anatomy, physiology and pathophysiology backwards, forwards and upside down. You have to understand the diagnoses and understand exactly what the procedures are accomplishing in order to code correctly.

btw, my hospital is also outsourcing transcription to Nuance! Best of luck to you Heather.

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MT looking to break into coding - Heather (Views: 1473, 2015-06-29, 7:31 am)
- try the coding board. But its really hard to get a coding job without - experience even if certified (Views: 1058, 2015-06-29, 8:11 am)
- Having the right credentials is the key - sm (Views: 1205, 2015-06-29, 8:43 am)
  - Have you seen all the 'I have an Associates Degree and nobody will give me a chance threads? - We agree that credentials matter most (Views: 1502, 2015-06-29, 10:37 am)
- Yep, me too - val1224 (Views: 1270, 2015-06-29, 8:55 am)
  - The value of practical training vs. the A.S. in HIM - Been There (Views: 1092, 2015-06-29, 9:16 am)
  - More importantly CCS candidates get hired; not so much RHITs - for coding jobs (Views: 1066, 2015-06-29, 9:19 am)
    - Agree, it is very hard NOT to be hired with a - CCS (Views: 1195, 2015-07-03, 4:23 pm)
- The point is, who passes the CCS AHIMA credentials - Nothing else really matters (Views: 1161, 2015-06-29, 10:28 am)
- If you want a straight solid track into coding - with no (Views: 1268, 2015-06-29, 2:15 pm)
- What she means. - sm (Views: 1140, 2015-06-29, 8:33 pm)
- With ICD 10 coming soon I think getting hired may improve for newbies. sm - still a student (Views: 1215, 2015-07-01, 9:31 pm)
- breaking into coding - Jo
  - Did having MT experience help you regarding hourly pay? - see msg (Views: 1590, 2015-07-07, 11:27 am)
    - Not the OP, but ... - Coder (Views: 993, 2015-07-08, 2:20 am)
  - courses at AHIMA - current MT (Views: 902, 2015-07-09, 4:06 pm)
- OUTSOURCING TO NUANCE - MTZ (Views: 1244, 2015-07-09, 9:22 am)
  - Check further on that "placement. " - sm (Views: 1119, 2015-07-09, 3:07 pm)
    - Check further on that "placement" - anom for now (Views: 906, 2015-07-20, 12:28 pm)
      - No, that is not what we were talking about. - sm (Views: 955, 2015-07-21, 7:42 pm)
  - I would not wait that long to take coding - Andrews Grad (Views: 1042, 2015-07-12, 7:04 pm)