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Coding - getting the first job after school - MTinNC

Posted: Jan 21, 2013

Question for all the coders - A young friend of mine is about to graduate from a community college with a 2-year degree in Healthcare Administration, with a good deal of her school work covering coding, billing, and insurance. She will have a new baby soon and wants to work from home as a coder (or other close field, if you can suggest one). I think I know the answer (if coding is like MT), but, is that possible? What companies, if any, hire newbies, or what is the best way to get experience for a good job? I'm assuming Coding would also want a couple years experience from their applicants. Thanks for any advice you can give.

Would you please clarify what the degree is in? - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
Healthcare administration programs do cover *some* coding, billing, and insurance, but at the community college level, and even at the 4-year level, there is a huge difference between healthcare administration programs and health information technology.

It isn't even clear to me what a healthcare administration program at the junior college level is, other than something that would enable you to do administrative assisting in a doctor's office or something like that. It would not be likely that the program covered enough coding to enable her to work as a coder in either the inpatient or outpatient setting. (That's not the purpose of those programs.)

Did your friend do a program in health information technology that was accredited by the American Health Information Management Association and which qualified her to take the RHIT exam? If so, she should have had enough coding and other studies to work as a coder. She should be able to pass the RHIT exam (and needs to do that right away), the AAPC's CPC exam (and needs to do that at the earliest possible sitting), and the AHIMA CCA exam (and should do that right away).

When she does that, she'll be in a better position to look for and get a coding-related job. Depending on the reputation of her college, that may be easier or harder to do.

Yes, most coding jobs do want a couple of years of experience from applicants. But, you know, every coder around got that first job without any experience. It's up to your friend to get credentialed and market herself well. She may have to take a job that isn't quite what she aspires to at first, but the coding will come eventually.

No, coding is not like MT in terms of the at-home thing. To my knowledge there are no coding jobs that you can get like you can get a job with an MTSO. There is no such thing in coding as getting a job by passing an online test like you can in MT. The stakes are simply too high in coding.

It's only possible to code remotely with electronic records. Remote coding is catching on, but it is typically reserved for full-time employees who have served their time (how long varies) in a hospital setting, are fully proficient, highly reliable, virtually 100% accurate, and who do require no supervision. Even then, they still go in to the office on occasion.

There are contract coders who work remotely. Most of those services want RHITs, RHIAs, and CCS credentials. They pay very well and expect very high accuracy (100%) and very high production. Most coders who get those jobs are highly experienced. Many of them are in high-level administrative and even management positions at their "day job" and do contract work evenings and weekends.

What I'm trying to say is that an "at home" position is unlikely for your friend right now, mostly because she has no experience. It would be impossible, in any event, until she gets those credentials.

Also in any event, stay-at-home-mommying is not compatible with coding. Coders are considered medical professionals and their jobs are demanding. I have never seen a coding position that even came near to tolerating childcare, family care, pet care, homeschooling, housework, or any other kind of function while working.

A more appropriate choice for your friend would be an in-house job and some arrangement for childcare--a nanny, a sitter, switching off with a spouse, or something. Many hospital and large-institution employers have on-site childcare, too, which would be an option.

This may be disappointing, but in the long run a coding job is going to pay better and lead to more opportunity than other jobs. It is worth working in the office, devoting your full attention to it, and working toward advancement. Check the salary surveys for evidence of that.

Thank you for the info! - MTinNC

[ In Reply To ..]
Thank you so much for the information and explanations for her. I will pass this response on to her.

If it was an HIT program it would have included info - on typical jobs.

[ In Reply To ..]
She would have also done at least one internship in a hospital to help with understanding types of jobs and getting one.

If this sounds unfamiliar to her, it might not have been an HIT program.

Regardless of what kind of program it was, she should ask the school for job placement assistance.

Yes, had internship and can sit for certification - MTinNC

[ In Reply To ..]
I am getting more info - she does have an internship this fall and she can sit for certification exams. And it is a 2-year degree. I think she has enough info to go on. Thank you ladies.

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