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Is Coding the way to go?! - pressured

Posted: Jan 19, 2011

I have almost 12 years experience as an MT (turn 30 in a month ACK!) My mom has been telling me for a couple years now (since it started going downhill) that I should maybe think about coding as a career. I guess she thinks I'd be good at it, but I have no idea. I have just started my research but I thought I would kind of get some pros and cons about it see if anyone had advice or thoughts on anyone thinking about it. I always feel like I'm too old to start something else, plus I thought I could raise my future family doing MT at home. That's just not the case anymore and going back to school doesn't thrill me... but I know I HAVE to do something. Is this a lucrative field? is it a needed field? How difficult? What kind of skills does it involve, any math? lol random I know. I will start my research but hopefully someone can give me a couple ideas or leads or something. I have kind of scrolled through the board somewhat but will do it on my day off (Sunday!)! Thanks ya'll

I cannot answer your questions but I am curious to know as well. (sm) - OlderthandirtMT

[ In Reply To ..]
I am 46 and have been thinking about returning to school, only I have no idea what I want to do. I researched (googled) top 10 paying careers with 2 year degree and dental hygienist was at the top. I have 2 problems with that, first, the thought of putting my hands in a mouth is sickening (I have assisted with PAP smears, rectal exams, etc., but just cannot handle mouths), and secondly, there is apparently a waiting list to get into the program at the local technical school. If what I have been told is true, I can understand, supposedly they may $30-40 an hour and only work 3-4 days a week. How sweet would that be????? I was actually kicking around surgical tech until I found out that the top pay in that field for my area is around $30,000. While I work my butt off now to make just at $30,000 a year, I would like to find something that pays a little more if I am going to dedicate the next 2 years or so of my life going to school AND working fulltime as well.

I completely understand your concern about math, that absolutely terrifies me. I have not done a math program since I attended college over 26 years ago and if someone were to place an algebra problem in front of me, yeah, I would probably think that they were just putting scribble in front of me. Shoot, I still argue with my hubby when he tells me that 2 + 2 is 4 ... joke of course.

Anyway, I wish you the absolute best and cannot wait to see the replies to your post!!!!

I considered it, but I see too many parallels with MT, - and we all know how THAT turned out!

[ In Reply To ..]
I couldn't bring myself to spend $15,000-$20,000 for the education (even if I HAD that kind of money, which i don't), not to mention what would amount to YEARS in school, while still continuing to work full-time, for something in the HEALTHCARE FIELD. Healthcare is a very unstable industry right now. They're cheating their employees, and they're cheating their patients. They're putting every position they have to pay for under a microscope, and doing their best to eliminate it. Look at radiologists... lots of them are getting let go and x-rays are being read offshore. The hospital CEOs won't be happy until the hospital has more and more management "fluff" jobs, and fewer of the nuts-and-bolts jobs like nurses, doctors, x-ray techs, transcribers, office clerks, HR personnel, etc. They don't give a _____ whether the patients get well, all they care about is if they can pay their totally padded and outrageous hospital bills.

good points - OP

[ In Reply To ..]
I never thought of those things... UGH. I just gotta remind myself things could always be worse.

what jobs cannot be outsourced! that's my next research job then :)

and yes paying and spending time in school is last on my list... but I felt it was my only option

If a job can be done over the internet on a PC, - that same job can be done offshore. -sm

[ In Reply To ..]
That's why, as much as I love to type, and love working at home (but at this point would love to get back to an on-site job), I'm not going to train for something that can be so easily done offshore. My next job will be one that needs an actual live, local, AMERICAN person doing it.

Sorry, but they are bringing people in from India and the Philippines to do those "live" j - What you are looking for cannot be found

[ In Reply To ..]
If you are looking for something that can't be done by non-Americans, you are out of luck. Last time a relative was in the hospital, I noticed that most of the nurses barely spoke English. Doctors, same thing. People drawing blood, taking x-rays, etc., same thing. Hair stylists and manicuris Doctors, same thing.

Where in the world do you have to pay $15,000-$20,000 for a coding course? - I would not do it that way

[ In Reply To ..]
The best school I know for coding only costs $3,800. I sure wouldn't pay $15,000-$20,000 and don't know who would, unless somebody else was paying the bills.

Coding and MT parallels - Anonymous

[ In Reply To ..]
What coding and MT parallels do you see? I'm studying coding now but I still work full-time as an MT. The jobs are as different as night and day. I've been successful at MT for more than 30 years so for me it turned out well. Coding produces revenue, it is not going away. I think the percentage of facilities who outsource their coding must be pretty small, I'd like to see the numbers. If you work for a small facility or do outpatient coding, it probably will never happen. I don't see how that works very well anyway, as there needs to be contact with the medical staff and other co-workers. I think you are wrong about unemployed radiologists and x-rays being read off shore; if x-rays are read off site, perhaps it is for after hours reading and stats, and I doubt if it's done in India. Many health care careers do not require years in school or cost as much as you say. You seem to have a very cynical outlook of health care, it may not be the place for you anyway.

Parallels between coding and MT: - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
Both are clerical jobs that require a great deal of training.

Both starting out being in high demand.

The necessity and expense of both (and other similar jobs) are something every hospital budget committee is going to try to circumvent.

Both professions give the initial impression that it's so valuable, in such demand, and needs so much training, that it could NEVER be outsourced or offshored. The only difference is MT is in the past tense; coding & billing in the future.

RE: Radiology - Some hospitals are using radiology service organizations to read their imaging studies. And some of those are already offshoring. X-rays are now mostly digital, and those images can be sent anywhere in the world in a matter of nanoseconds.

The "it'll never happen" denial-phrase. We said that about MT back in the 1990s. Radiologists said that in the 2000s.

Many MTs are still doing very well, although we've lost some who - see message

[ In Reply To ..]
There have always been MTs who should never have chosen that kind of work. They are now the largest part of the industry that are being replaced. Many are still doing very well.

Radiology - Anonymous

[ In Reply To ..]
My facility uses a service within our state to read films on an emergency basis or after hours. With the films being digital our doctors can read at home now, but none of it has gone overseas. Our rads share ownership in the facility where they work and also perform procedures at the local hospital, I don't see them being eliminated. I don't see our coders going anywhere either and I'm not in denial. We also still have a fully staffed MT department, FYI.

No parallels - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
It does not cost that much, it does not take that long, and the alleged parallels aren't there. You don't seem to have a clear view of what the field really is like or what is required to enter it. If you are discouraged by MT, you might be transferring those feelings to other healthcare fields.

Something else to consider . . . no field is very good right now, whether it is healthcare or not. In fact, non-healthcare fields are probably suffering more.

Coding is a good line of work.

coding - Viva

[ In Reply To ..]
Agreed. The course does not need to run into thousands of dollars and it does not take years and years to finish. I am in my second term of it now.

It's too soon to know if it'll still be a good line of - work 10 years from now. Not optimistic, here.

[ In Reply To ..]
...

Or even 5 years from now. - nm

[ In Reply To ..]
X

Re: Coding - Kai

[ In Reply To ..]
I'm in the same boat with you! Actually, I will be attending a free seminar at the community college for the Career Step program for the medical coding and billing program on Thursday. I don't have any info on coding for you but I have heard it is in high demand right now. I don't think any age is old if you are willing to learn something new. Good luck!

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