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

Step-by-step Medical Coding by Carol Buck? - JC

Posted: Nov 01, 2012

Hello. I was just wondering if anyone has experience with the above mentioned book? I was planning on getting the work book as well. I also wanted to know what other books I would need. I was going to get the 2013 addition for all books needed. I don't have the money to take a full course right now, but I would like to "get my feet wet" and see if this is the right field for me. Thanks.

JC - Current coding student

[ In Reply To ..]
Are you saying you are going to attempt to learn coding without going to school and without the assistance of instructors? As a coding student, I can't even imagine this. Maybe I read your post wrong and you're just thinking about buying some books to review before attending a coding school.

Here's what I did: I did months of research, first about whether an education in coding was what I wanted, then how in the world I was going to pay for it on my MT pay, and then finally made a decision on which school to attend. After all that research, my only regret is waiting so long to enroll. I am now 3 months into it and, although it's not easy, I am so glad I am spending my money on learning coding, not on some books to see if I was ready to learn.

Finally, although money was very tight (and still is), for over a year I gave up little things here and there. I had a yard sale, stopped the daily coffee purchase, etc., and found that I could manage to pay for school AND my mortgage, monthly bills, etc. I'm not saying it's easy, just that it can be done. Good luck, JC!

Thank you so much. - JC

[ In Reply To ..]
Yeah. I want to buy the books to see if it is worth taking a coding course. I am a medical transcriptionist right now and don't want to make the same mistake of not really liking my job again. May I ask which school you are going through for coding? I am looking at different schools but am really leaning toward Andrews school. Thanks again.

JC - Current coding student

[ In Reply To ..]
I am enrolled at Andrews.

Suggestion - Coder

[ In Reply To ..]
JC, that book is going to scare the pants off you. So will the ICD-9 code book. Seriously, more students drop out just from fear upon seeing the code books than anything else. You will also possibly waste several hundred dollars since some courses use different books and others provide them.

It won't really help you see if you like coding, either. You can't see all that we do from that. It would be like making a decision about accounting from a book on how to use a calculator or Excel software. There is more to coding than the skill of code-finding. The "more" is the interesting part.

You should be able to look inside the book on Amazon.com. You can also access coding instruction at the Medicare Learning Network on the CMS website.

You might get a better and more realistic view by attending a few meetings of your local AAPC chapter. They have speakers who talk about topics related to the work we do. You can get a good picture from that--much better than from a book. You can also network with coders. Find the chapter on the AAPC website. There may be several near you. If so, go to all. Try to talk to hospital coders as well as office or clinic.

You will need that chapter anyway because they offer the CPC exam.

Thank you for the info. - JC

[ In Reply To ..]
I hadn't thought of that. Thanks for the heads up.

Also - MT2Coder

[ In Reply To ..]
The book you mentioned is heavily advertised but students complain that it is confusing. I can code and it confuses me. It is done in that new textbook style that a lot of adults dislike ... jumping around, colors and blurbs in boxes all over, tons of useless illustrations and visual aids that you have to waste time figuring out. constant "interrupptions" to the flow of text. You feel ADHD coming on just from reading it.

AHIMA publications are good, but very academic. For you, now, that might be off-putting.

If you truly want to see a great book, written clearly and intended for medical professionals, get Faye Brown ICD-9-CM coding published by the Amercan Hospital Association. That is a major reference for us, as well as a textbook. It is a book you can enjoy. AHA is one of the organizations involved in developing ICD, so their opinion is the original. With the exception of AHIMA, everyone else's book is basically an imitation of this. I don't think any other is as good or as clear. It is a calm, confident book. A cup of tea, not Red Bull.

For CPT, you might enjoy the intro to CPT book published by the AMA. They wrote the code set and this is their explanation of it. Mature and professional, not high school blaring and jumping around.

Thanks everyone. - JC

[ In Reply To ..]
That is why I asked the question before getting the books. I knew others would have more experience than I did in this. Thank you all for your input.

I didn't like - Carol Buck

[ In Reply To ..]
books when I was beginning. I found them frustrating and difficult. I hope you can find other ways to check coding out. That book will turn you off.

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