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

TRUTH - Still researching

Posted: May 07, 2010

After weeks and weeks of research, and reading tons of forums and reviews, speaking to advisors at on-line colleges, receiving multiple packets by mail, etc.....

I believe Career Step's medical coding program or AHIMA would be the BEST possible option for anyone trying to break into this field from home, learning at their own pace and the best affordability.

Please does anyone here beg to differ? I am looking for constructive criticism as well as any positives on these two organizations. I wonder how HARD AHIMA would really be and wonder if Career Step would more "friendly learning" oriented to the potential "NEWBIE" trying to break into medical coding career.......and wonder if AHIMA would be more Hard Core and "COLD" of an on line class.

That's a choice each person has to make for themselves - I think

[ In Reply To ..]
It doesn't matter if we disagree with you. What matters is that you have done your own research and come to your own conclusion. Someone else will do their research and come up with a different conclusion. I doubt that you'll ever get more than 1 person, or maybe 2 people, to agree about anything these days. Good luck though, whatever you decide.

TRUTH - Anonymous

[ In Reply To ..]
I'm doing the CS program. You have to be disciplined and do your studying, it is not easy and very detailed. Go to the AHIMA web site and compare the curriculum, it's similar to what they offer. You have to take anatomy and physiolgy in both programs, AHIMA won't let you in until you complete a class or provide a transcript. Both programs can be self-paced. I won't give you advice on choosing a program, look into all of the schools and decide what works best for you based on your career goals.

thank you for your replies and - Still researching

[ In Reply To ..]
so you are taking the AHIMA course? do you find the on line curriculum easy to follow

Not AHIMA - see message - Anonymous

[ In Reply To ..]
Please refer to my post, I said that I was doing the CS program, which is Career Step. I mentioned AHIMA so that you could compare them.

Coding research - keepnmind

[ In Reply To ..]
Coding is not much easier to break into than transcription is. The company I work for won't even talk to you without 3 years experience. I thought about switching from MT also. I took a local class for outpatient billing and I used to pay medical insurance claims which required using fee schedules. When I talked to my company and they told me they would not hire me without 3 years experience I decided not to waste my time and money just to have the door slammed in my face when I applied for a job. They were talking about inpatient hospital coding and I do think it would be easier to break into outpatient coding in a doctor's office rather than a hospital.

You DO realize that coding is the next field to be - Offshored?

[ In Reply To ..]
It has already started. IMO it is a waste of time to go to school for coding just as it is for medical transcription. Machines and foreigners are taking all the work. Save your time and money and find a field where you can actually MAKE money.

AND every institution I ever worked at had more - ***

[ In Reply To ..]
MTs than coders, so I really do not think the demand is there so start with, never mind the off-shoring aspect.

Have any of you - see message - Anonymous

[ In Reply To ..]
Ever had a positive word to say about anything in your life? The truth is there is a shortage of coders. While I've been in school (only a short time) there have been at least 5 jobs I could have applied for if I'd had the training. Facilities won't allow people to work at home, why would they offshore their coding to total strangers? Check your facts and familiarize yourself with what coders do before you start spreading more doom and gloom.

I think you hit the nail on the head in first line in your post - You said it well

[ In Reply To ..]
There is so much ridiculousness online. The people who are doing well in anything, MT, coding, or probably bricklaying, nursing, etc., are all drowned out by people who discovered they have a voice - on the internet.

People with no qualifications or knowledge at all can post until the cows come home. They just have to keep posting and pretty soon everyone will think the whole world thinks like they do. It hurts everyone.

Fortunately, people are now getting used to the internet and they recognize those with an 'attitude' and no credibility. That's a great improvement. We're all going to be better for it.

offshore? what are they gonna do, move our hospitals there? - lets be SeriouS

[ In Reply To ..]
its NOT going offshore, not our large institutions and hospitals. Too much paperwork to OFFSHORE. Be for real.

so negative.

Offshore coding and HIT - Ex-MT

[ In Reply To ..]
Well, I hate to tell you but offshoring coding would and is no different than offshoring any other confidential information such as your bank info, etc. and it is done very easily. I heard from an IT person years ago that they want to eliminate coding and offshore it but the first thing that has to be done is medical transcription. Why? Because medical transcription is basically the heart and soul of the HIM department. Once that "problem" is taken care of the rest is really easy.

I had a prominent professor from a major 4-year university basically tell me just the other day not to go into coding or HIT/HIM. Why? Because a few years ago their graduate had no problems finding jobs, but now, over the past year, not one of them can find a job. AND . . . to make matters worse, the university is pulling financial aid from that program. What does that tell you and confirm? :-)

"They" - Anonymous

[ In Reply To ..]
Who are "they?" What university, what professor and why would an IT person be an expert on transcription and coding?

get your facts first - cj

[ In Reply To ..]
Yes, there is a shortage of coders and is anticipated that shortage will grow in the coming years as ICD10 is implemented. However, facilities most definitely do allow people to work at home. I am a coder, work for a very large facility, and have worked at home for many years. In the area where I live almost all hospitals have their coders working at home and one would be hard pressed to find an in-house position anymore. The fact that their is a shortage of coders is in part responsible for this. We have coders from at least 7 different states that work for our facility. Offshore, however, is not the biggest worry for us. Computer assisted coding is although I do know there are some facilities who do offshore their coding right now. Perhaps you also need to familiarize yourself with some of these facts before criticizing someone else.

Thanks - Have a nice day - No message - Anonymous

[ In Reply To ..]
My facility does not let anyone, even the MTs, work from home any more. Although I know there are coders who do, I think it is more common to have people on site, at least at the present time. I obviously know nothing but it wouldn't be the first time I've been told that by one of the "experts" on this board.

Yes and THEY say there is a shortage - To justify sending work offshore

[ In Reply To ..]
Go ahead, keep your head in the sand, but don't say you weren't warned. Sorry to have bothered you.

One who knows....

What Field Would That Be???? - now what?

[ In Reply To ..]
i see adds all of the time where I leave on the East Coast for only 1 year experience.

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