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

something to think about before enrolling - anny

Posted: May 14, 2010

For those of you currently thinking about making the leap from MT to coding, please think about this before investing in a coding education right now. ICD10 is coming in a couple short years, implementation in 2013. Facilities are now gearing up to retain their current coding staff beginning next year (mandatory). So you are being taught ICD 9 if you go to school now, but if it takes you 2 years to complete your education, then right when you finish, ICD9 will be a thing of the past and we will all be re-training for ICD10!

Thank you - Anonymous

[ In Reply To ..]
Thank you for the heads up, I realized this after I enrolled and I have been concerned about having to learn ICD-10. I'll be done with my classes in early 2011 if all goes according to plan, hopefully I'll have a job before the release and can learn OTJ.

The best position to be in in 2013 is to know both - See message

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I remember back when there was a coding transition once before and if you didn't know the old system, you really struggled. During this transition it's going to be even more important to know both.

My thoughts - Anonymous

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Since I'll be a new coder, I am thinking that I'll need to know ICD-9 anyway. From what I have read, the changes in ICD-10 are not going to be huge, so I'm not sure how important it would have been to wait for the new version.

Useful way to view code changes - Redpen

[ In Reply To ..]
Exactly, you will need to know both. Waiting isn't going to help.

What prospective coders might not realize is that the switch from ICD-9 to ICD-10 isn't going to involve having to learn THE CODES. A lot of new coding students think that they're going to learn what the codes are and, I guess, memorize them. This is especially true if they know long-time coders who do happen to have a lot of those codes in their heads.

The goal in learning coding is not to learn the codes themselves, but just to learn to look them up correctly.

It would be impossible to memorize all of them and there are code changes every year, so if you did memorize the codes you would have a dreadful time unlearning and relearning the ones which changed. (The problem of coders continuing to use outdated codes they have memorized is well-known even now.)

So, you're just going to learn how to use the code set. The diseases and conditions that go IN this code set are still the same diseases and conditions that affect people now. It isn't like everything is totally different. It's more the same, in fact. You're still just going to look them up.

The ICD-10 procedural code set is quite different, but only hospital inpatient coders will need to know that. I think it's fun to use, too.

procedural codes? - dnh

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Why do only hospital inpatient coders need to know them? What about the day surgery coders?

Day surgery - Anonymous

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If you work for an outpatient facility, you will be using CPT procedure codes.

If you work for - JM

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a hospital, you may be required to use both CPT and ICD-9 procedure codes. Some facilities use the ICD-9 procedure codes also for internal tracking of services. I have to use both for outpatient surgeries.

Yes, that's true - Redpen

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Yes, that slipped my mind. Some hospitals require ambulatory surgeries to be coded using both ICD-9 and CPT, so presumably if you did that you would be required to know both.

With the level of detail and the structure of ICD-10, I doubt if a crosswalk would get you very far.

There was something on here a few days ago about a certified ICD-10 instructor - Looking for it

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Now I can't find it.

Realistic view - Redpen

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Well, some might say I'm biased, but holding off on a career change in a desire to avoid learning something new might not be necessary. I've already been trained in ICD-10, and I can say with confidence that not one piece of falling sky hit me. Really, not even a crumb.

When ICD-10 is implemented, ICD-9 isn't going to suddenly turn into a pumpkin. It will still be used for coding encounters which took place prior to the date of implementation. Who's going to code those if you don't know how? Someone who isn't you and who got the job you wanted.

You will still need to know ICD-9 for quite a while. Previously coded data isn't going to change, after all. Someone who knows both systems will have an advantage in that they can bridge the gap. They will be able to do conversions, deal with older data, get jobs . . .

In fact, there may be MORE jobs opening up because of this. I'd rather be in a position to take advantage of that.

I don't see this as "retraining," either. Remember, I said above that I already learned it. To me, it's just ADDITIONAL training. It's just learning something new, and it wasn't that much of an event.

Should you avoid training in coding out of fear of learning something new? No, but if you are the sort of person who dislikes learning something new, then you should by all means avoid it now . . . and for all time . . . because coding requires constant learning and inquiry. We learn things new every year, not just in 2013, and much (if not all) of that learning is self-directed.

People who dislike learning tend to do less well in coding, so that would be a valid reason to avoid it.

Worrying about spending 2 years in a coding program and then having to retrain isn't sensible. ICD-10 training will be phased in gradually, and students will need to learn both systems for at least a few years.

I might be biased, but I see only advantages to learning coding now.

Thank you for this post - New student

[ In Reply To ..]
Redpen, I just wanted to thank you for this post. As a brand new coding student, it is encouraging to hear such a positive opinion about the future of coding. There is so much conflicting information out there. Many people say coding is a dying career, but then I hear that many coding jobs are going unfilled. I've heard there is a critical need for coders, but then I hear that it is impossible to find a job in coding. It is hard to sort through the information and distinguish fact from fiction.

Finding a job . . . in any field - Redpen

[ In Reply To ..]
You're right, there is a lot of conflicting information out there. When you're on my end of it, it's easier to see through it.

I have seen no evidence that coding is a dying career. It's a changing career, sure. Just like all occupations, it changes over time. To me, that's a good thing. And, in spite of rumors to the contrary, most people change occupations several times during their working lives.

As I've pointed out in other posts here, there are a lot of things to do in coding. The key is to see the possibilities. Look forward and look up.

Yes, there IS a serious need for coders who are ready and able to work without more than minimal on-the-job training. With the exception of some employers who enjoy helping members of their organization get a foothold in the industry, most employers cringe at the thought of having to provide on-the-job training. Not only do you have to have someone to DO the training, it's expensive, it's time-consuming, and then the coder quits for a better job. Gah!

It's not impossible to find a job in coding. I have one. But, to get where I am now, I had to nab an entry-level job and work my way up.

The only easy-to-find jobs are in low-skill/low-pay jobs like fast food. For everything else, you have to really work at it.

Some jobs might seem to be shoo-ins, but most of them have sorted the applicants years before. Physicians, for instance. It might seem that jobs are waiting for them, and they are. But look at all the college students who don't get into medical school--that's where they got rejected from future jobs.

To get a job in coding, you have to do your learning now so that you're a competitive applicant. Later, you'll need to really work at the job application process. Be willing to take a lesser job or even a related job to get your foot in the door and gain some experience. Then keep hunting.

I hear a lot of complaints about the fact that the contract coding companies all seem to want certified people with experience. Well, yes. That's because the only jobs they have are high-level. They need coders who can work on their own right away, either flying to a client location or working online . . . without supervision or assistance. That's why the experience is necessary.

That doesn't mean it's impossible to get a job in coding. It just means it's impossible to get THOSE jobs unless you develop the qualifications for them.

Focus on a realistic future that might involve an actual entry-level job. If you had to work for six months or a year in a clinic, the world would not end.

Getting a related job now might help, too. Working in a hospital medical record file room would provide very useful experience and give you job history that many employers will understand and value.

Keep in mind, too, that successful people do not usually have the time or interest to publicize their success. We're programmed not to boast, after all. On the other hand, there isn't anything hampering unsuccessful people from sharing their distress. Consequently, you see more negative than positive. Moaning Myrtle was confined to the Hogwarts girls' bathroom, but everyone else has the internet.

If you want to feel better about coding, surround yourself with successful coders. The AAPC has local chapters which hold monthly meetings. Find yours, go there, and force yourself to meet successful coders. If you're shy, just tell them that a member you know (me) sent you so that you could meet successful coders and get your feet wet. Joining the AAPC isn't necessary to go to a few meetings. You'll have to join anyway to take the CPC, and the local group is the one which will host your exam. They also know about local jobs for which you might qualify even now.

Lots of students never do this. A few wait until they graduate. If you do it now, you'll be months ahead of all of them. :)

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