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

Transcription & Coding ???? - PotentialMT

Posted: Nov 03, 2011

Im planning on taking the MT course soon through MTEC or ANDREWS(still up in air which one). But I would also like to take courses to become a CODER also. I feel it`ll be beneficial to me to be trained & eventually receive my credentials in both. I think it`s best if I go through the MT course first then while Im working I can go through the coding course. Since im obviously new to this I would like to hear your opinions PLEASE. Too bad there isnt an integrated course for both! Thank you all!

My Advice - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
You really ought to talk to Linda Andrews at Andrews School about that because she knows both of those really well. You'll probably be surprised about what she tells you. Even if you don't enroll in either of the Andrews courses, you will know a lot more than most people just by talking to her. Personally, I think taking both courses sounds like a great idea, but how you do it makes a big difference. That's where a lot of people are going wrong, making serious mistakes.

my advice-sm - potentialMT

[ In Reply To ..]
Thank you for your reply. I will call Linda @ Andrews. You sound like you could have a little more info or insight on this than you would like to share on this board. I could be wrong, but if you do could you elaborate? You can email me if you would rather not post it here. I would just like as much info as possible before calling since Im new without any experience. If not then thats ok too. Thank you either way!

My Advice Again - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
Ask about which course might be best for your own particular circumstances. The answer to that is going to be different from one person to another. That's why I didn't talk more about which course you should take or which one to take first or if you should take either one of them ever. The answer is going to be different for each of us.

Tell her if you need to work at home. That's another variable. What is important to you in a job? Let her know. She'll be very frank with you about the pros and cons of each of those careers, MT and coding. Then you can consider everything and weigh it against your own particular circumstances so you can make the best decision for you. It will be different from a decision that might be right for me or for someone else. It isn't a one-size-fits-all decision, in other words. Good luck with your research!

It's probably not that easy to get these school owners on the phone - Just sayin

[ In Reply To ..]
Usually you get someone who doesn't know anything about coding or transcription. In other words, a salesperson. I have my doubts that it's that easy to get someone who really knows anything on the phone.

Linda Andrews answers her phone - JustSayin2

[ In Reply To ..]
I don't believe Andrews has any salespeople or "counselors" or office workers doing the teaching, and it has been my experience that Linda answers the phone quite readily during reasonable hours. Outside of that, she'll get right back with you.

She's far more likely to talk you out of a career if she feels it isn't a good fit for you than she is to sell you on it.

Advice from someone who's been there - Anonymous

[ In Reply To ..]
I was working as an MT full-time when I went through a coding program a little over a year ago. If I had to do it again, I would not take classes and work at the same time. For me, coding was a lot more difficult than I expected. Doing MT all day used a lot of brain cells too and I found it quite challenging. My advice would be to concentrate on coding. That actually will lay the groundwork for MT beccause you'll be studying medical terminology and anatomy and physiology in depth. See how you feel when you finish that, and then go for the MT course if you still want to. People compare coding and transcription all the time, but they are not similar at all. As far as a school, I don't think MTEC teaches coding, I think Andrews offers both programs. Good luck with your choice.

Coding is going byebye just like MT - Veteran

[ In Reply To ..]
Coding is becoming increasingly automated and will be going the way of the dodo bird, just like MT.

If you're going to school to learn a new career, why not go for something that will be viable and lucrative for another 15 to 20 years (at least). Coding is NOT the way to go, just like MT isn't.

And how do you know this? Are you currently a coder? - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
You're probably not a coder. I was an MT who is now a coder. I've been a coder at my hospital for two years. During this time, the MT department has been outsourced to a company. Our coding department has doubled in size, yes, doubled. We are currently hiring for a CCS and CPC. With all the exciting changes in the HIT world, coding will be here to stay.

Obviously you don't read trade literature. - Veteran

[ In Reply To ..]
First of all, your personal (anecdotal) story is just that so is statistically MOOT. Just an example, there are plenty of MTs who are working right now, but that does NOT mean that MT is sustainable.

The TREND is written on the wall and is clear for anyone who has eyes to read. Read some trade literature -- you may learn a thing or two.

Coding will NOT be around in another 10 to 15 years. MT will NOT be around in another 5 to 10 years.

If someone is going to invest the time and money in SCHOOL, why go for something that not's long-term?

Good for you that you're employed -- for now.

..also trend for coding to be done off-site - MT

[ In Reply To ..]
I have a friend who works in administration/health insurance. One thing insurance companies are heading to making a change in is having coders on-site, since they can develop relationships with the physicians and work with them to upcharge. I saw this personally with my last job. Of course the majority was on the up and up, but the coder and physicians would discuss "the gray areas" and what to dictate on cardiac cath lab reports to get the most money possible. I'm sure it's more blatant in other situations, and of course the insurance companies aren't going to turn a blind eye. I've seen on the coding board where they insist it will never happy because medical records can't go overseas. I've never understood that? Hospital admissions, preops, consults, test results, lab results, ER visits, inpatient, outpatient visits etc. ARE confidential patient hospital records, yet they are transcribed overseas.

You have this backwards - Coder

[ In Reply To ..]
Everything you explained here is backwards.

You said "One thing insurance companies are heading to making a change in is having coders on-site, since they can develop relationships with the physicians and work with them to upcharge." This is nonsense.

Insurance companies do not want physicians to 'upcharge.' Far from it! Insurance companies want to pay as little as possible. They also do not provide coders to physicians or to facilities.

I think you might have misunderstood your friend, or perhaps she wasn't clear about the situation.

Federal payers have been encouraging providers and facilities to utilize certified professional coders. This is to ensure that coding is done ethically and accurately. It helps the providers to demonstrate that they are trying to comply with federal reimbursement rules and also those of non-federal payers. In short, they encourage using professional, certified coders to help eliminate the incorrect coding that drives up medical costs.

FACILITIES are working to keep their coding on-site because it aids in accuracy. Coders who work on-site can develop relationships with providers to help them document appropriately and adequately, and that helps the facility obtain the reimbursement that is appropriate for the services they provide.

You say that on your last job, you saw coders discussing "gray areas" and what to dictate on caths to get the most money possible. You're absolutely correct that we do this and it isn't unethical in the least. This is, in fact, what coding is. That IS what we do and it isn't unethical or illegal. The documentation requirements for caths are complex. The coder has to see certain information documented in the report in order to be able to code that the service was performed. For instance, they have to see that a catheter entered the orifice of a vessel, rather than staying just outside it, and they might have to see the results of pressure or flow determinations in order to code for them. We do work with providers to make sure that we get what we need to code and we do that in order to get paid for what we did. If we DID a service, we need to be PAID for it. If we aren't paid for it, our facilities go out of business.

Again, there is nothing wrong with that. It IS on the "up and up." It is NOT "upcoding"--upcoding is illegal and we don't do it. We don't condone unethical upcoding and other illegal misrepresentations because we are bound by the ethics statements of our professional organizations. We'd lose our credentials if we engage in illegal or unethical acts. And, yes, we do sometimes have to quit our jobs when we're asked to do illegal coding. We are the people who are expected to blow the whistle when we see illegal acts and upcoding.

You're right that you don't understand why coding is difficult to offshore. Your assumption that coding is just like MT is keeping you from understanding this.

Keep dreaming - Truth hurts

[ In Reply To ..]
It is going away. Give it 5 years. Already see the trend in the North East states.

I don't think you are keeping up with the changes in the coding industry - if you see only the sky falling

[ In Reply To ..]
There have always been changes. There are always exceptions to rules. Some will panic and run for the exits, leaving more for those who use common sense and good skills.

Not running for the hills - NO sky falling

[ In Reply To ..]
I'm not running for the hills. I have a great job, and make great money; however, for someone wanting info on the coding field, I am going to tell them the truth about what is going on around me and not blow smoke up their butts.

Clarification - MT

[ In Reply To ..]
Condescending much? My sentence was not "nonsense", just worded incorrectly. I was simply sharing some information a friend who works very high up in insurance/administration has recently seen discussed more often at meetings. Insurance companies will be supporting new technology to sway the industry to have coders work off-site - the reason being that on-site there is a higher likelihood of fostering personal relationships with physicians to upcharge. Who are you to tell me this is not true? I'm not so blinded that I can't see where this could head. I never said coding is ABSOLUTELY going offshore. I think that's just as crazy as someone saying that it NEVER WILL.

What trade lit are you talking about? - Please cite the reference!

[ In Reply To ..]
What trade literature are you talking about? I read most of it and have yet to see anything that supports what you are saying.

There is an article in For the Record, this month or the last, that discusses coding. It paints a very accurate picture of what is occurring in the industry.

The act of finding medical words in documents and associating those with codes is something that a computer can do. If that's all a coder can do, then that coder is pretty darned pathetic and needs to be replaced by a computer. I don't know any real coders whose jobs consist of that, though. We do a lot more than that.

The For the Record article describes the direction that coding is taking. I already work there, so I know their view is accurate. That's what I'm seeing, too, and it is a natural and very good direction for coders to take.

Don't steer people away from a viable career because you don't understand what it is.

I was thinking of becoming a coder but - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
now I'm not so sure. I have decided to go back to school, just not sure for what. In my state teachers, nurses, cops, IT people are all getting laid off. I feel like no job is secure anymore.

Coding is going to be around for a long time - Certification is Important!

[ In Reply To ..]
Get your coding education and make sure that it's good enough to pass certification exams, both CCS and CPC. The jobs are there.

That is VERBATIM what they said about MT. - MT

[ In Reply To ..]
For years it was "become certified." Only to spend all the money and time for a worthless certificate.

They also claimed that MT wasn't going anywhere. Not only are our jobs being shipped overseas, but with VR and the EMR we are being hit in the pocketbook and making significantly less money.

"Become certified; there are plenty of jobs" is an OLD REFRAIN. You guys need to come up with a new song.

Coding not going anywhere?? - Fussy

[ In Reply To ..]
I was told just this week by an IT guy not to go to school to learn coding. The new software of the future will automatically add the codes when the diagnoses are put in. This is not the immediate future, but why go back to school for something that isn't long-term? I went to MT school almost 20 years ago and was planning on being in this for the long haul. Now look at us! The one thing I have learned is don't count on anything. Sometimes technology sucks.

We've been using coding software for years but - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
Using coding software is nothing new. It's helpful. It requires certified coders to verify what it does. It's useful as a tool. It's even fun.

Coders and wanna-be coders should be fighting - right NOW to keep it in the USA!

[ In Reply To ..]
Because if it can be done on a computer, and hospitals have to pay workers to do it, then for sure they're going to try to outsource it, and the outsourcing companies will offshore it.

It's only a matter of time, unles everyone wakes up and starts fighting offshoring. Not just in MT. Not just in coding. But of ALL American jobs.

Certification (CMT) has paid off for me and for others I know - nm

[ In Reply To ..]
nm

Coding certifications are different - Valid & Necessary

[ In Reply To ..]
You're making the mistake of thinking we're singing your song. If we were, then it would be an old refrain and you'd be correct, but we're singing something entirely different.

The professional organizations that credential coders are the AAPC and AHIMA. Both of them are highly respected.

All of the credentials they offer are meaningful and necessary. The are VALID indicators of competence in this industry. They are accepted by employers and by the federal government, as well.

There ARE plenty of jobs in coding. About 1/3 stay unfilled because employers cannot find CREDENTIALED coders to fill them.

Yes, they require CREDENTIALS. If you're not certified in coding, you will have trouble finding a job.

Lemme guess: You own a coding school. NM - Oldtimer

[ In Reply To ..]
NM

Actually, it will be gone in less than 10 years. - Reality

[ In Reply To ..]
Do a search on the BIG hospitals in the North and you will see the statistics on coding, and how the EMR will affect it. It will not be here for long. I have already seen the changes start to happen.

IT is going bye bye. My docs already do theirs (sm) - reality

[ In Reply To ..]
My doctors already do their own coding right when you are in the exam room with them, along with their own transcription. My doctor hates to do it, but he says they have to. It is a pull down menu and he clicks everything he needs and it prints it out. He showed me both the transcription and the coding bills that print out. It really stinks.

I've seen an EMR that codes automatically - pumpernickel

[ In Reply To ..]
Went to a presentation last week for our local hospital-owned clinic employees, training them on their new EMR. It is 100% VR, edited only by the user if they see mistakes, and 100% automated coding.

Doctors have always done their own coding - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
They used to use Superbills or some of the billing software. It's very generalized and useful for certain specialties. In hospitals, coding is much more complicated. That's why many hospitals are requiring their coders to become certified right now. It's become more important than ever. There has been a shortage of coders, but with the changes and some coders dropping out rather than adapting to the changes, the shortage is getting worse

But that's not coding - Coder

[ In Reply To ..]
I'm a professional coder. What I do isn't even close to what you see your doctor doing. He's just clicking on codes that he thinks look close.

The whole problem here is that you THINK you see the reality of coding when you look at what he's doing. You THINK you know what coding is, but you don't realize that because you don't have any idea of what coding really is, you don't recognize when you are seeing a low-level clerical chore done in a doctor's office. Sure, the doctor clicks codes and a bill prints out.

So what? Before he got that EHR, he made check marks on a bill with a pen. He didn't have "a coder" before. He might have called it "a coder," but it was just somebody in his front office who broke the bill apart and mailed part of it to the insurance company.

That isn't coding and it isn't what I do for a living. I don't want to do that for a living and I don't know any coders who do. THAT'S NOT THE JOB!

Before you start claiming that coding is going "bye-bye," perhaps you should get better informed about what coding is.

It isn't CODING that is going bye-bye, but CLERICAL WORKERS IN DOCTORS' OFFICES that are going bye-bye.

Im the original poster... - potentialMT/Coder

[ In Reply To ..]
First of all, CODER, you seem to have alot of knowledge in coding. I think its very refreshing to come to this forum and see someone post who seems to be very passionate about their career. Ive always believed if you love what you do, you will be happy even in tough financial times. You should be a mentor to ppl who are just starting or would like to start. Anyway, as the op i want to thank those who responded to my actual question. Again, do you think it would be better to go through MT training first or Coding? I dont want to post my life situation on here but there is a reason I want to do both. The "medical world" has always been interesting to me, so im excited to jump in. Im just thinking it would save my sanity to be working as a MT while studying Coding. IDK. Im sorry if i sound ignorant or silly but im not in these professions. Im just researching and reading. Thanks again.

Answer to your question - Coder

[ In Reply To ..]
M y recommendation is that you go straight for the coding. Not sure why you think MT will help you in this. It is not necessary and there is no connection between the two. If you had been an MT for years you would be able to use that knowledge, but starting out by doing MT will not help you. Doing MT first is a waste of money and will hamper your progress. MT is not something you can do easily to tide you over whie learning coding. It will take a year or more plus a year of getting up to speed, and in that time you will struggle so much that you will never have time to study.

Doing both will NOT help you in a job. If you think it will, you need to rethink your beliefs and expectations because they are totally wrong. Yu need to do the coding and only the coding.

Salary is one reason. Check the surveys. Coding starts at much higher pay. Read the posts here to see what MTs are makng.

Cost of school is another. Andrews is where you would need to go to ensure getting an MT job. It is 3800. Their coding is 3800. If you do MT first you will spend twice as much, take about three times as long because you cannot study coding while floundering around in MT, and you may hamper your chances of getting a coding job because employers will think what you did was foolish.

Coding is on the brink of a major change in code sets that is expected to result in a lot of new jobs. If you do the coding right now you will be in place to benefit from this switch to ICD-10 in 2013. If you do the MT,you will instead jump on the bandwagon of an occupation in which it is increasingly difficult to make a living and you will miss the upcoming wave in coding.

Not sure why you think this will save your sanity, but I think you are mistaken and do not have enough understanding to make that assumption. It is going to bankrupt you, make you crazy, and it is just a really bad idea.

If you are doing this because you want to work at home, then do MT and forget about coding. Coding is not a WAH occupation and likely never will be. You have to be willing and able to work onsite at last initially.

If you would like to disscuss this further in email reply to me by email thru the link.

Sent from Kindle, please ignore typos.

Just face it - CCSP

[ In Reply To ..]
Just because you do not want it to happen does not mean it will not happen. I have seen it with my own eyes, actually working on the process through the hospital I work directly for.

Hon, I am not talking about a doctors office, (SM) - Coder25

[ In Reply To ..]
I am talking about them unveiling a program in our hospital system that eliminates the use of coders, period. This is a program that is being implemented on a trial basis to go along with their new EMR program. The writing is on the wall.

Me again - Coder25

[ In Reply To ..]
Just to clarify, the program that they are implementing will start with GI and Radiology, and then will go on from there, which will be a long, drawn out process.

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