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Medical Coder in India
Like every other home in India, the children love to decide the role-playing and says I’ll be the doctor or engineer, but the most kids ( many adults) don’t realize: there is something beyond these doctor and nurse formula.
One of the options is medical coding which is often overlooked. So if you’re asking yourself “what is it actually?” then Keep reading to having the closure look at these growing careers.
This article is written by India’s leading topmost professional medical coder “Purvaa Khaladkar“. She has expressed all her experience and knowledge in the article. She is also a rising entrepreneur in the quarternary sector in terms of health.
If any case if you have doubt about this article or want more information then you can contact Miss. Purvaa for it.
- Linkedin:
- Gmail: khaladkarpurva3535@gmail.com
History –
The crude form of medical coding started as far as the 17th century in England, but it rapidly progressed in the past few decades.
What is a medical coder?
“Medical coding is the transformation of healthcare diagnosis, procedures, medical services, and equipment into universal medical alphanumeric codes. Put simply, this refers to the process of translating important medical information into simple codes for the purpose of documenting medical records and informing accurate medical billing.≅
Why it’s needed? –
Coding the diagnosis and their procedures make sure that patients aren’t left paying more for procedures than they should, and that they and their insurance are charged for services.
How do you become a medical coder?
Becoming a Medical coder requires specialized training and certification. It’s not a job just anyone can perform. But that’s what makes medical coders valued professionals in the world of healthcare.
To pursue Medical coding, the individual must have a bachelor’s degree or master’s degree, preferably from a life science background.
There are some online medical coding course duration is 150 hours and ranges from 2 to 8 months of study, depending upon the type of certification or specialization opted.
Three types of codes you have to know –
1. ICD –
International Classification of Diseases
These are diagnostic codes that create a uniform vocabulary for describing the causes of injury, illness, and death. This code set was established by the world health organization (WHO) in the late 1940s.
ICD codes are used to represent a doctor’s diagnosis and the patient’s condition. The number following “ICD” represents which revision of the code is in use.
2. CPT –
CPT codes are five-digit numeric codes that are divided into three categories. The first category is used most often, and it is divided into six ranges. These ranges correspond to six major medical fields: Evaluation and Management, Anesthesia, Surgery, Radiology, Pathology and Laboratory, and Medicine. αβγ
CPT codes also have addendums that increase the specificity and accuracy of the code used.
source: shutterstock.com
3. HCPCS –
Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System
They are commonly pronounced as “hick picks,” HCPCS is also the official code set for outpatient hospital care, chemotherapy drugs, Medicaid, and Medicare, among other services. Since HCPCS codes are involved in Medicaid and Medicare, it’s one of the most important codes a medical coder can use.
What is the Medical coding course syllabus?
Anatomy Structure of the human body to increase your understanding. Physiology of how the human body functions. medical definitions and terminology Include pronunciation and use of medical prefixes. Coding medical procedures What to code and how to prepare the forms.
Can you learn Medical coding on your own?
Besides certified medical coders are required to complete an almost two- to four-year degree program. you can learn the basic fundamentals of coding on your own. In order to teach yourself medical coding, you’ll need to have a basic understanding of a few key fundamentals.
What are coding skills?
These are some techniques that are required to succeed in the field and held the position, technical and transferable skills are important as well.
- ICD 10
- Billing criteria
- Health information technology
- CPT coding
- Inpatient coding
- Outpatient coding
- ICD-9
- Anatomy
- HCPCS coding
- Clinical documentation
- Communication
- Research
- Computer literacy
- Microsoft Office
- Attention to detail
- Collaboration
Academy of Medical Coders India-
Medical coding course is provided by top institutes in India both online and offline.
| CIGMA Medical Coding Academy | Kerala |
|---|---|
| Academy of Medical Coders India | Delhi |
| Elate Academy’s medical coding | Pune |
| National Institute of medical coding | Chennai |
| Medical Coding Training | Pune |
And so many options are left to that student who eagerly waiting to pursue the course.
Scope of medical coders in INDIA
India has the second-largest pool of medical coders after the US with an estimated 15,000-16,000 coders. The US is believed to have over 2,50,000 coders. Although a far second, India exhibits great potential.
Some of the companies in India that offer healthcare outsourcing services include Omega Healthcare, Ajuba Solutions, Cognizant, etc. The industry stands to generate yearly revenues of $400 million in the next three-four years and a medical coder is most likely to have a great career graph both within the country and even abroad.
Maharashtra has the highest no medical coders in India.
Jobs –
There are several types of jobs within the medical billing and coding field that typically attract medical coders:
- Medical coding specialist –
A coding specialist, also known as a medical coder, documents patient data in a special code format. Business entities and organizations — including doctor’s and dentist’s offices, government agencies, and insurance companies — use these codes for recordkeeping, billing, and research.
- Medical billing clerk–
This entry-level position combines customer service with hands-on applications of medical billing principles.
- Medical billing specialist–
Medical billing specialists tackle the more intricate tasks of evaluating and administering billing policies. They are considered experts at identifying problem areas with a practice’s billing procedures and improving them.
- Medical auditing specialist–
This type of specialist checks on the validity of coding and billing practices. The medical auditing specialist’s job is to look for mistakes
.
5.Clinical data specialist –
A clinical data specialist is also a type of auditor, but one who focuses on computer-generated data that is used in the practice.
WHAT IS THE SALARY FOR A MEDICAL CODER IN INDIA?
A medical coder in India can expect to earn an average of 25–30 k/per month in India, Of course, there is a lot of variables involved, the salary will depend on the knowledge, experience, and location of the candidate.
- The salary for a Medical Coder is ₹18,091 per month in India.
- The highest salary for a medical coder in India is ₹35,532 per month.
- The lowest salary for a medical coder in India is ₹11,217 per month. The national average freshers.
source: publichealth.berkeley.edu
Is medical coding a female job?
Basically, jobs in medical coding, billing, practice management, auditing, and other related roles primarily attract a female workforce. In fact, according to AAPC’s membership demographics for 2020, only 17 percent of members are men. So definitely girls can forward to these fields.™
What is the age bar in medical coding?
There is no age bar in medical coding.
It’s been that many middle-aged people switch to medical coding from other medical careers like nursing or pharmacy by considering it as a more comfortable office-based job.
People from other backgrounds too now come to medical coding as they find more opportunities in it.
Is medical coding a good career abroad?
As the US healthcare industry, most of the time outsources its services to developing countries, Indian students can have a good opportunity of pursuing a lucrative career abroad. … If you are looking for steady career growth, something that will keep you secured throughout, medical coding is one such.
Conclusion –
Medical coding is a worthwhile career and With the right training and a little hard work, you can conquer the challenges of medical coding and billing and land a great job at a critical time in the field. Becoming a medical coder is worth the effort it takes when you enroll in the right program.