Category: Medical

What is a Medical Coder

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The medical coding career is indispensable to the health care industry. A medical coders job is to report services and products provided by health care providers (such as doctors offices, hospitals, etc) to the health insurer of the patient. It is necessary to report this data in a very organized and specific manner. This is why it is important for the coder to have some sort of medical coding training.

With medicine not always being an exact science, medical coding gives it a way to be more cut and dry. In an attempt to make it more exact, the coder will convert the doctors notes, laboratory tests, requested imaging studies, and other tests into code that is usable and understood by the health insurance companies. It is vital that the medical coding specialist know enough about anatomy and medical terminology to be able to convert these notes into code. It is also vital that the coder be familiar with different types of insurance policies and companies, as the protocol of coding will be slightly different for every company and policy.

The codes used are very important for multiple reasons. One reason being that in order for there to be a system that health insurance companies can comprehend, there has to be a set standard. With this set standard they can then charge the appropriate amount to the patient and to the health care provider. Along with this responsibility, a coder may also have the responsibility to be an advocate for the care provider and patient in times that the patient requires necessary medical assistance. If the claim submitted by the coder is denied by the insurance company, it is also their job to re-file and audit those appeals.

Another reason the codes are important is because the data will eventually be used by both local and federal government for research. As a medical coder your job will help governments and researchers develop treatments for conditions that may not have enough information to make accurate conclusions on yet.

Medical coding is a profession that is absolutely vital to the health industry, because ultimately it cannot survive without someone handling the finances. The demand for jobs in the medical coding field seems to be increasing, along with the average salary which is strong despite the countries current financial uncertainty.

Reasons you should attend Medical Assistant School in Miami

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There is a lot to think about when trying to figure out what career path you want to choose, especially when you have your own family. The years and money that go into earning a degree can sometimes be overwhelming. If the idea of working in the medical field has been a dream of yours for quite some time, medical assistant school may be a great place to start. The following are some of the top reasons to become a medical assistant:

1. You will be certified in less than two years

When becoming a medical assistant, there are two different paths you may choose. You can either get a medical assisting diploma or degree. Both programs will certify you to work as one of them, but the biggest difference between the two is the amount of time you attend school. A diploma can be earned in as few as 15 months, while an associate’s degree would take as little as 19 months. Most individuals that go for the associate degree value the time spent in the additional 30 credits that will help them prepare for the certification exam.

2. Job Growth is above-average

The average projected job growth for most jobs is expected to increase at a rate of 11 percent through 2022. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the job growth for this career is estimated to increase at 29 percent that same year. That rate of growth is much faster than the average. This means the demand for these professionals will be up the roof.

3. Career stability

Just as with doctors, physicians, and nurses, there is a need for medical assistants every hour of every day. Unlike other careers, the medical field just can’t take breaks. There are always patients that need your help. You will no longer have to scramble for extra shifts or compete with your coworkers for more hours. There will always be a need for medical assistants.

4. Job flexibility

The skills that a medical assistant possesses are always needed in clinics and hospitals all over the country. This means if you’re considering moving to a new state for personal reasons, finding a job wherever you end up won’t be a problem.

5. You may work in different settings

You will have the opportunity to work in the environment that makes you feel most comfortable. Medical assistants are needed in hospitals, clinics, private practices, and in ambulatory care.

What are the Top Medical Schools

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Every ambitious and aspiring medical student wants to be accepted into the top medical schools. While it may make no difference which medical school you attend to get your license as an M.D., it does matter in the career and networking opportunities you have after graduation. In this article, we will discuss some of the top medical schools in the United States.

Harvard Medical School — this one tops the list, especially when it comes to research, but is also strong for primary care.

John Hopkins University — as far as US news is concerned, John Hopkins Hospital has been the best in America for the last 17 years in a row.

Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis — with 115 years of experience and research, education and patient care. Its rich history and in-depth research is sure to help you in your professional career.

Oregon Health and Science — while it’s the only health research university in the state of Oregon, it presents an excellent opportunity to learn about patient care, both for in-state and out-of-state students.

University of Pennsylvania — with an equal commitment to being a leader in patient care, research and education, Penn medicine is an excellent choice for any aspiring doctor. In fact, their goal is to be recognized nationally as the most accomplished and respected school of medicine.

Duke University School of Medicine — Duke University boasts a community of scholars, who are devoted to teaching, research and patient care. In addition, they’re graduating classes averaged 60% less debt than other private medical schools in the nation. In fact, the debt was even less than public medical schools, on average.

Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons — the main focus of the College of Physicians and Surgeons is on medical education, which they pour all their resources into. They are an excellent choice for both general and special practice, as well as offering advancement in research, teaching or even administration.

University of New Mexico School of Medicine — the US news, 2007 addition, ranked the University of New Mexico school of medicine as a number two program in the nation for rural medicine, as well as number 10 in the nation for family medicine. In fact, five departments were also ranked in the top 40 in the National Institutes of Health.

In conclusion, consider this list of top medical schools when you consider who to send your application into, it also worth building strong credentials to increase the chances of being accepted into one of these top medical schools.

What To Expect Working As A Medical Coder

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In the healthcare industry, you come across millions of different diseases, all of which have different symptoms and treatments. Without a proper system, it can be very hard to keep track of all these aspects and manage them effectively. Moreover, there are many players in this field such as the doctors, patients and insurance companies, and there needs to be a system to decide how much money has to be transferred from one to another. This is where medical coding comes in.

Working in the field of medical coding includes organizing all the diseases and the related information in a proper numerical format. There are many coding systems that are in place for different aspects of health care such as diagnosis, treatment and requirements. The way you code this information depends on where you are working and what you need to determine after coding. Regardless, medical coders have to group diseases into different categories and then make sure all the payments are made according to these classifications.

Education is very important for working in the field of medical coding. Medical coders who are well-educated and have a master’s degree earn much more than those who only have a bachelor’s degree. Therefore, it is necessary to get a good education if you want to excel in this field. There are many colleges that are now offering good degrees in this field, so these should be considered. Once you have some experience and all the knowledge you need, you can take the certification exams, which are organized by the authorities. Once you are a certified medical coder, you can start your career officially.

The best part about working in this field is that you have a lot of choice. There are many places that you can work such as hospitals, nursing homes, clinics and outpatient centers. This means that you do not have to confine yourself to one particular job setting, and you can also rotate from one setting to another till you find one that suits your preferences. Moreover, you can even be employed by insurance agencies and law firms that deal with medical cases.

The final option is to go for a specialization in one particular field of medical coding if you feel that you are inclined to it after gaining some experience. This will allow you to focus solely on the field of your choice, which is a great aspect of this career.

Medical Identity Theft – One of the Fastest Growing Crimes

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From keeping up with the latest technologies to providing top-notch patient care, there’s no doubt that healthcare industry professionals have a lot on their plate these days. But, would you imagine that one of their major concerns has nothing to do directly with patient care? Healthcare practices are spending large amounts of time and money keeping their practices compliant with the latest HIPAA regulations, and working hard to prevent a new trend in crime – medical identity theft. While it may not be making mainstream headlines, according to Javelin Strategy and Research, fraud resulting from exposure of health data has increased 112% year over year, from 3% in 2008 to 7% in 2009. To put this stat in perspective, medical identity theft is regarded as the fastest growing form of identity theft in America today and it is estimated that each year 250,000 to 500,000 people become victims of medical identity theft. Just like identity theft, medical identity theft is the act of stealing medical records or medical information of a patient. Both the medical facility and the patient suffer great losses once they are victimized by this type of crime. Imagine this scenario – when you check your mail one day, you find a giant bill from a hospital emergency room, yet you haven’t been to the doctor for anything other than a routine visit in years. So where did this five-figure bill with your name on it come from? The answer -someone stole your information and used it to obtain medical treatment and/or prescription drugs. Unfortunately, medical theft is a growing epidemic and is largely attributable to the large volume of paperwork medical providers are required to keep, in order to maintain 100% HIPAA compliance. Instances of medical identity theft are commonly reported when:

* Patients’ records are accidentally faxed or mailed to the wrong person * Medical records are stolen and misused after being disposed of improperly * Laptops containing confidential information or medical records are lost or stolen * Medical files left unattended in file rooms, on staff desks and in door folders; or unrestricted physical access to sensitive medical files.

While these security breaches might sound relatively innocuous, they are a huge concern. Not only does the medical facility face damage to their reputation and restitution fees, but also HIPAA has enacted legislation over the last year that makes such breaches very expensive – and on a punitive scale. Even worse, the victim may not realize the crime has occurred immediately due to lags in billing cycles so the theft is larger and potentially more costly. As if these scenarios aren’t nightmarish enough, add the fact that someone’s medical records could be tampered with, leading to improper medical care or misdiagnosis. With these costs to both victims and facilities in mind, preventing medical identity theft must be a high priority for medical facilities. It’s especially critical for smaller practices to take precautionary measures because they may have fewer internal protocols to protect patients…and shallower pockets to weather such an event. Ways to reduce medical identity theft include: