An RN coder operates with medical codes used by healthcare providers for patient records, insurance, quality insurance, and billing. Nurses in this career are tasked with accessing patient reports and records online. You’ll then allocate codes for every procedure and diagnosis that a patient receives in the hospital’s database. RN coders may sometimes audit roles from other coders to guarantee accuracy.
How Can I Get a Job as a Remote RN Coder?
You should possess medical coding skills and nursing certification to work as a remote RN coder. After graduating with a nursing degree, you should enroll and pass the NCLEX-RN examination.
RNs can later enroll in medical coding training or learn on the job. They can also acquire certification from a professional firm like the AAPC (American Academy of Professional Coders), or a CPC (Certified Professional Coder) that provides accreditation. Remote coders should have a computer and reliable internet to access a healthcare institution’s coding databases and medical reports.
What are the primary duties of RN coders?
Healthcare staff should record every service in a healthcare facility. RN coders are tasked with extracting data from different medical reports and allocating distinct standard industry codes compatible with the services offered.
Medical billers can then utilize the codes to process compensation applications from an insurer. As an RN coder, you must research various resources to guarantee precise coding and incorporate imaging studies, a transcript of the doctor’s notes, and laboratory tests.
Extra duties that RN coders can perform
RN coders may execute a wide range of secondary tasks. Coding roles ensure providers are conversant with federal compliance orders where specific coding and billing standards are needed. They should also train educators to refile and audit appeals for denied claims and support providers and patients on medical coverage matters.
Coders often operate as medical billers, preparing billing statements and acting as principal liaisons to insurance providers.
RN Coders are Ideal Resources for Success
The availability of advanced software has eased and accelerated RN coder tasks by partly automating the procedure with accessible code databases. The codes commonly used are the International Classification of Disease, Healthcare Common Procedure Coding, and Current Procedural Terminology. Further, the Approved Clinical Supervisor Code of Ethics tackles questions on an RNs responsibility and how they should behave.
What skills should RN coders possess?
As an RN coder, you should analyze a patient’s chart to understand what may have happened and determine the reasons behind it. You must retain lots of knowledge about health care systems and policies. Further, you should be able to adapt as regulations evolve.
RN coders should discuss clinical mediation procedures, disease management, and modern pharmacology. Clear communication, ethical behavior, analytical and critical thinking, and patience are necessary in high-stress and fast-paced working environments.
Licensing and education
To become an RN coder, you need proper education, qualifications, experience, and certification as a registered nurse. Consider getting a diploma from a competent nursing school. Some coders get certification by completing and graduating from a medical coding course and acquiring a certified professional coder exam.
These exams must be administered by authorized organizations like the American Association of Clinical Coders and Auditors, the American Health Information Management Association, and the American Academy of Professional Coders.
Economic and Salary Perspective
The Bureau of Labor Statistics suggests qualified RN coders earn more annually than non-nursing medical coders. The median annual salary for the latter per year is $42,630. By February 2021, self-disclosed salaries on some websites show a median salary of $74,128 annually.
The amount is more than the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported in May 2019. The annual salary for RNs then was $73,300 annually. According to some nursing websites, medical coding administrators make $82,656 annually, while medical coding patrons earn $94,936 annually.
Previous reports by the BLS indicate that job opportunities for health information and medical records technicians will rise exponentially by 2029. The growth is more significant than more rapid than is the case in other industries.
Conclusion
Medical coders and billers are highly respected and valued professionals in the healthcare industry. When RN coders do their work accurately, they facilitate revenue flow in the organization while enabling clinical staff to focus on giving patients the necessary care.