What is Medical Coding
If you are searching for a new career, then Medical Coding might be just what you are looking for!
But what is Medical Coding?
Medical classification, or medical coding as it is more commonly known, defines the process of assigning standardized numeric and alphanumeric codes to medical procedures and diagnoses. The source of the information is usually within the medical record, for example the transcription of the doctor's notes, laboratory results, and any other relevant information.
The medical codes serve a number of important purposes. As well as being used by medical insurance companies, workers' compensation carriers and government health programs for statistical purposes, they also allow contagious diseases such as the flu and novovirus, plus chronic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes mellitus, to be tracked.
A trained medical coder is responsible for making sure that medical procedures and diagnoses are correctly classified. Their job is to enter the right codes on insurance claim and diagnostic forms. Medical codes are essential for those in the healthcare industry to know exactly what a patient has been diagnosed with, plus what subsequent treatment has been carried out.
What training and certification do I need?
To become a medical coder you will require specialized training, but it can be carried out through our college in as little as 4 months. Computer skills are a definite bonus, but you will also need a good grasp of medical terminology and medical codes.
Certification is not necessarily a requirement of employment, but it is useful for indicating to prospective employers that you have some degree of competency. There are two professional bodies that can offer certification on medical coding training, plus the necessary training.
These are the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC) and the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA).
What are the Medical Coding career options available?
Medical coding is an excellent career choice that will give you the opportunity to work in many different locations, including hospitals, dental practices, doctors surgeries, health insurance companies, and offices of the federal government. You can choose the freedom of working from home or, alternatively, start your own business. A typical starting salary is around $40,000 and qualified medical coders can expect to earn in excess of $90,000 per year.
According to statistics from the US Department of Labor, the employment market for medical coders is set to significantly increase by 2018-far faster than many other occupations.
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Testimonials
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Mike Panin,
West Hollywood, CA"...ACOMC is the best thing that has happened to me since I in United States. The classes are phenomenal, the teachers are knowledgeable, and the faculty and staff are there to offer help and support. ACOMC has given me the necessary training to begin a career in Medical Coding. Thanks to ACOMC, I am no longer working a dead-end job. As soon as I completed this course, Career Services started contacting me with internship and job opportunities that best suited my abilities." -
Marshall Smith,
SC"...This being my first online course, I was concerned whether or not I would have sufficient computer knowledge to move from one assignment to the next. Online conversations with classmates and discussions with the professionals at ACOMC helped me to complete the course and enjoy the opportunity!" -
Cindy Diggings,
High school student, CA"...It was an awesome experience. You have the opportunity to share with others all over the world. The facilitator did a great job of giving the assignments and commenting; almost instant feedback. There are help desks for assignments and technology questions. I highly recommend this program to anyone who wants to take some courses in a relaxed, fun manner!" -
Anonymous Learner
"This is the first place that I will look when I take classes in the future." -
Dotty Cloy,
Colorado"...For anyone considering a second career, American College of Medical Coders is the way to go! I have a degree in Medical Technology and retired from working in a busy trauma hospital 6 years ago. Realizing that I still love medicine but wanting to spend more time with people instead of machines, ACOMC provided the way to earn Medical Coding certification while working at my own pace, from the comfort of home. On-line education allows you to budget your time according to your family's needs. Yes, it requires discipline and plenty of hard work, but with encouragement and support from the great teaching staff at ACOMC, this was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. Now I am a Certified Professional Coder with a great job and lots of admiration from my husband and 2 grown children!" -
Lynden,
Washington"...I feel that online courses are the best thing that ACOMC ever did. They allow me to work on my education by arranging my schooling around my life, as opposed to the other way around. My schedule is very busy, and my availability is not the same week to week. Taking classes online allows me the flexibility to fit my education into the time slots that I have available." -
Karina Sweat,
Encino, CA"...I am single mother with a full time job. Although, I desired to return to school and further my education, I didn't want to take time away from my daughter. After reading about the online classes on the ACOMC website, I decided to enroll. My experience was great! I was able to study at my own pace, communicating with my teacher was never a task and I had access to all of the ACOMC resources as if I were attending a class on campus. Most importantly, I didn't have to take any time away from my daughter." -
Tom Toomey,
Canoga Park, CA"...Medical Coding couse is allowing me to expand my career choices and earn a higher income in my chosen field of education. As a father of a young and growing family of three sons, these things are important and add security for my family." -
Bryan Lynden,
Washington"...During ACOMC Medial Coding program I became good friends with two of my class members. We have remained friends throughout the program, and have even taken the opportunity to meet each other outside of class. I felt very close to the majority of the instructors and students. We took the time to get to know our classmates and their "whereabouts" in the world. .I can say that I received a very valuable education. I feel prepared to start new career after completing this program." -
Sveta Kuzina, CPC,
Modesto, CA"...My name is Sveta Kuzina and I'm an international student from Russia. I started in the fall of 2009 and took my first distance learning class at ACOMC. I had learned much about the opportunities and challenges online learning can offer. I realized that online learning allowed me to take classes around my busy schedule. If anyone is interested in taking online classes at ACOMC, I will highly recommend it. This type of learning creates unlimited opportunities, especially for international students. Now, I am working as a medical coder in the small California Hospital. As an international student, I realize that the language barrier can sometimes be great but nevertheless, in my opinion, the rewards in online learning are far superior to the challenges." -
Kelly Parsons,
North Hollywood, CA"...I enjoy the convenience of the program. I can work on my assignments anytime. The professors and administrators are very knowledgeable and willing to answer any questions. I feel that the cohort team brings together different levels of experience, which increases the learning potential." -
Maria Soto,
New York"...I returned to school after many years in the work force. I was taking both classroom courses and Distance Education courses. It was so helpful that I had the flexibility to schedule my own assignments and tests for the Distance Education courses so that they did not interfere with due dates and test dates in the classroom courses. It took a lot of self-motivation to stick to the schedule that I had set up, but I finished both the Distance Education nutrition course and the statistics course. These courses were pre-requisites for the Master's program that I am now undertaking."
