Medical billing and coding professionals don’t always come to mind when most of us think of healthcare, but these white-collar workers play a vital role. Their job is to maintain an important level of accuracy in medical records. They are also responsible for processing medical billing to health insurance companies. Through these efforts, medical practices and organizations get paid, and patients can get the treatments and procedures they need.
At Unitech Training Academy, our Medical Billing and Coding program is available online for students in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama who wish to pursue a career that is key to modern healthcare. Here, we discuss the important role of medical billers and coders.
What Is Medical Coding?
There are standardized medical codes used around the world that designate specific medical diagnoses, examinations, procedures, treatments, and other elements of healthcare. There are several different types of codes, and they specify body parts and systems, as well as diseases and traumatic injuries. The two most commonly known coding systems are ICD, or the International Classification of Diseases, and CPT, or Current Procedural Terminology. Medical billers and coders are experts in these codes, and assure consistency throughout medical records and bills sent to insurance companies.
The process of medical coding enables patient records to reflect information useful for billing health insurance companies. Because the health information contained in these medical codes is finely detailed, it also offers an opportunity to collect data for research and to track medical outcomes related to procedures and conditions. However, medical and health information is confidential and must be treated carefully and ethically. That’s why medical billers and coders receive specialized training that includes privacy compliance protocols and other aspects of healthcare administration.
Vital Roles for Medical Coding and Billing Specialists
At Unitech Training Academy, students in the online Medical Billing and Coding program can develop a wide variety of knowledge and skills related to the medical field. This type of job training is designed to help graduates fit into different types of health and medical workplaces, and adapt to existing procedures. It also prepares them to eventually become ethical leaders at work and in their profession.
There are three main areas in healthcare where medical coding can play an important role.
Healthcare Administration
Managing revenue cycles keeps healthcare practices and institutions operating. A steady stream of payments for services rendered is at the core of any business. When it comes to the business of healthcare, health insurance companies are a major source of income for practitioners and organizations. Through medical coding, the process of submitting bills for medical services is streamlined, so patients can keep receiving life-saving medical treatments and practitioners can earn a living.
Health Data Management
Because patient records are coded and organized digitally, it is possible to use the data for several purposes. Each healthcare workplace uses this data to examine cash flow, expenditures, and patient outcomes. On a larger scale, research institutions and government organizations use data that has been stripped of any individual patient identifiers to measure health trends, evaluate new techniques or treatments, and make predictions about healthcare costs at a national level.
Patient Privacy
Medical coding and billing professionals adhere to a strict code of conduct that protects the privacy of individual patients. Their work involves close contact with EHR files, and their knowledge of the laws and regulations governing their use places them in an excellent position to ensure that the whole organization is compliant with health confidentiality statutes.
Become a Key Player on the Healthcare Team
If you have been considering a career change, or are starting in the working world, it may be time to apply for admission to the online medical billing and coding program at Unitech Training Academy. We welcome students who are interested in medicine and health, and who are detail-oriented. To work in medical biller and coder roles, students must use computers and data sheets, and have an orientation toward helping others. After successfully completing the program, our students are eligible to take a certification examination with the National Center for Competency Testing for insurance and coding specialist certification.
Earn a Diploma in Medical Billing and Coding at Unitech Training Academy
Our online Medical Billing and Coding program can be completed in as few as nine months. It is offered fully online and is available to students in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. Eligible students may receive financial aid in the form of loans, grants, and scholarships. Find out how you can get started now.