Inpatient Coder - Full Time - $5000 Sign-On Bonus - 100% Remote (Must Live

About the position At Houston Methodist, the Inpatient Coder position is responsible for ensuring diagnostic and procedure codes are assigned accurately to inpatient encounters based upon documentation within the electronic medical record while maintaining compliance with established rules and regulatory guidelines. This role requires effective interaction and communication with members of the coding team and appropriate stakeholders. The coder participates in coding section meetings and coding education in-services, providing constructive feedback and assisting others by sharing knowledge. The position also involves responding promptly to internal and external customer requests, including coding or reviewing coded accounts for accuracy. The coder initiates queries with physicians to obtain or clarify diagnoses and/or procedures as appropriate, utilizing the established physician query process. The Inpatient Coder maintains and achieves the highest standards of coding quality by assigning accurate ICD-10-CM/ICD-10-PCS codes using an electronic encoder application in accordance with hospital policy and regulatory body guidelines. They are responsible for reviewing accurate discharge dispositions entered by nursing and correcting them if necessary to ensure the highest quality of entered data. The coder assigns and enters physician identification numbers and procedure dates correctly in the medical record abstracting system, reviews medical record documentation, and abstracts data into the encoder and EPIC/Electronic Health Record (EHR) to determine principal or final diagnoses, co-morbid conditions and complications, secondary conditions, and procedures. Compliance with the Standards of Ethical Coding as set forth by the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) is essential. In terms of finance, the coder utilizes time effectively, consistently coding and abstracting at departmental standards of productivity while ensuring accuracy. They support the organizational goal for Accounts Receivables (AR) associated with uncoded accounts and maintain coding timeframes within established departmental standards by ensuring all work items assigned to the coding queues are processed in a timely manner. The coder is also expected to critically evaluate their own performance, accept constructive criticism, and seek ways to improve, contributing ideas to enhance the quality of coding and abstracting data. This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive; the employee will also perform other reasonably related business/job duties as assigned. Houston Methodist reserves the right to revise job duties and responsibilities as the need arises.

Responsibilities

• Ensure accurate assignment of diagnostic and procedure codes to inpatient encounters based on electronic medical record documentation.

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• Interact and communicate effectively with coding team members and stakeholders.

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• Participate in coding section meetings and provide feedback during coding education in-services.

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• Respond promptly to internal and external customer requests regarding coding or reviewing coded accounts for accuracy.

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• Initiate queries with physicians to clarify diagnoses and/or procedures as needed.

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• Maintain high standards of coding quality by accurately assigning ICD-10-CM/ICD-10-PCS codes using electronic encoder applications.

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• Review and correct discharge dispositions entered by nursing to ensure data quality.

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• Assign and enter physician identification numbers and procedure dates correctly in the medical record abstracting system.

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• Review medical record documentation and abstract data into the encoder and EHR to determine diagnoses and procedures.

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• Comply with the Standards of Ethical Coding set by AHIMA and adhere to official guidelines.

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• Utilize time effectively to meet departmental standards of productivity while ensuring coding accuracy.

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• Support organizational goals for Accounts Receivables associated with uncoded accounts.

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• Critically evaluate personal performance and seek improvement opportunities.

Requirements

• Associate's degree or higher in a CAHIIM accredited program or two additional years of experience in lieu of degree.

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• One year of relevant inpatient coding experience or successful completion of the Houston Methodist Coding Apprentice Program or Outpatient to Inpatient Coder Transition Program.

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• RHIA, RHIT, CCS, or CCA certification from AHIMA.

Nice-to-haves

• Knowledge of coding classification systems, DRG and APC systems, official coding guidelines, and coding compliance.

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• Familiarity with electronic medical records and imaging systems.

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• Working knowledge of medical terminology, anatomy, and physiology.

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• Proficiency with electronic encoder applications.

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• Extensive PC knowledge and ability to work effectively in common office software, coding software, and abstracting systems.

Benefits

• Comprehensive health insurance coverage.

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• Dental and vision insurance.

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• 401(k) retirement savings plan with matching contributions.

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• Paid time off and holidays.

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• Tuition reimbursement for further education.

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• Employee discounts on various services and products.

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