What Is an RN Coder?
RN coders are in high demand by doctors, hospitals and insurance agencies. You can expand your experience as a registered nurse by earning your certification as a medical coder and join one of the largest growing industries, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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Responsibilities
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Medical coders take a patient’s medical information and translate that information into numbers for each diagnosis using classification software. The codes are then used to collect payment for any medical services.
Description
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An RN coder is a registered nurse who earns her certification in medical or clinical coding. RNs make great coders because they can easily navigate patient charts.
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Licensing
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An RN achieves his CPC or Certified Professional Coder certification by passing a CPC exam. The American Academy of Professional Coders and the American Health Information Management Association are the two largest medical coding groups in the United States.
Job Growth
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RN coders are part of the medical records and health information field, which the Bureau of Labor Statistics is projected to grow much faster than average, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. From 2008 to 2018, the industry is projected to grow by 20 percent.
Salary
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The average salary for the records and health information technician field was $30,610 in 2008, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. A 2009 survey by the American Academy of Professional Coders found the average salary for coders was $44,750.
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References
- American Academy of Professional Coders: What is Medical Coding?
- Nurse Entrepreneur Network: Code Green, or Why Every RN Should Know How to Code
- American Academy of Professional Coders: 2009 Salary Survey Results
- United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics: Medical Records and Health Information Technicians
- United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics: Healthcare
- Photo Credit the nurse with a mask on face sits at a table image by Cosmic from Fotolia.com