How to Start an At-Home Medical Coding Job

Since first impressions often count, it's important to know how to start an at-home medical coding job.

Medical coders have an important responsibility as they break down complex medical terms and procedures into codes that make it easy for insurance companies to review and determine what they'll pay towards a patient's care and treatment. For their work they earn an average yearly salary of $30,610, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. One of the perks of the job is that it is possible to complete the work from home if you know how to start an at-home medical coding job.

Instructions

1. Know medical coding. Complete an educational or training program that prepares you to work as a medical coder. Obtain certification from the American Health Information Management Association by completing the Certified Coding Associate or Specialist certification exam. Get experience working in an actual healthcare facility performing medical coding before starting an at-home job. This allows you to ask questions and learn from other medical coders with more experience before you work at home with no co-workers to help you.

2. Buy equipment and supplies. Visit a local office supply store to obtain the equipment needed to perform an at-home medical coding job. This includes a computer, paper, a phone and possibly a fax machine if you plan to send documents back and forth through fax rather than email. Obtain the brand of medical coding software required by the client as well as the American Medical Association CPT Reference Manual, which you can reference when doing a medical coding job.

3. Set up your workspace and schedule. Establish your work space in a quiet area of your home where you can work with minimal interruptions. Ideally find a spot that allows you to separate your work from your home life. Create a schedule with defined hours of when you work, and stick to this schedule as much as possible. This helps you stay on task and get work completed.

4. Learn the details of the job. Discuss the details of the at-home medical coding job with your contact person. Ask questions to clarify any points you are unsure about. Make sure you know when the deadlines for the project are as well as how the client or employer wants information submitted.

5. Obtain contact information. Check that you have contact information for your supervisor or the company since you may have questions once the job begins. Ask for an alternate person to contact in the event an emergency occurs near a deadline and you are unable to reach your supervisor. This prevents you from missing the deadline with no explanation and possibly losing your at-home medical coding job.

References

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Medical Coders and Technicians

Resources

• American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA): Medical Coder Certification
• AHIMA: Directory of Medical Coding Training Programs