# Goals and A Path



## Jfraska (Feb 17, 2016)

Hey guys, I'm Joe, new to coding/medical/healthcare field

So I took a coding course with Career Step, completed it and I am going for the CPC test this Saturday!!!  I was told to look at jobs and even apply now. 

I am currently working in registration a local hospital near me. I am in MA west of Boston and got the job in Oct 2015 so been here for 4 months now. Will my current job, if I stick with it for a year or longer, help me in getting close to coding or should I consider another step up since I already have my foot in the door to another position? I do see codes all the time in my job but usually the same rad and lab codes along the similar ICD 10 codes. I mean, being in a hospital is great exposure and I like working in one but I obviously don't want to be in this position forever. 

I am also working with another hospital as a volunteer in the inpatient units. A little more patient interaction with some admin work but I like to have both honestly. I know coding can be a pretty standard office job with little to no contact with the anywhere in the hospital so I'd maybe like to have an outlet to get out there and move around as well a good coding position. I am just thinking and exploring so how knows if an opportunity comes, I'd take it.  

I am ALSO wanting to relocate BACK to where I lived in Phoenix AZ. So that takes planning and saving which I am doing now. I would definitely want a job set up there before just moving back. I know the healthcare market is strong there as it is in Boston but a better, IMO, way of life 

I guess I'll learn as I go forward with everything. I am 26 by the way so any advice and experience/wisdom is greatly appreciated  

Thanks


----------



## breadjitjownz (Feb 18, 2016)

My Advice: 
-never stop "shopping" for a better job.
-don't get your hopes up for landing a coding job until you are certified.
-Stay in your current position for 1 whole year, unless an amazing opportunity comes up.


----------



## hperry10 (Feb 18, 2016)

I agree with the previous response. I will add that your role in patient registration is actually the beginning of the revenue cycle and doing it correctly makes the lives of the billers and coders so much easier and helps the claims go thru correctly the first time.  I encourage you to learn as much as you can about the registration process and insurance.


----------



## Jfraska (Mar 3, 2016)

Thanks everyone!! 

Update!!

Took my CPC exam on Feb 20 and found out my score Feb 26. I got an 80%!!!!!!! So glad I passed on the first try

Been sticking with my current job and just been checking the job postings everywhere. I would really like to work in a hospital setting. 

Location is somewhat flexible and I have been looking where I presently am-Boston area as well as CT and Phoenix, AZ. My parents are in CT and I used to live in AZ so I am familiar with the areas.

Can anyone shed some advice for a newly certified coder? Also, any local perspectives and outlook for Boston, CT and Phoenix,AZ coding??

Thanks


----------



## dianemarie1976 (Mar 5, 2016)

*Congrats!*

Hi, 

First, CONGRATULATIONS on passing your examination!!!! I will give you my experience as a CPC, and how my career took off and it will give you some insight as to some knowledge as to how to get to your path as a Coder. I went and got my Associate's degree in coding and that was 2007, and I worked from the bottom to the top, and this is how I accomplished it. By the grace of God for one! Two, even though I had a degree and had my CPC, I started out as a Receptionist making 8 bucks an hour, so definitely at the bottom, but I gained knowledge from the front of a medical office all the way to the back of the office, so anytime you can gain more knowledge of the medical environment, that is strongly suggested. You can never learn enough when it comes to this career or the medical field of coding and billing or the medical environment, so if you have that chance, take it. I moved my way into a coding position from that same office, so bottom to the top, and always be reliable and dedicated to any job title that is given to you, whether it's one or ten, do them all with confidence and strong ability in your accuracy of coding and knowledge. Stay as long as you can to gain more knowledge or until a better coding position comes open, for myself, I had an opportunity to code for the DOD, which I took and gave me the ability to code for both the outside world and military world. You have to look for opportunities to better yourself and your coding knowledge, luckily I was able to code multi-specialty after that one experience, so I went from one specialty to a ton. Just stay on top of it, and God opens up doors for even more knowledge. I stayed there till our contract ended and moved, then got on in another state I moved to doing managed care authorizations, inpatient coding and once again outpatient multi-specialty and surgery coding. I've always done E/M from the first opportunity I obtained. After about four years, I was able to obtain a remote coding position which is at home and awesome due to myself having children, so that worked for me, and that was inpatient. Even though, my strongest was outpatient, I obtained the knowledge of this opportunity of inpatient multi surgery. For me, that was a learning experience, I also was able to work my own denials and everyone else's denials from payers when I moved after that contract ended. So if you have a chance to work denials, that will teach you and give you a ton of insight on what CMS covers and other payers. Learn the operating systems. We never could use encoders, but people do now I found out. I've always been by the books. Gain knowledge of E/M, ED, and any other specialty you can if you have that chance. Now I code part time at home remotely on my own time, which is awesome. I have almost ten years in now, but definitely as my experience, I had to work my way to the top from the bottom and had faith that God would work opportunities into my career and HE did. So, that's my advice, learn all you can, take on multiple tasks, be a good team player, and keep an open mind to opportunities. If you are a coder, than you can code any chart, but mistakes help you to gain knowledge. We all make them, but learn from it and get better and stronger in your coding abilities. Stay strong, praying for you and good luck!!!   -Diane


----------



## mitchellde (Mar 5, 2016)

dianemarie1976 said:


> Hi,
> 
> First, CONGRATULATIONS on passing your examination!!!! I will give you my experience as a CPC, and how my career took off and it will give you some insight as to some knowledge as to how to get to your path as a Coder. I went and got my Associate's degree in coding and that was 2007, and I worked from the bottom to the top, and this is how I accomplished it. By the grace of God for one! Two, even though I had a degree and had my CPC, I started out as a Receptionist making 8 bucks an hour, so definitely at the bottom, but I gained knowledge from the front of a medical office all the way to the back of the office, so anytime you can gain more knowledge of the medical environment, that is strongly suggested. You can never learn enough when it comes to this career or the medical field of coding and billing or the medical environment, so if you have that chance, take it. I moved my way into a coding position from that same office, so bottom to the top, and always be reliable and dedicated to any job title that is given to you, whether it's one or ten, do them all with confidence and strong ability in your accuracy of coding and knowledge. Stay as long as you can to gain more knowledge or until a better coding position comes open, for myself, I had an opportunity to code for the DOD, which I took and gave me the ability to code for both the outside world and military world. You have to look for opportunities to better yourself and your coding knowledge, luckily I was able to code multi-specialty after that one experience, so I went from one specialty to a ton. Just stay on top of it, and God opens up doors for even more knowledge. I stayed there till our contract ended and moved, then got on in another state I moved to doing managed care authorizations, inpatient coding and once again outpatient multi-specialty and surgery coding. I've always done E/M from the first opportunity I obtained. After about four years, I was able to obtain a remote coding position which is at home and awesome due to myself having children, so that worked for me, and that was inpatient. Even though, my strongest was outpatient, I obtained the knowledge of this opportunity of inpatient multi surgery. For me, that was a learning experience, I also was able to work my own denials and everyone else's denials from payers when I moved after that contract ended. So if you have a chance to work denials, that will teach you and give you a ton of insight on what CMS covers and other payers. Learn the operating systems. We never could use encoders, but people do now I found out. I've always been by the books. Gain knowledge of E/M, ED, and any other specialty you can if you have that chance. Now I code part time at home remotely on my own time, which is awesome. I have almost ten years in now, but definitely as my experience, I had to work my way to the top from the bottom and had faith that God would work opportunities into my career and HE did. So, that's my advice, learn all you can, take on multiple tasks, be a good team player, and keep an open mind to opportunities. If you are a coder, than you can code any chart, but mistakes help you to gain knowledge. We all make them, but learn from it and get better and stronger in your coding abilities. Stay strong, praying for you and good luck!!!   -Diane



Good job Joe!
I started in the hospital field and what I found out is that hospitals like hospital folk.  So in your cover letter be sure to mention and play up your hospital experience and your direct contact with physicians as an MA.  If you can score a position as a unit manager or unit assistant whichever they call it, is an excellent position.  And a great way to transition to medical records.   There are a lot of positions out there and for facilities one of the best is to find their employment position website and look at the internal listings.


----------

