Practice Management Alert

Question: We are in the process of hiring a new full-time medical coder for our orthopedic practice. I have been asked to write a job description for this position. Could you offer any tips on how I should go about this task?

Illinois Subscriber

Answer: First, be sure to consult with any and all coders at the practice to get their input on the job description. Those who reply will likely offer useful information, and those who don’t will have been given the opportunity to contribute.

Then, check your coders’ suggestions against this list of requirements and desirable traits commonly found in most medical coding job descriptions:

Requirements:

• High school diploma or equivalent
• Ability to work well with numbers
• Attention to detail
• Interpersonal skills
• Flexibility
• Ability to work independently or as a team member, depending on the situation
• Experience working with computers and other electronic devices

Desirable traits

• Certified professional coder (CPC) certification
• Experience with CPT^® and ICD-10 coding conventions
• Knowledge of general medical terms
• Knowledge of orthopedic terms and treatments
• Experience working with various medical coding software.