Urology Coding Alert

Veteran coders share how you can get your piece of the pie

If you thought all specialties paid the same, think again. Our salary survey reveals that anesthesia and neurosurgery coders earned the highest salaries, but urology was close behind, ranking it among the top-five specialties whose coders are most likely to pull in more than $70,000 a year.

If you're saying, "Where is my share of this windfall?" we've got some advice from seasoned urology coders that can help you discover your maximum earning potential in the field.

Keep Educating Yourself

You've finished college and attained your coding certifications, so you're ready to stop reading coding advice, right? No way, our experts say. If you want to move up the ladder or increase your salary, continued education is key.

"Never stop learning," says Daniel J. Rogers, practice administrator at Gulf South Urology in Biloxi, Miss. "Take the initiative to observe and learn other operations in your facility.

"A good supervisor tries to encourage and nurture his or her staff to keep up with education and use the acquired knowledge to enhance the practice," Rogers says. "This type of dedication does not go unnoticed."

Rogers suggests the following examples of ways that coders can make themselves stand out among the crowd:

• Learn the medical terminology and jargon so you can "speak the language" of your specialty.

• Request support for continuing education and certification. When you return from an employer-supported educational program, share what you learned with your employer, and explain how it might apply to your practice.

• Keep track of your achievements. For example, Rogers says, if you learn the proper use of modifier 58, keep a log of how much more revenue you were able to bring into your practice because of the changes.

• Never complain without providing a well-thought-out solution. "This demonstrates to management that you are valuable to your team and interested in the overall success of the business," Rogers says.

Take Advantage of Your Resources

Some urology coders believe that urology pays better than other specialties due to the complexity of coding urology op reports and keeping track of the many changes in the urology field. And besides continued education, the only way to stay on top of these changes is to use multiple resources. That's what separates a good urology coder from a great one.

Check out the following advice on which resources are key, provided by Ann Minnick, CPC, insurance and billing specialist at Seven Hills Urology Center in Lynchburg, Va.:

• You may think of your coding manuals as your best resource, but remember that your fellow staff members might be even more helpful. "Work as closely as you can with your administrator and physician so they will understand your eagerness to learn," Minnick says.

For instance, if you've never heard of a new technique that the physician documents in an op report, ask the surgeon to explain it to you so you can pinpoint the right code and collect accurate reimbursement. Some practices also have private scrubs, surgical nonphysician practitioners, or surgical techs who are valuable to assist with these details as well. 

• Attend seminars, read articles and use Web-based training to increase your urology coding knowledge.

• Follow National Correct Coding Initiative (NCCI) updates, carrier directives, CMS transmittals and private insurer rules carefully. "Coding from operative notes is not an easy process," Minnick says. "With the bundling of the procedures, constant changes in codes and the uniqueness of the specialty, urology coders need to be aware of all updates to ensure correct coding."

• Query your counterparts in the field when you're in a coding quandary. "We rely on each other through our urology discussion group [at www.coding911.com]," Minnick says. "I think all of this comes into play with the higher pay for urology coders."

For information on the differences among coding certifications so you can determine which might be right for you, contact our editor, Torrey Kim, CPC, at torrey@medville.com or by phone at (985) 951-9008 and she will e-mail or fax a summary of the different certification types to you.