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Andyleed90

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I went through formal training for Medical Coding in 2017. I received a completion certificate and by the grace of God landed a coding job at a local hospital. I kicked butt the first month doing Laboratory coding. Then my boss started adding on more clinics. By the second month I was in charge of coding eight clinics. My task queue is the biggest in our department. In my second month, I got a Medicare kicked back. Since then, I have been making on average 1 mistake per week. I code around 200 encounters per day. Some have been mistakes that are just part of learning how our hospital works and the others have been stupid mistakes. No actual coding mistakes. My boss is being as supportive as she can be and has said "we will get there and you're still learning". I've been there 3 months. Ow and I feel like she is starting to get frustrated slightly.

I do not have my CPC. I took the exam a month ago and failed by 4 points because I ran out.of time and had to speed guess 12 questions and I got all 12 wrong.

I think a big part of my mistakes is that I'm trying to get all of my encounters done every day and also keep accuracy up. But I'm terrified that I am not good enough. I feel like I'm letting my boss down. Im also trying to study for my next exam in july. This job is everything to me and im scared i will lose it because i cant seem to find a happy medium between speed and accuracy. Any advice?
 
Take a big breath....ok. :D

You did not make a big mistake. The coding world can be complicated and there is a lot to know and no coder in the world is 100% accurate all the time. I am in a supervisory roll and often work with my coders on mistakes. They are just that, mistakes. The only time it becomes a problem is if a coder does not learn from their mistakes. It sounds like you are trying to do just that. Good for you!

There is always a learning curve with a new employee and I would consider the 3 month mark a "new" employee. You need to de-stress and know that we have all been there. If you average 200 per day at 5 days a week that would be a total of 1000 claims. If you are making 1 mistake per week that is not even 1% of the total claims.

I would recommend being completely transparent with your supervisor. Let her know that you are concerned about the mistakes you are making. But also let her know that stressing over them will lead to more mistakes as the pressure grows and you want to avoid that. Be proactive...ask for tips and recommendations on what you can do to address these issues....cheat sheets? specific training? classes? more focus?

Be blunt and let her know that you want to be successful and ask for her honest input on where you are in your growth and performance. As a manager we will bend over backwards for an employee with a good attitude who is open to constructive criticism and can apply what they learn to improve their performance. Discuss the production standard...95%? 98%? etc. Where are you in comparison to your co-workers? Often times when I work with my employees we discuss situations in terms of grades (A, B, C, D and F) as this is a universal scale we all understand. When I have a new employee approach me with these questions, I give them a grade taking into account how new they are, what my expectations are for where they are in their training, etc. If they are not in the B or A range then I work with them to ensure that they have the proper tools and knowledge to get the job done. Remember....do not go into your supervisor stressed, crying, etc. Be professional. Remember, the answer may be that there is a problem, so be ready to roll your sleeves up and address the issue.

So....
* Go for transparency with your manager
* Ask for guidance and rating for where you are.
* Do not go into the conversation beating yourself up but be honest about your insecurity in regards to the errors a
* Remember you ultimate goal of doing better.....be open to criticism and learn from it.

Being new in a new field is intimidating...so take a breath, regroup, and have faith in yourself! Nothing worth achieving is ever easy. :cool:
 
Thank you so much for that. That means so much to me. My boss has said that she can see I care deeply about this job and she likes that. I actually made a cheat sheet one weekend in my own free time. I also think for the time being, i am going to slow down a tad. Just so i can improve my accuracy and then level that out with speed. Thank you so much again!
 
Of course! Being in a new job is already a little nerve wracking and then to feel that you are not performing up to standards makes your nerves worse. Being proactive is a huge plus. Making the cheat sheet was a great use of time!

Moving forward, remember that us supervisors and managers are not perfect and we may show irritation at times when it is not appropriate or fair. There have been times I have had to take a breath and remember that someone is new and learning, so don't take it too personal. I do encourage you to discuss these concerns on-going with your supervisor. Communication is key to avoid unnecessary stress and hurt feelings.

Another suggestion is to sign up for the webinars on the AAPC website. They are cost efficient and have tons and tons of resources and information. You can see previous ones going back years. The knowledge is incredible! Get involved with your local chapter and see if they have a mentor program. Chapters have education officers who can help you network, which is another great resource and free! :D

Keep in mind that coders tend to have perfectionist personalities which make us great at what we do, although it can make our own expectations of our performances a little skewed.

Welcome to the world of coding! You will be amazing!
 
I am also new

I am also new to the job. Only one month. I work in an office for a physicians group. Cheat sheets are my life! Make as many as you need to help streamline your learning.
 
Did I make a mistake? Comment

Hi Andyleed
Do not give up it takes time and you sound like on right path. Everything Ms Johnson said is correct. Hold On!
Good luck!

Lady T

Andyleed90 said:
I went through formal training for Medical Coding in 2017. I received a completion certificate and by the grace of God landed a coding job at a local hospital. I kicked butt the first month doing Laboratory coding. Then my boss started adding on more clinics. By the second month I was in charge of coding eight clinics. My task queue is the biggest in our department. In my second month, I got a Medicare kicked back. Since then, I have been making on average 1 mistake per week. I code around 200 encounters per day. Some have been mistakes that are just part of learning how our hospital works and the others have been stupid mistakes. No actual coding mistakes. My boss is being as supportive as she can be and has said "we will get there and you're still learning". I've been there 3 months. Ow and I feel like she is starting to get frustrated slightly.

I do not have my CPC. I took the exam a month ago and failed by 4 points because I ran out.of time and had to speed guess 12 questions and I got all 12 wrong.

I think a big part of my mistakes is that I'm trying to get all of my encounters done every day and also keep accuracy up. But I'm terrified that I am not good enough. I feel like I'm letting my boss down. Im also trying to study for my next exam in july. This job is everything to me and im scared i will lose it because i cant seem to find a happy medium between speed and accuracy. Any advice?
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