Software etc. for doing contract coding at home
I use AAPC Coder to assist my coding, and I am very happy with it. It costs $40 per month, and you can add on additional resources. It isn't as good as Encoder, but is a lot better than some other coding software I've used. MSOffice is nice to have, but if you don't want to buy it, Open Office is free and works fine.
If you are accessing your clients' servers remotely, a second monitor is a really good idea to manage all the windows you'll have open at once.
To send and receive clients' files, I use Dropbox with Sookasa. Sookasa is $10/month, and it encrypts and decrypts the files and is HIPAA compliant. Your clients do not need to have Sookasa.
If you are working from scans, have your clients scan the files as PDFs. Then you can use the free Adobe Reader program to annotate the charts with your codes. If your are logging into your client's system, you'll most likely be entering the codes directly into their billing system.
For keeping track of my time working each client, I use an app called HoursTracker on my phone. I track charts coded, time taken, etc. in an Excel spreadsheet. To keep track of business expenses and income, I use the Xero TaxTouch app on my phone. If you're going to be driving to clients' sites, etc., there's a very nice app called MileIQ to automatically track your business miles.
To keep the PHI secure at home, my PC is secured with BitLocker encryption, and I do not print or write down any PHI whatsoever.(If you do, it has to be locked in a filing cabinet or some such when you're away from work, and it has to be shredded when you no longer need it.) My iPhone is also encrypted. I use two-step verification on my accounts whenever possible. When I step away from the computer, I lock it. I don't allow anyone else to use the PC I work on.
I hope this information is helpful to you. To me, the hardest part is getting clients (which pay well once found) and/or contract work for major coding/billing companies that pays fairly. Right now I'm making around $40/hr. working for my own ortho client (I charge $7 per chart), versus about $10 per hour for Aviacode at a rate of $1.00 per CPT code.
Best,
Kimberly A. Sherman, MA, CPC
Multi-specialty physician coder/entrepreneur
kimberlyshermansd@yahoo.com
http://physicianscodingservices.com