It is hard to decide what type of job you think you would be best suited to. With so many career choices, it is often overwhelming trying to think of which one you would like best or indeed that you would be good at. After all, until you try something, how do you know if you are going to excel?
There are some jobs though that require specific personality traits. Take nursing for example. To do this job, you need to be a compassionate and caring individual. You would need to be willing to work hard and be empathetic to those you are caring for. If you do not have these traits, nursing would not be for you.
But what about medical coding and billing? Do you need to have specific traits to be good at this job? Well, according to the experts at Find A Code then yes, you do. Below are a few of the traits that Find A Code think make a good medical coder.
Patience
Medical coding can be tricky, and when it comes to things like diagnostic code lookup you will need to be patient. This is especially so if you are trying to decipher the illegible handwriting of some physicians. Finding the correct code will require a level of patience and calmness. You might need to find the relevant physician to ask for clarification; getting frustrated will definitely not help.
Detail Oriented
One of the most important parts of a medical coders job is accurate coding. It is vital that you pay attention to detail when coding a patient file because even small errors can lead to big consequences. You must be able to stay focused on your work and avoid getting distracted as this is the quickest way to make mistakes.
A Good Communicator
As a medical coder or biller, you will need to be able to communicate effectively with others. Your role will involve speaking to other colleagues, patients, and insurance companies. You need to able to communicate the information concisely. Medical coders do more than just input data; they are an important part of a team and need to be able to interact with other people.
Computer Skills
You will need to able to competently use different software packages when working as a medical coder. Your job will include working with coding databases as well as accounting software and spreadsheets. Accurate and quick typing skills is also a massive benefit as the quicker and more accurate you are, the more productive you will be.
Being Able to Work Under Pressure
The ability to work well under pressure is a must for a medical coder. This is a fast-paced environment and there may be times when you need to get work completed by a specific deadline. Staying calm when under pressure means that you are likely to enjoy working as a medical coder.
Discretion
Medical coders have access to sensitive patient information, and it is of the utmost importance that you value the privacy of the people whose information you are coding. A part of your job will be maintaining HIPAA compliance as if you intentionally or accidentally share patient information, there are likely to be major legal consequences for you and your employer.
Conclusion
Medical coding is a fabulous career choice for those who have the attributes to do the job. If you are a detail-oriented person with the ability to work well under pressure, you could find that this type of work is both challenging and enjoyable. With the right skills, you could advance far in the medical coding industry.
