How HIM Leaders Can Manage the Shifting Expectations of Entry-Level Medical Coding Hospital Jobs
How HIM Leaders Can Manage the Shifting Expectations of Entry-Level Medical Coding Hospital Jobs
Hospital executives are shifting their expectations of what they’re looking for in entry-level medical coders. Not only are medical coding hospital jobs seeking applicants with the proper education and certifications, but they also require a minimum of three to five years of real-world experience.
So, how can both HIM leaders and medical coders navigate these shifting job expectations?
Coder Mentoring is the Answer
Mentoring with an experienced coder or auditor allows new hires to combine the knowledge they gained in school with the critical thinking skills required to complete the selection process and receive feedback. Through secondary reviews, the new hire learns what they did right and what they can improve upon. The coding mentor shares their own experiences at the organization and helps the trainees get comfortable with the coding process. With the guidance of an established coder or auditor, the new hires can confidently analyze the chart’s documentation and select all supported, applicable codes.
“We’ve hired six new graduates over the last three years, and we’ve mentored them. We anticipate hiring more new graduates in the near future,” Karen Youmans, President and CEO, said in an interview with For The Record magazine1. “What we know is that you can do great in school and on standard exams, but the real-world situations may not be as cut and dried. It takes experience and time to transition what was learned from a book and apply it to the real world.”
However, hospitals may not have the time or staff to dedicate toward mentoring new coders. “We hire new graduates as trainees and have offered different programs over the years,” Youmans explained in the interview with For The Record magazine1. “But in a hospital, they typically do not have the staff to mentor, train, and test them and perform 100% secondary reviews, etc. Hospitals don’t have the resources to do that, and we try to fill that role.”
Trusting a qualified coding, auditing, and education partner, like YES HIM Consulting, to mentor new coders saves hospitals time, money, and resources. The YES mentorship program teaches new hires the communication and critical thinking skills they need to code accurately. The program’s one-on-one sessions with our expert coders and auditors give the trainees confidence and a positive outlook they should have to grow and develop in their careers.
Could Coder Mentoring Work for Your Team?
Are you interested in learning more about the YES coder mentoring program for your corporate coding team? Contact one of our YES consultants to discuss our mentorship options to give your team the real-world experience they need.
Sources:
- Susan Chapman, MA, MFA, C-IAYT. Thoroughly Modern HIM Directors – For The Record Magazine. https://www.fortherecordmag.com/archives/Summer22p18.shtml
