Traits Needed to Work in Medical Coding & Billing
At this point, you likely know that medical coding and billing positions are both lucrative and in demand. However, you may have wondered whether or not the industry is a good fit for your specific personality and skill set. Below, we will discuss five attributes of successful medical coding and billing specialists. Read on to see if you have the traits needed to work in medical coding and billing.
Logical Reasoning
Unlike many healthcare careers, medical coding and billing does not typically require contact with patients or creative problem-solving. Medical coding and billing is an analytical discipline. For this reason, medical coding and billing specialists must have a strong understanding of logic and reasoning.
Attention to Detail
In the medical coding and billing profession, there is little room for error. A mistake as simple as coding one procedure incorrectly could negatively affect the patient, the insurance company, the provider, and the provider’s facility. Thus, it crucial for medical coding and billing specialists to possess meticulous attention to detail.
Independence
Independence is an important trait for medical coding and billing specialists to possess for two reasons. One, much of the work medical coding and billing specialists do is performed alone. Thus, if you crave frequent socialization, this may not be the ideal industry for you. Two, many healthcare facilities do not have the need for an entire coding and billing department. Therefore, if you enter this field, you could be the only individual responsible for upholding the accuracy and efficiency of coding and billing at your facility. Such a responsibility requires a high degree of self-sufficiency and motivation.
Social Skills
Though medical coding and billing specialists spend most of their days working independently, there are times when they must communicate with others. Part of this communication involves calling nurses and physicians to clarify the diagnoses and services patients received. In this field, there are bound to be discrepancies from time to time, and such issues are easiest to resolve when you communicate in a friendly and professional manner.
Commitment to Learning
Medical coding and billing specialists work within the guidelines of healthcare providers, insurance companies, and the coding industry at large. And when there are that many entities enforcing policy, change is inevitable. However, the most successful medical coding and billing specialists are adaptable and able to learn new regulations with ease. This commitment to learning is also useful whenever new diagnoses and procedures are reported, as this means there are then new medical codes to memorize.
Develop the Traits Needed to Work in Medical Coding & Billing at EBI
Though some of the qualities above may appear to be innate personal attributes, many of them can be learned with practice. The only surefire way to see if you have the traits needed to work medical coding and billing is to enroll in an introductory course. For course offerings in the Vestal area, contact EBI at (607) 729-8915.
What to Include On Your Medical Billing & Reimbursement Resume
The healthcare industry is booming, but while jobs are in-demand, competition is fierce. You have to make a good first impression before you ever get your foot in the door, and it begins with your resume.
If you’re ready to sit down and put together a professional resume to pursue your medical billing and coding career, you probably have a lot of questions. How do I format? What keywords should I use? The career services staff at EBI Career College has come up with some quick tips for writing an effective resume.
Formatting
It’s your resume. You don’t need to include your life story. Make sure to hit the strong points: Who you are; Where you received your training; Your experience in the field. Be sure to include the following:
- Contact information –Name, address, cell phone and home phone numbers, and email address.
- Professional summary – Briefly describe yourself and the type of position you’re looking for.
- Skills – Use a bulleted list to include the skills you’ve acquired during your medical billing and coding training and externship. If you’re seeking your first medical billing and coding job, you can highlight some “soft” skills – attention to detail, interpersonal and communication skills, and collaboration – to help enhance this section.
- Experience – List your professional work experience in reverse chronological order. Include your externship, volunteer experience with any professional organizations and other jobs.
- Education – Include the name of the program, school, and date of completion, along with any professional certifications you may have earned.
“Action” words.
Your resume needs to grab an interviewers’ attention. Avoid passive phrases like “responsible for.” Instead, use action-oriented words such as “executed,” “organized” and “coordinated” to highlight your potential impact.
Make it scannable.
Believe it or not, but yours is one of many resumes a potential employer will evaluate to determine whether or not you receive an interview. Use scannable keywords that are directly related to the medical billing and coding field. It helps to use words and phrases from the job description.
No room for mistakes.
This could be your only shot at getting an interview, make it count. Be sure your resume is 100% error free. Use spell check. Have a friend or family member proofread. Be thorough.
Keep your resume up-to-date.
As you gain skills and experience, make sure to add it so your resume is ready when you need it. You never know when an opportunity will come your way.
One page is enough.
You only need to include relevant information on your resume. It shouldn’t take more than a page. Be sure to limit your resume to include only information vitally important to establishing your impact on a company.
Contact EBI Career College today!
Now is a great time to start a career in the healthcare field. You can complete your degree in as little as 16 months. To learn more about our Medical Billing and Coding degree program in Vestal, NY, call 607-729-8915.
