The Allen School Blog

Exploring Opportunities in the World of Medical Billing and Coding

Archive for May, 2009

Did You Know that Billing and Coding Specialists are Health Information Management professionals?

So who are health information professionals? We are credentialed professionals who manage individual health records as well as aggregate data. We carry expertise in health care databases, medical classification systems, flow of clinical information, medico-legal issues, uses of health information, and data security systems. Our common purpose is to provide reliable and valid information that drives the healthcare industry. We are specialists in administrating information systems, managing medical records, coding information for reimbursement and research. We are uniquely qualified to:

  • Provide expertise on compliance issues and the integration of clinical documentation and coding with the billing process.
  • Provide assistance and function as a key resource/project manager for the development, transition, and maintenance of an electronic health record
  • Assist with implementation and function as a key resource on the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) including information system security issues and privacy.
  • Develop, implement and monitor health information department policy and procedures and job descriptions.
  • Provide training and orientation to health information personnel on functions of the department and facility staff on documentation.
  • Develop and maintain health information systems and processes that meet regulatory requirements (both state and federal), professional practice standards, legal standards, and management/corporate policy.
  • Establish a process for systematically reviewing documentation on an ongoing basis for both quality and quantity of documentation.
  • Complete documentation/medical record audits and monitoring with an ability to assess the quality of documentation.
  • Recommend corrective actions for findings on medical record audits/monitoring.
  • Initiate clinical record systems and indexes.
  • Assist with forms development and forms analysis/flow.
  • Support compliance process of facility/organization.
  • Support quality assurance/quality improvement process of the facility/organization.
  • Train staff on quality assurance/quality improvement process related to health information management and appropriate methods for the collection of data.
  • Provide resources to the facility on health information, documentation, regulations, standards of practice, etc.

Not only do we have diverse roles we work throughout the continuum of care. So if you are thinking of an exciting new career this is the place to come!

Best Job Markets in the US: Part Deux – NJ’s Monmouth-Ocean Counties

Today, let’s examine the career environment in the Monmouth and Ocean Counties of New Jersey. These two coastal counties just south of New York City are home to many of the famed New Jersey Shore communities. Offering summertime visitors and residents alike sun, surf and proximity to the cultural and economic powerhouse that is New York City, Monmouth and Ocean Counties also rank very high in terms of their career potentials for those seeking employment in healthcare related industries.

Monmouth-Ocean is among the top 25 “medium sized” cities for jobs and business in the US and ranks 57th out of the top 100 largest metropolitan areas. The Department of Human Services has significant resources in this area and provides services in a number of relevant areas such as aging, mental health, addictions and others. No less than 3 of the top 10 source industries in Monmouth-Ocean are in healthcare related fields. And there are plenty of large organizations to support solid job growth in this field including:

  • Southern Ocean County Hospital
  • St. Barnabas Healthcare System
  • CentraState Healthcare System
  • Monmouth Medical Center
  • Bayshore Community Health Center

Besides strong opportunities for stable employment, this area also boasts great quality of life. Strong green community development initiatives and the spectacular natural beauty of famous shorepoints like Seaside Heights, Point Pleasant, Barnegat Light, Long Beach Island and Springsteen’s favorite, Asbury Park, make this coastal area a wonderful place to be during work hours and during play time too! 

As a young man, I spent many summers traveling to the New Jersey Shore. Etched into my memory are the sounds and smells of the beach boardwalk commingling salt air, coconut oil, sausage & pepper heroes, corn on the cob and salt water taffy. Add to these intoxicating aromas the delighted squeals of rollercoaster riding kids, the perpetual throb of the surf and the cries of maritime birds. The relaxing vibe of the sleepy coastal towns always helped tranquilize me and wash away the stresses of life. How great would it be to live and work in such a attractive and prosperous environment?

For more detailed info on Monmouth-Ocean demographics and job data, visit: http://hubpages.com/hub/Monmouth-Ocean-NJ

Best Job Markets in the US – Part 1

The current economic challenges have had the unintended consequence of spurring a lot of media coverage regarding employment figures nationwide. The upside of this focus on job data is – if you’re starting a new career – you have access to a wide array of data on where you can find a good job in an area projected to enjoy continued growth. Since lately I seem to be stumbling across a lot of state-by-state lists of “Top Growth Jobs”, I have decided to write a series of posts detailing the career environments in different areas of the country for people with medical billing and coding expertise. This virtual tour of great American destinations (and their respective job markets) may be as close as this writer gets to a vacation this year, so I hope you enjoy it as much as I plan to.

Today, let’s look at the data from California, a State I once called home and a great place to be if you’re working towards a career in the healthcare field. The current recession has spurred significant job losses and a lot of coverage about California’s unemployment. Yet, less reported are the thousands of new job openings filled in the Golden State every day. According to labor statistics, California’s total employment is predicted to approach 20 million or more by 2016. That’s good news! What’s even better is that the healthcare sector is number one on the list of “growth industries” and medical billing is included in the list of “25 Jobs to Increase through 2016” in California. That makes the Golden State a good place to consider living and working.

This blogger lived in San Francisco during and after the Internet boom/bust and even in the dark economic days, post-bubble, I always found it a great place to find gainful and rewarding employment. It also has the added benefit of being a truly beautiful place to live. Pristine beaches, majestic mountains, acclaimed wineries, world-class golf, diverse music, innovative cuisine…***sigh***. Great place to begin your own Gold Rush. Have a look at the full report on California’s employment environment here:

http://hubpages.com/hub/Top_California_Jobs

Swine Flu and the Need for Medical Professionals

There are many forces driving the ever accelerating need for professionals in all medical fields. The exponential growth in human population continues to drive demand higher. The imminent retirement of an aging Baby Boomer generation is just beginning to show us what the future will look like for healthcare providers in all disciplines. But the biggest imminent demand driver is more ominous.

Occurring regularly throughout history, pandemic illnesses strain the abilities of governments and society to provide care. The current emergence of potentially pandemic Swine Flu is only the most contemporary episode of a very old show. The jury’s still out on whether or not this will turn into a global pandemic like the 1918 flu that killed 30 to 50 million or if it will just be a typical flu season. But it is a certainty that as the globe becomes more crowded, diseases will strike and it is up to everyone – inside and outside the medical community – to make sure the healthcare system is up to the challenge.

The Upside of Losing a Job

It has been said that no occurrence is inherently “good” or “bad” until one decides to apply one of these qualifying labels to it. Now, I know that it is awfully hard to feel good about being handed a pink slip for any reason, especially when it’s due to economic factors beyond one’s control. Yet, those who make the decision to approach the loss of a job less as a tragedy and as more of an opportunity will avoid the fear, sorrow and uncertainty typically experienced by those who automatically decide that losing their job was categorically bad news. If your job was in a sector especially hard hit by the current recession – real estate, finance, automotive – now may be the best time to strike out in a new career direction.

Recent surveys indicate that the top 10 hottest careers in today’s economic environment are comprised of 50% in the healthcare industry and 50% in the computer field. A career professional whose training incorporates elements of both these industries is practically guaranteed to be in high demand for the foreseeable future.

So instead of lamenting the loss of a job, divert the time and energy you might have invested in worrying and stress into working toward an online certification in a field poised for continued growth. The opportunity to begin a new career, with new skills and exciting new challenges should be an invigorating proposition. Chose to view it as such and you’re quickly on the road back to success and security!

Imminent Spike in Demand for Medical Office Professionals?

Opinion polls show that nearly 3 out of 4 Americans support some form of universal, public sponsored healthcare. With the confirmation of Kathleen Sebelius as Health & Human Services Secretary, the President’s party approaching a supermajority in Congress and the outbreak of Swine Flu shining a light on the importance of ensuring a basic level of healthcare for all Americans, the political environment seems perfect for the passage of comprehensive healthcare reform in 2009. The effects on the medical industry would be profound.Consider the following:

According to a report from the National Institute of Healthcare Management, one in six Americans in 2008 lacked health insurance. That’s more than 43 million people, greater than 15% of the US population. Already in high demand, professionals supporting medical office billing and coding will be in even greater demand if legislation reform passes bringing tens of millions of Americans into the ranks of the insured. Yet, even in the absence of insurance reform, the Obama administration has made it clear that updating the medical records system transitioning to electronic record from the current paper based system is a priority. Whether this ambitious agenda is executed completely or partially, the outlook is positive for those seeking careers in the realm of billing and coding. Stay tuned for updates on this important public policy initiative.

Welcome to the Allen School Online Blog!

Greetings and welcome to the inaugural of the new Allen School Online Blog. We’ve created this blog to serve as a sounding board for the Allen School Online community. We’ll be working hard to find and digest information of interest to students of medical billing and coding as well as those entertaining a career in this growing field. Check in regularly to see what your community is thinking and talking about.

We encourage dialogue and the exchange of ideas. Please leave your own comments on any topic that strikes your interest or in which you have experiences you’d like to share.

We’re glad to be here and look forward to engaging conversations with the greater Allen School Online community!