Coding Consultant Educator

Ochsner Health•Jefferson, LA

About The Position

The Coding Consultant Educator leads, manages, and participates in coding integrity projects, including specialty-specific coding education, audits, research, and financial analysis. The role manages project activities, provides education to executive leadership and physicians, and ensures related training and quality-assurance requirements are assessed and implemented. The position also supports physicians, coders, and leaders with accurate code assignment; develops oversight and ongoing compliance methods; explains policy changes and coding or documentation opportunities to physicians and billing staff across regions; and assists the HIM/Coding Management team with coding compliance functions. The role oversees coding consulting projects and provides timely, accurate recommendations consistent with management decisions under consideration. In conjunction with coding leadership, it supervises, coaches, evaluates, and counsels employees to support competency and compliance with CMS and other coding guidelines. The educator audits and trains coders, interprets policies, develops measures to monitor coding improvement, consults with physicians, and trains new hires and interns. The position requires computer and communication skills, leadership, analytical problem-solving, project coordination, and the ability to present findings to diverse audiences. Work may involve 8–10-hour days, evening, weekend, and holiday work during peak periods, travel between facilities and to satellite locations, and a flexible schedule. The work is primarily sedentary, with occasional walking or standing and the ability to move throughout departments, clinics, and other organizational locations. The role is based in a healthcare setting and may involve occupational risk of exposure to hazardous medications or waste.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent.
Five years of related clinical experience in nursing or allied health; or coding experience with Medicare and Managed Care Reimbursement, Managed Care contractual arrangements, and patient accounting or billing background; or three years of experience with a bachelor's degree.
A coding certification: CCS-P, CCS, CPC, CPC-H, Certified Coding Specialist–Physician based (CCS-P), or Certified Coding Specialist (CCS).
Computer skills and dexterity for data entry and information retrieval.
Effective verbal and written communication skills and the ability to present information clearly and professionally.
Proficiency with Windows-style applications, role-specific software, and keyboarding.
Strong interpersonal and leadership skills.
Ability to prepare and present findings to diverse audiences, including physicians, vice presidents, compliance officers, attorneys, directors, managers, and staff.
Ability to plan, coordinate, and review projects involving complex business and technical matters.
Analytical and operational problem-solving skills.
Time-management skills, including prioritizing, organizing, and coordinating multiple assignments in fast-paced, changing conditions and meeting deadlines.
Ability to resolve issues at the lowest level, recognize when to escalate or change priorities, and balance technical and practical needs.
Competency applying accounting principles and/or federal and state regulations to daily decisions.
Positive attitude and ability to promote a cooperative work environment.
Ability to move throughout the department, clinics, and other organizational locations.
Ability to work 8–10-hour days; evening, weekend, and holiday work may be required during peak periods.
Ability to travel long distances for continuing education and site visits to satellite locations.
Ability to travel throughout and between facilities.
Ability to work a flexible schedule, which may include 24/7 coverage, weekends, and holidays.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor's degree.
Additional degrees, business training experience, and/or certifications may be combined to meet minimum qualifications.

Responsibilities

Lead, manage, and participate in coding integrity projects, including specialty-specific coding education, audits, research, and financial analysis.
Manage project activities and provide education to executive leadership and physicians.
Assess and implement project-related training and quality-assurance requirements, either by performing or overseeing the activities.
Assist physicians, coders, and leadership with accurate code assignment.
Develop methods for oversight and ongoing coding compliance.
Educate physicians on policy changes and coding or documentation opportunities.
Educate billing staff across all regions on policy changes.
Assist the HIM/Coding Management team with coding compliance functions.
Oversee coding consulting projects and provide timely, accurate recommendations consistent with management decisions under consideration.
Supervise, coach, evaluate, and counsel employees in conjunction with coding leadership.
Audit and educate coders to ensure coding consistency across all regions.
Interpret CMS and coding policies and provide education to physicians, coding staff, and education staff.
Train new hires and interns.
Develop measures to track and monitor coding improvement initiatives.
Consult for physicians.
Adapt behavior to the patient population, including respecting privacy, introducing oneself appropriately, explaining services or procedures, requesting permissions, and adapting communication style.
Remain knowledgeable about applicable laws, accreditation standards, and regulatory requirements, and ensure compliance.
Report known or suspected unethical or questionable conduct and patient or employee safety, privacy, or other compliance concerns.