Coding Specialist - CHC

Vibra Travels•Abilene, TX

About The Position

The Coding Specialist assigns appropriate ICD codes to diagnoses and procedures for inpatient encounters. The role includes concurrent reviews and coding, assembling and analyzing discharged patients’ medical records, updating incomplete or deficient medical record reports, and assisting with filing patient medical record documentation. The specialist manages daily coding operations for assigned hospitals and is responsible for timely, accurate coding and medical record abstraction, including meeting specified DRG and code accuracy targets. The position supports documentation improvement by communicating needs to medical staff through verbal and/or written queries and assisting with education in conjunction with the local facility’s Case Manager. The specialist assigns preliminary DRGs, codes concurrently during patient visits, and completes final coding within five calendar days after discharge. The role also includes participating in team and care conference meetings, staff meetings, performance improvement activities, and other duties as assigned. The job requires knowledge of medical terminology, disease processes, anatomy and physiology, ICD-10-CM, ICD-10-PCS, and Medicare reimbursement principles. It requires professional conduct, respectful interactions with patients, coworkers, medical staff and the public, and compliance with hospital policies, safety practices, confidentiality requirements, and the Hospital Compliance Plan. The work environment is generally moderately noisy. The employee may occasionally lift or move up to 25 pounds and must meet the listed vision, mobility, hand-use, communication and hearing demands, with reasonable accommodation where applicable.

Requirements

Associate’s degree in Health Information Technology is required.
AHIMA Certified Coding Specialist (CCS), AAPC Certified Professional Coder (CPC), or Certified Professional Coder–Hospital (CPC-H) certification is required.
At least 2 years of coding experience in an acute setting is required.
Knowledge of medical terminology, the human disease process, anatomy and physiology.
Knowledge of ICD-10-CM and ICD-10-PCS.
Knowledge of Medicare reimbursement principles.
Basic computer skills and word-processing knowledge.
Ability to perform the essential duties satisfactorily; reasonable accommodations may be made for qualified individuals with disabilities.
Ability to occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds and meet the stated vision, standing, walking, hand-use, reaching, speaking and hearing demands, with reasonable accommodation where applicable.

Nice To Haves

Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA) or Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) credentials are preferred.
Long-term acute care (LTACH/LTAC) experience is preferred.
RHIT or equivalent credentials are preferred.
Four years of inpatient coding experience, preferably in an LTAC environment, is cited as an alternative qualification.

Responsibilities

Manage daily coding operations for assigned hospitals, ensuring timely and accurate medical record coding.
Maintain a DRG accuracy rate of 95% and code accuracy of 95%.
Communicate documentation improvement needs to medical staff through verbal and/or written queries.
Assign DRGs on admissions, code concurrently during the visit, and complete final coding within five calendar days of discharge.
Assist with documentation improvement education in conjunction with the local facility’s Case Manager.
Accurately abstract each medical record according to best-practice standards.
Assist in patient evaluation by providing a preliminary DRG.
Attend weekly interdisciplinary team meetings or their equivalent, care conference meetings when needed, and scheduled staff meetings.
Participate in Performance Improvement activities.
Assemble and analyze discharged patients’ medical records, update incomplete or deficient reports, and assist with filing patient medical record documentation.
Respect patients’ rights, dignity and individuality in all interactions, and maintain effective working relationships with coworkers, other departments, medical staff and the public.
Adhere to the Hospital Compliance Plan, hospital and departmental policies, attendance requirements, safety practices, and measures for preventing exposure to blood-borne pathogens and hazardous materials.
Recognize patient abuse and follow policy for appropriate referrals or interventions.
Limit access to protected health information to what is reasonably necessary for work and share it only on a need-to-know basis.
Perform other incidental and related duties as required or assigned.