Are Medical Coders in Demand?
You review patient medical records, assigning the proper medical codes to their corresponding medical treatment, diagnosis and more. The data you code is used to determine everything from billing to population health statistics. Most importantly, your work directly affects patient care.
You’re a medical coder and it’s 2019. Your skills are very much in demand.
Job Outlook
In 2018, 215,500 professionals were amongst those proud to work in this growing line of work. As the authority on labor outlook, the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that the Medical Records and Health Information Technician industry will grow approximately 11% between 2018 and 2028.
Comprising this 11% of medical records and health information technicians are medical coders who are the lifeblood of the healthcare industry. The good news? This 11% increase is much higher than the national occupational average. And by 2028, 22,500 more are expected to join this burgeoning line of work.
Employers
As the older population requires more medical care and the healthcare landscape becomes increasingly regulated, all corners of the healthcare industry continue to employ medical coders. While hospitals and doctors’ offices are the largest employers, nursing care facilities, surgery centers and more require the expertise of these professionals. In some instances, there are even opportunities to work for healthcare players who need medical coding auditors or practice managers.
How to Get Started
Ready to become a medical coder? To work as a medical coder you have to pass the Certified Coding Specialist exam and secure certification from the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA).
With the proper training, you’ll be exam-ready in no time. The Health informatics training at Northwestern College meets the core values as identified by AHIMA.