In this week’s edition, lets explore a career in medical coding
In recent years, the medical and healthcare industry has become one of the largest sectors in India. According to a former report of Niti Ayog, it is directly responsible for the employment of 4.7 million people in the country. The aging population, advances in technology, and developmental research have further led to the growth of this industry. Along with its expansion, there comes a myriad of opportunities for young professionals intending to start a flourishing career in the healthcare sector.
The pandemic brought the healthcare sector to the center stage while giving attention to several administrative challenges. In addition, it also created a demand for professional talent who were well versed in government policies, handling data, medical codes, and payment procedures. To fulfill the need of the hour, the medical coding course came into the picture while being a lucrative career option.
Medical Coding: what does a Medical Coder Do?
The role of the medical coder is to transcribe a patient’s information into alphanumeric codes. But to become a medical coding specialist, they need to enroll in courses and hands-on training to get job ready with relevant skillset.
Medical coding revolves around multiple aspects of the healthcare sector and the curriculum must involve topics such as medical procedures, medical terminology, treatments, and documentation procedures.
In addition, medical coders need to be apt to anatomy and physiology to have a better understanding of the human body. Furthermore, the aspects of medical ethics must be studied to gain knowledge about legal concepts, fraud, and confidentiality.
In India, Medical coders use three types of diagnostic codes, namely the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10-CM), Current Procedure Terminology (CPT), and Health Care Procedural Coding System (HCPCS) for assigning codes to procedures and diagnoses. The course curriculum must also include coding in several domains such as physical disorders, mental disorders, pregnancy, reproductive system, radiology, pathology, and medicine to get an integrated approach to the responsibility of a medical coder.
Students must also look out for a course which provide training in soft skills as a compulsory module to facilitate interview preparation and personal growth.
Scope of Medical Coding Industry
Medical coding is a growing field in the healthcare administration industry with a promising future. The field has already been popular in the global markets for a significant amount of time and now the demand for medical coders has been increasing gradually in developing countries like India. According to a research report by Mordor Intelligence, the global market for Medical coding is forecast to be $28363 million by the year 2027 at a CAGR of 10.93%, and the South Asia-Pacific region is the fastest growing market.
The medical coding course follows a comprehensive approach and can be completed with online and offline certification courses with practical training, leading to several job opportunities in hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, insurance agencies, and government departments. In addition, individuals can even pursue a freelancing career as medical coding specialists. For Indian students, the medical coding course will bring more chances of job security with exceptional growth prospects.
— The article is written by Kounal Gupta, Founder & CEO of Henry Harvin Education
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