Coding Educator

Under general direction of the Director of Health Information Management and/or Coding Manager, this position is responsible and accountable for initial and ongoing education of providers and/or coding staff on key revenue cycle topics, including but not limited to coding, documentation, billing policies, and regulatory compliance in regards to professional (pro-fee) coding. As such, this position takes a significant role in developing the training and curricula necessary to ensure physicians and/or staff reach and maintain a desired level of coding and documentation proficiency. This position is also responsible for ensuring the accuracy of information in these processes is maintained through the conducting and analysis of periodic audits—and, if accuracy is not at the expected level, this individual is responsible for the reeducation and training of physicians and/or staff to ensure these departments are meeting their targets. Additionally, this position is responsible for serving as a figurehead of knowledge as it relates to all coding systems in use; CMS, federal, and state coding regulations; and third-party reimbursement requirements.

The role of Coding Educator includes the following:

• Ensures regulatory compliance by remaining up-to-date with federal and state coding regulations,

explaining regulations concisely to departmental heads and/or HIM/coding staff members, and ensuring that any necessary changes to existing processes have been made and instituted as standard practice.

• Correctly outlines organizational and departmental standards and expectations for new Provider/HIM/coding hires throughout the training process, in addition to providing a strong knowledge base to assist them in the acquiring position-related skills throughout their term of employment.

• Develops and facilitates educational programming for staff of all levels, while simultaneously motivating them to retain a high degree of accuracy in all their respective job functions.

• Creates all components of a successful education process, including lesson planning and materials used for these purposes (i.e., audiovisual aids, knowledge retention exams, activity simulations, etc.)

• Conducts periodic coding and documentation audits for accuracy and compliance, and uses them to

identify trends or variances in coding that require additional training to correct and eliminate

• Responsible for staying current on all regulation, best practices, or processes related to the implementation of E&M, CPT, HCC and ICD-10 and relaying this knowledge down to all affected staff members.

• Maintains confidentiality of sensitive information at all times.

This position does not provide patient care.

The foregoing description is not intended and should not be construed to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, skills and efforts or work conditions associated with the job. It is intended to be an accurate reflection of the general nature and level of the job.

Name

Description

Education:

High school diploma or equivalent required; bachelor’s degree in health information management, business administration, healthcare administration, or related field preferred

Experience:

Requires 3-5 years of pro-fee coding experience required. Two years’ experience performing, analyzing, and providing feedback on physician documentation and coding audits required. Teaching experience for a variety of comprehension levels preferred.

License(s):

None

Certification(s):

CPC, CCS-P, RHIA, or RHIT certification required. Must attain one of the following CDIP, CPMA, CEMC, CPC-I, or other related certification within 12 months of employment.

Computer / Typing:

Must be proficient Microsoft Office Suite, including Outlook, PowerPoint, Excel and Word and have the ability to use the computer to complete online learning requirements for job specific competencies, access online forms and policies, complete online benefits enrollment, etc.