Question

Job Description Analysis

You are the coding supervisor at a hospital that just increased its bed size from 75 beds to 150 beds. The facility offers inpatient services, outpatient surgery, ancillary services, and emergency room services. As the volume increases with the increased bed capacity, you will have to increase the number of coders who are in your department. Currently there is only one coding job classification - HIM Coder. This position is responsible for coding all services. You are evaluating this practice to determine if you want to continue with the one job classification.

What would you recommend?

If you recommend more than one job classification, what would those classifications be?

How would you divide the work load?

Answer 1

I would recommend minimum of 2 more coders. As the hospital has already one HIM coder, he can take care of the inpatient department. The other two newly appointed coders can take care of the emergency room services and outpatient department.

The three coders are divided into the following classification:

1. Inpatient coding: It is an important and biggest area when it comes to coding. The patient's diagnosis, complications, progress notes, history, discharge summary, consultation reports, operative, pathology, laboratory, radiology reports, physician orders and nutritional assessment records should be synced and coded with patient's face sheet.
2. Outpatient coding: It is very vital for future references. The coder should code the physician orders, visit orders, test results, laboratory reports and medications.
3. Emergency room coding: The coder should code the emergency room reports, initial encounter, diagnosis, treatment interventions and nurse's notes.