Medical Coding & Billing - General Duties and Jobs

What are the various duties that the medical coding and medical billing professionals have to do? Computerization and globalization has greatly helped in successfully managing the country's vast health care and health insurance needs of the people. The fast growing community of medical coders and billers is a force to reckon with. Here is a list of some of the duties that they may have to handle in the course of their work.

• Insurance benefits presentation to patients / clients
• Administrative work / bookkeeping
• Completion of claim forms
• Medical billing procedure handling
• Signature verification
• Data entry
• Supervision work
• Adhering to each insurance carrier's policies and procedures
• Software based medical data/charts analysis
• Interaction with healthcare providers
• Billing work of insurance companies
• Documenting all activities using the right medical terms
• Scheduling appointments

What are the different jobs and designations that medical coders / billers can get? Depending on the type of work specialization, and the employer, these are some of the different job titles the qualified medical coders/ billers work may work under.

• Billing Specialist
• Patient Account Representative
• Electronic Claims Processor
• Billing Coordinator
• Coding Specialist
• Health Information technician
• Claims Analyst
• Reimbursement Specialist
• Claims Assistant
• Professional Medical Collector
• Claims Processor
• Claims Reviewer

We know that while claiming the reimbursement for the medical bill from an insurance company it is necessary to prove the medical necessity of the case! It is the medical coder who needs to scan all patient data / record and then prove that all the rendered services were justified.
One of the interesting aspects of working in this sector of the health care industry is that the requirements for the medical biller /coder's job is never limited by either location, gender, race, religion, or physical disabilities. It is well known that the demand for medical and pharmaceutical services is ever increasing and therefore medical coders and billers are getting good employment opportunities.

Medical Assistant Duties

What comprises medical assistant duties? Are you hiring or are you someone who wants to go into medical assisting? It is not really hard to imagine what to put into a medical assistant job description. Duties will vary depending on what area the medical assistant is working in.
Medical assistant duties range from welcoming patients to doctor's practices to giving injections and even to some filing of documentation.
In a dental practice a medical assistant will prepare instruments needed for treatment like sterilizing and aid the dentist in the procedures. They also organize all client documentation and fix appointments.
In a pediatric practice they may give injections and do filing and handle the administrative duties. In other setting assistants may help doctors to make research on cases, and in big hospitals assistants handle most of the documentation.
Other assistants will be confined to the lab to make investigation that will help doctors to diagnose patients accurately. They work with samples like blood and tissue and test them to find what ails the patients. This can be dangerous so one has to be extremely careful not to get contaminated by these samples and to follow all safety procedures received in training.
If you are not really excited about working in the hospital environment or around ill people, you can opt to be a medical transcriptionist that you can do online in the comfort of your home. A transcriptionist types out a doctor's notes or instructions from an audio source so they can form part of the patient record.
An ophthalmologist assistant helps with the taking of eye tests, instruct patients on contact lenses use and care and can also make dressings and give medications. They also take care of the equipment.
Medical assistants also help doctors to make research on diseases to make complex diagnoses. They can do library searches and also online research. They help doctors collect samples for investigation like draw blood and other samples.
Medical assistants ensure the smooth running of doctors' offices making sure patient information is filed away accurately, fix appointments, make sure all needed equipment are clean and in working order and that the offices are in a condition to receive patients. They can also give medications and advise patients on how to make them.

Medical Malpractice Lawsuits

Have you or a loved one's health recently been affected by the negligence or misconduct of a physician or medical staff? If so, you may be eligible to file a medical malpractice lawsuit in order to recover damages for your medical costs, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
Medical malpractice can take many forms, such as failing to diagnose a serious medical condition, misdiagnosis, adverse reactions, and anesthesia, surgical, and medication errors. It is important to note that not all medical errors constitute medical malpractice; thus, it is crucial that you speak with an experienced malpractice lawyer to determine if negligence has taken place and what your legal options are.
Who Can File a Lawsuit?
Malpractice lawsuits can be filed by an injured patient against a doctor, nurse, member of the medical staff, or psychologist who violates the state's medical laws. A hospital may also be named in your medical malpractice lawsuit.
Massachusetts Medical Malpractice Lawsuits
Massachusetts's statute of limitations regarding medical malpractice cases is three years from the discovery of your injury; therefore, it is important to consult with a Massachusetts medical malpractice lawyer as soon as possible if that is where your injuries occurred. The exception to the three-year statute of limitations is if you discover that a foreign object was left inside of you during surgery.
During a Massachusetts malpractice lawsuit, the defendant may not ask to have the liability reduced by claiming that the plaintiff's insurance already paid for some of the costs. This is known as the rule of collateral source.
In cases involving joint or several liabilities, each person who is deemed negligent is required to pay the entire amount that is determined by the judge. If one person is unable to pay, the other person must pay the entire amount.
In order to win your Massachusetts medical malpractice lawsuit, you must show that the other party was negligent or engaged in misconduct. It is important to hire a medical malpractice lawyer who has successfully handled cases similar to yours. An experienced attorney will know how to investigate your case in order to prove liability. If you win your case, you may be compensated for loss of income, medical bills, mental anguish, and other expenses related to your injury.

Medical Medical Robots

Medical robots are one of the most helpful applications of robots. They are used in various medical practices, including difficult and precise surgical procedures. They are also used to assist patients in recovery and in the performance of routine tasks for patient care.
Medical robots have computer-integrated technology and are comprised of complicated programming languages, controllers, and advanced sensors. They also possess powerful control units, a programming terminal, and process-oriented software for various medical applications.
Medical robots are used for training surgeons and providing in-depth knowledge to students. These robots provide standardized operation, which reduces the time required to perform any medical operation. They provide positional certainty and confined movement, which can lead to improved post-operative outcomes. The major potential advantages of medical robots are precision and miniaturization in medical operations. Further advantages are articulation beyond normal manipulation and three-dimensional magnification.
Doctors can view the patient, ask questions, read patient records, view X-rays, and test results using these robots. Although the robot does not physically examine the patient it, allows face-to-face contact between the doctor and patient with the help of a screen attached to it. They are also used inward rounds when doctors are away from patients, which allow patients to establish direct contact with doctors.
Research is going on in the field of medical robotics that will create new robotic technologies and benefit the healthcare industry. The use of WiFi technology in the medical robots allows a medical expert to visually examine and communicate with a patient from anywhere in the world.
There are many doctors, who are using medical robotic technologies in their regular clinical practice. Doctors believe that it is a revolutionary concept, which opens new avenues for telemedicine research and integrates technology with healthcare while establishing necessary interface between patients, clinicians, and teaching staff.

Medical Transcriptionist Salary

Medical transcriptionists' salaries fluctuate considerably. There is no fixed income for work of this kind, with earnings depending on the productivity and skill of the medical transcriptionist.
In 2002, the American Association for Medical Transcription (AAMT) conducted a survey, where an average annual salary of a little over $31,000 for the medical transcriptionist was reported. The highest-earning 10% of those surveyed had a salary nearing $18 per hour; the lowest-earning 10% earned a touch over $9 per hour. Of course, some earn distinctly more and some considerably less than that figure. All said and done, a medical transcriptionist's salary is situational. Sometimes it takes much more than mere skill. It helps the medical transcriptionist to be at the right place at the right time.
On average, a qualified medical transcriptionist can earn about $50,000 for full-time work and $20,000 if he is working part-time. Transcriptionists can bring in a greater salary if they have their own business or are prepared to work from home.
A really skilled medical transcriptionist can earn $25.00 - $35.00 per hour. The money in this field is substantial. More importantly, it can be a priceless add-on to your already existing income and career.

Medical transcriptionists are compensated in various ways. Some get their salaries based on the number of lines transcribed or hours worked. Others have a per-hour basic pay with bonuses for additional production. It is important to remember that independent contractors have a greater salary than transcriptionists working for others. However, working independently is fraught with drawbacks. The expenses are greater; they receive no or meager benefits, and there is no real security in the job.

Medical Billing and Coding Salary

Medical billing and coding are two very important careers in the medical field. Billing and coding specialists work together to handle the critical areas of medical sector including; billing, coding, medical office management and processing insurance claims.
Medical submission and coding professionals earn salaries according to their training, experience, skill and location of employment. On average, the salaries of an entry level billing specialist is around $25,000 and for the more experienced coding professional is can be upwards of $50,000. These wages are in USD and are nothing to be ashamed of in these current economic conditions this world is in.

Billing and coding professionals who have gained knowledge through a certified degree program are known as specialists in their field. A certified medical billing and coding specialist can have a variety of job options to choose from due to their educational background. Their highly developed skills allow them to enjoy lucrative income more so than just someone who works at an office without any kind of certification. Their salary goes as high as $50,000 per year at an entry level point and as the promotions come so does an increase in salary.
The wages of billing and coding specialists can vary within different organizations. Billing and coding specialists are mostly hired through hospitals, insurance companies, pharmacies and doctor's offices. A health care office with numerous patients can give a better starting salary when compared to a small doctor's office. Medical billing and coding specialists usually work in an office setting and are paid some kind of fixed salary. However, they can be contracted out to work from home and these medical specialists who work as independent contractors can earn an hourly average of $10-$12.
The geographical area of work also has impact on salary. Medical billing and coding professionals who work in big cities earn better when compared to the professionals in the smaller cities. Medical billing and coding specialists who have their own business or company have limitless earning potential.
Medical Billing & Coding is one of the fastest growing careers in today's world. Health care professionals depend on well trained, reliable and experienced billing and coding staff because any error in the billing and coding could lead to financial disasters and huge penalties. So, efficient, experienced and trained medical billing and coding professionals are always in demand.

New Medical Inventions

The average life span of human beings has improved considerably in the last century, thanks to the progress of medical technology. Medical inventions have not only paved the way for improved diagnostic techniques, but also manipulation of chemicals and minerals to cure the human body of many ailments. Medical innovations have led to the complete eradication of dangerous diseases like small pox.
The latest medical research is focused on inventing a cure for dangerous and fatal diseases like AIDS and cancer that have already claimed the lives of many. New curative or preventive medicines for such diseases will be a major break through in medical technology.
There are many drug companies that fund as well as aid in research and development for new medical inventions. Scientists and inventors with credible theories are also encouraged by governments of all nations to carry on research to come up with new medical techniques in diagnosis and treatment as well as new medical cures and drugs. There are also corporations and companies that help inventors and physicians to put their innovative ideas into practice and develop new medical devices and healthcare products. Such companies also help to market the new products once they are ready for use.

For example, an ingenious medical invention was developed by Dr. Clyde Morgan with the help of Eureka Medical, a company that offers services to people with innovative ideas in medicine. He developed a new type of non-invasive treatment to control symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Few of these symptoms include loss of hand grip strength, interruption of sleep due to numbness in hands and aching shoulders and neck. The device helped patients to be in control of the symptoms and go back to sound sleep during nights. The device, to be worn at night, comes with a solution that helps to keep routine sleep interruption in check.