Coding Career Wire

Putting learning ICD-10 off? CMS wants you to take preparation seriously.

While some practices have tucked ICD-10 readiness into the backs of their minds, CMS wants to keep it on the forefront of yours.

Although the ICD-10 utilization deadline isn’t until October 1, 2013, CMS continues to remind practices that preparation now will prevent desperation in 2013. To that end, CMS has introduced a free service that allows you to receive an email notification whenever the information on its ICD-10 page is updated. Therefore, when the agency announces an ICD-10 webinar, transcript, article, or tip sheet, you’ll get a notification via email to check the site for more information.

Most recently, the site posted an executive summary of its April 27 ICD-10 vendor conference, at which vendors told CMS that “they have implementation plans in place for both Version 5010 and ICD-10, and are confident that they can meet the implementation deadlines.” However, vendors did express concern “that there is no testing period for ICD-10 prior to the Oct. 1, 2013 implementation deadline.” (more…)

Avoid getting stuck in the non-management rut.

Are you ready to take the next step in your medical coding career, but you’re not sure how to grab your boss’s attention and show him you’re ready for upper management? No problem. Follow these tips:

1. Do your job well. There’s no reason to give you more responsibility if you can’t handle what you have now, right? Get your superiors to notice your potential by excelling in your current supervisor position. Turn parts around in your department faster than other departments, maintain a perfect quality record in your department, and do your best to keep your department accident-free.

2. Do your homework. Learn more about what upper managers do in your company. Find out what their responsibilities are. If you know someone outside of the company in a managerial position, ask him to describe his job to you. You want to get a sense of whether you can handle the job.

3. Develop people skills. Your ability to get along with and effectively manage people will be even more important when you’re in a higher position. (more…)

Try these easy networking tips for shy people.

Networking is high among conference attendees’ list of benefits. If your shyness might be preventing you from reaching out to fellow medical coders, pull yourself out of that corner and try these networking tips:

• Realize that you’re not the only one who’s shy. Even big executives can be shy people. The next time you’re at a coding conference event, scan the room for someone standing by herself. If she were an outgoing person, she would probably be mingling. Chances are, she’s a shy person who’s waiting for someone to come talk to her. Take the opportunity.
• Enlist your extroverted friends’ help. Stick around your more outgoing coworkers at conference events and meetings, and get them to introduce you to fellow coders or coding consultants. They can help you start the conversation and back you up during moments of silence.
• Practice networking skills at your next family reunion. Chances are, there are many members of your family who you don’t know well. Think of your family reunion as a conference. Walk over and introduce yourself to your family members who you don’t know very well and strike up a conversation with them. (more…)

Tessa Bartels

“Being a coder is a lot like being a detective.”

Medical coders: If you feel like you’re someone who can work miracles with a magnifying glass, trench coat, and your coding manuals, then you have a lot in common with F. Tessa Bartels. But if you’re not following this ever-changing field, you could be letting your inspection skills go to waste.

With CPC and CEMC credentials, Bartels is currently the reimbursement manager at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, WI. Her career started there in 2000. She has also worked as a coder in pediatric critical care. In other words, she jumped into coding and never looked back.

Here’s what happened. Prior to working at Medical College, she had a career as a travel consultant but needed a change. She took a position as a transcriptionist at the Medical College — but only did that for about two days before being introduced to the world of coding.

“It was my second day on the job. My supervisor told me she was going to have the person who did the coding cross train me, so that in the event of her absence, I could fill in,” explains Bartels.  “Little did I know that this coder wasn’t just planning a short vacation, she was leaving her job. In any case, I jumped into her job and found that I absolutely loved it. I applied for and was granted a transfer.” (more…)