by Colleen Agee
Former Medical Coder | Elsevier Account Representative, Career Sales
Even with limited coding experience, today's coding students can gain an edge on professional coders already in the workforce. The change from ICD-9 to ICD-10 on October 1st, 2013 will affect
all coders, no matter how much experience they may have.
Give yourself an advantage by learning about ICD-10 now.
Today's professional coders work with approximately 17,000 codes in the ICD-9-CM code set. After the transition to ICD-10, they'll be working with more than 155,000 codes. With the coding community nervous about the changes, many companies are delaying ICD-10 training for their staff until the 2013 implementation date draws closer. This is your chance to get ahead.
Here are some steps you can take to leverage your understanding of ICD-10 in your job search and early coding career:
- Identify initial ICD-10 training on your résumé. Employers receive many résumés for every open position. While many applicants may have years of professional experience or coding certification, very few are trained on how to code with ICD-10 -- especially in smaller medical offices. This will make your résumé stand out from the rest.
- Mention your ICD-10 experience in your job interview. When discussing your skills, highlight your understanding of ICD-10. This will demonstrate your value to potential employers both as an experienced coder and a source of information for other coders on staff.
- Share your knowledge. Once you're hired, share what you know about ICD-10 with other employees. You'll stand out as a leader among the coders on staff, which will benefit you when your boss is conducting reviews or considering promotions.
- Stay up to date. Show employers your motivation and dedication by following ICD-10 information as it becomes available. You can find ICD-10 updates here and at these other sites:
www.cms.hhs.gov/ICD10
Elsevier's core coding resources already include ICD-10 coverage so you can start your preparation now.
Learn more.
