Medical coding is the transformation of healthcare data into universal codes. The codes are taken from medical records, such as notes, laboratory and radiological results.
Medical coding professionals make sure that codes are used correctly when billing for medical services. This includes getting information from documents, choosing the right codes, and creating a claim to be paid by insurance companies.
Medical coders translate medical records into standardised codes that tell insurance companies about the patient’s diagnosis, treatments, and supplies.
Medical coding is important because patient’s diagnosis, test results and treatment must be documented for reimbursement and to guarantee high-quality care in future visits. A patient’s personal health information must be easily understood, especially considering the hundreds of millions of visits, procedures and hospitalisations each year.
Medical coding is best performed by trained and certified medical coders holding professional certificate from AAPC.
