Medical coder job description: what you'll do and what to write on your resume
Applying for medical coder at a hospital, clinic or billing company? Copy the duties below into your resume, then read what the interview asks.
Duties to write on your resume
Start each line with what you did. Keep the ones you've really done.
Read patient charts and doctor notes to find the diagnoses and procedures
Assigned diagnosis and procedure codes using ICD and CPT code books and software
Checked each code matched the doctor's notes before sending the chart on
Sent coded charts to the billing team so claims could go out on time
Asked doctors to clarify unclear or missing notes before coding the chart
Fixed claims that insurers rejected because of wrong or missing codes
Kept patient records private and followed the company's data privacy rules
Met daily coding targets for both speed and accuracy using Excel trackers
No coding job yet? Use these lines for any records, encoding or health-related training you've done, and say where.
A resume objective you can adapt
Detail-minded graduate with medical terminology training, looking for a medical coder job, ready to code charts accurately and keep learning new code updates.
Skills employers ask for
Knowing medical terms and body systems
Reading doctor notes carefully
Using code books and coding software
Typing fast without mistakes
Keeping patient information private
What the interview asks
How do you make sure your codes are accurate? Say you check each code against the doctor's notes before you finish.
What would you do if a doctor's note is unclear? Say you don't guess. You ask the doctor or your lead for clarification.
Can you meet daily targets and still stay accurate? Describe how you work steadily and check your work, not rush.
How do you handle patient information? Say you keep it private, never share it and only use it for your task.
Most posts ask for a health-related or allied health degree, or at least medical terminology training.
Prepare a resume, a valid ID, NBI clearance and your government numbers: SSS, PhilHealth, Pag-IBIG and TIN.
Apply on online job boards or the career pages of hospitals and billing companies.
Expect a short interview and sometimes a coding or typing test on sample charts.
Licence or certificate
TESDA offers a national certificate for this work: Medical Coding and Claims Processing NC III. Source
What the work is like
You sit at a desk and read charts on a screen for most of the shift. The hard part is staying accurate on long, detailed charts while meeting daily targets.
Questions
Do I need experience to become a medical coder?
Not always. Some employers hire fresh graduates with medical terminology training and teach their coding process on the job.
Can medical coding be done from home?
Some employers allow it, especially for experienced coders. Many new coders start in an office.
What should I study to become a medical coder?
Nursing, medical technology and other health courses help most. Short courses in medical terminology and coding also help.
DayShift lists remote jobs with Singapore and Asia clients, on the same clock as Manila. Applying is free, and we never ask you for money. See today's DayShift jobs