4 Tips for Becoming a Better Medical Coder

Helmut Schmidt, the former Chancellor of Germany, once said that “the biggest room in the world is the room for improvement. This is definitely true for a variety of industries, including medical coding.

Whether you’re looking into medical coding or medical billing as a profession, you’re a new medical coder looking to impress on your first job or you’re a seasoned veteran who could use some new motivation, there are several ways to become a better medical coder. Let’s take a look at four of them.

1. Memorize Medical Terminology

How well do you know your medication codes? What about modifiers? Abbreviations? The number of medical terms that medical coders need to know can be overwhelming, but if you have the capacity to memorize hundreds of song lyrics and movie quotes, you have the capacity to learn hundreds of medical terms as well. One way you can memorize medical terminology, abbreviations, medications and modifiers is with the Go To Coders® Flashcards Set. The set includes:

• 32 Medication Flashcards
• 35 Modifier Flashcards
• 81 Abbreviations/RX Notations Flashcards
• 143 Medical Terminology Flashcards

2. Tab Your Books

The first tip will help you become a more accurate coder. Now for a tip that will help you become a faster medical coder. Tabbing your books is a great way to stay organized and efficient on the job. But you don’t have to do it all yourself. The Go To Coders® Tabbing System includes 192 tabs that are vibrantly colorful to keep you highly organized. This tabbing system will have you find key pages in record time. The templates include instructions on how to place them throughout your three medical coding books (CPT, HCPCS, ICD-10).

3. Expand Your Specialty Areas

If you already have the Certified Professional Coder (CPC) certification, you might think you’re done. But have you considered a specialty certification? Not only can this increase your resume’s appeal, but it can actually increase your pay potential by a large amount. Consider signing up for a specialty certification course if you’re interested in bettering yourself as a medical coder.

4. Stay Updated

Finally, stay tuned to the industry so you’re the first person to know about any medical coding news and updates. The Medical Coding Academy blog is a great place to start, so make sure you’re subscribed. The AAPC Knowledge Center is another great resource. Finally, you can follow certain personalities on social media. The more you know, the more you’ll stand out as a medical coder.

For even more ways to become a better medical coder, consider signing up for one of our courses or check out our online store.

Editor’s note: This post was originally published in 2019. It has since been updated.