Director of Professional Services Coding

Every day, more than 40,000 Hartford HealthCare colleagues come to work with one thing in common: Pride in what we do, knowing every moment matters here. We invite you to become part of Connecticut’s most comprehensive healthcare network. 

Hartford HealthCare’s unified culture enhances access, affordability, equity and excellence. Its care-delivery system- with more than 500 locations serving 185 towns and cities- includes two tertiary-level teaching hospitals, an acute-care community teaching hospital, an acute-care hospital and trauma center, three community hospitals, a behavioral health network, a multispecialty physician group, a clinical care organization, a regional home care system, an array of senior care services, a mobile neighborhood health program and a comprehensive physical therapy and rehabilitation network. On average, Hartford HealthCare touches more than 27,000 lives every single day. The unique, system-wide Institute Model offers a unified high standard of care in crucial specialties at hospital and ambulatory sites across Connecticut offering unparalleled expertise at the most affordable cost. The institutes include: Ayer Neuroscience, Behavioral Health, Cancer, Digestive Health, Heart and Vascular, Orthopedics and Tallwood Urology & Kidney.

Position Summary:

The Director of Professional Services Coding will provide system wide leadership and strategic direction for all aspects of Professional Billing (PB) coding, audit/education, and revenue integrity procedures that directly impact the organizations’ revenue cycle. The Director serves as a key resource for best practices in diagnostic and procedural documentation and coding for Hartford HealthCare’s Medical Group, Behavioral Health Network and Emergency Physicians. The Director ensures accurate and efficient documentation, coding and charge capture processes, with a focus on improving physician onboarding education, coding accuracy, and compliance.

Key Accountabilities:

• Plans and organizes department operations, sets priorities, and establishes functional standards to ensure high-quality service delivery and exceptional customer/patient satisfaction
• Drives department service standards and activities to positively impact patient/customer-based satisfaction scores through role modeling and fostering accountability. Serves and actively participates on various entity committees as a departmental representative
• Prepares, reviews and manages department operational budgets in accordance with organizational targets. Develop staffing plans and schedules to meet department/patient needs that reflect understanding of the importance of cost-effectiveness
• Implement department strategies to achieve financial target and staffing needs, developing others to do the same, through optimizing productivity, supply/resource efficiency, minimizing incidental and overtime percentage, and other areas according to department specifications
• Identifies and pursues opportunities to build strategic relationships across teams, departments, and units to align and achieve business goals
• Research, enhances, and maintains educational content related to ICD-10-CM and procedural coding, including system awareness, documentation requirements, coding, billing practices, and other improvement strategies
• Oversees vendor relationships to ensure timely and accurate service provision
• Collaborates with Information Technology departments (ITS) to facilitate updates to existing coding technologies and continually evaluates additional solutions to improve coding accuracy and clinical documentation management.
• Provides mentorship and development opportunities for staff while achieving or exceeding department turnover threshold goals
• Provides fair, consistent leadership and clear communication to maintain a competent, engaged, and high performing team. Facilitates and promotes effective team dynamics and team building strategies within and across departments. Leads and participates in process improvements as needed
• Coordinates an audit workplan that compliments the Business Practices audit workplan, reducing duplication of efforts and facilitating ongoing education and collaboration with other departments to achieve successful reviews

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in health information management or a related healthcare field is required
• Five plus years of experience in progressive coding leadership in a large multi-specialty physician practice or health system medical practice is required
• American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC) or American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) certification required
• Knowledge of ICD 10 Diagnostic and CPT coding regulations and guidelines and risk adjustment coding
• Extensive knowledge of state, federal and Medicare regulations related to coding
• Knowledge of the revenue cycle for the purpose of identifying issues, proposing and communicating corrective action/recommendations
• Knowledge of third-party and insurance company operating procedures, regulations and billing requirements, and government reimbursement programs
• Values that foster teamwork, empower people, and exemplify the sharing of knowledge and information
• Understanding, appreciation and embodiment of leadership through organizational ambiguity to achieve agreed upon objectives
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills
• Demonstrated strategic leadership and teamwork, change management
• Ability to influence others for positive and productive outcomes
• Demonstrated professionalism in interacting with colleagues, business partners, and individuals outside the organization