At Houston Methodist, the Senior Inpatient Coder position is responsible for ensuring diagnostic and procedure codes are assigned accurately to inpatient, emergency room, therapy, and or clinic encounters based on documentation within the electronic medical record while maintaining compliance with established rules and regulatory guidelines.
FLSA Status
Non‑exempt
Qualifications
Education
Associate’s degree or higher in a Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management accredited program or additional two years of experience (in lieu of degree) in addition to the minimum experience requirements.
Experience
Three years of relevant inpatient coding experience or successful completion of the Houston Methodist Senior Inpatient Coder Transition Program.
Licenses and Certifications (Required)
RHIT – Certified Health Information Technician (AHIMA)
RHIA – Registered Health Information Administrator (AHIMA)
CCS – Certified Coding Specialist (AHIMA)
Skills and Abilities
Demonstrates the skills and competencies necessary to safely perform the assigned job.
Sufficient proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing English.
Ability to effectively communicate with patients, physicians, family members, and co‑workers with a customer‑service focus.
Knowledge of coding classification systems, DRG and APC systems, official coding guidelines and coding compliance.
Knowledge of an electronic medical record and imaging systems.
Working knowledge of medical terminology, anatomy and physiology.
Proficiency with electronic encoder application.
Extensive PC knowledge – ability to work effectively in common office software, coding software and abstracting systems.
Essential Functions
People Essential Functions
Interacts with coding team, HIM, physicians, IT, Patient Access and Business Office.
Participates in coding section meetings and coding education inservices.
Assists others and shares knowledge on official coding guidelines.
Service Essential Functions
Responds promptly to internal and external customer requests.
Initiates queries with physicians to obtain or clarify diagnoses and/or procedures.
Quality/Safety Essential Functions
Assigns diagnostic and procedural codes to encounters of high complexity.
Makes accurate ICD-9-CM/ICD-10-CM/ICD-10-PCS codes using encoder application in accordance with hospital policy and regulatory guidelines.
Ensures high quality of discharge disposition data and corrects as necessary.
Reviews medical record documentation and abstracts data into encoder and EHR.
Complies with the AHIMA Standards of Ethical Coding.
Finance Essential Functions
Utilizes time effectively and meets departmental productivity standards while ensuring coding accuracy.
Supports organization’s goals for Accounts Receivables.
Maintains coding timeframes within departmental standards.
Growth/Innovation Essential Functions
Evaluates own performance, accepts constructive criticism, and seeks improvement.
Contributes ideas to improve quality of coding data and abstracting data.
Supplemental Requirements
Work Attire
Uniform: No
Scrubs: No
Business professional: Yes
Other (department approved): No
On‑Call
No
Travel
May require travel within the Houston Metropolitan area: Yes
May require travel outside Houston Metropolitan area: Yes
Houston Methodist is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
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