JOB SUMMARY:This job can work remotely from the following States - GA, WA, FL, TN and TX

At Houston Methodist, the Outpatient Coder is responsible for ensuring diagnostic and procedure codes are assigned accurately to outpatient, emergency room, therapy, and/or clinic encounters based upon documentation within the electronic medical record while maintaining compliance with established rules and regulatory guidelines.

PRIMARY JOB RESPONSIBILITIES
Job responsibilities labeled EF capture those duties that are essential functions of the job.

PEOPLE - 20%

1. Interacts and communicates effectively with members of the coding team and the appropriate stakeholders. (EF)
2. Participates and provides good feedback during coding section meetings and coding education inservices as well as takes initiative to assist others and shares knowledge with the appropriate stakeholders. (EF)

SERVICE - 20%

1. Responds promptly to internal and external customer requests. Responds promptly and appropriately to requests to code or review coded accounts for accuracy. (EF)
2. Initiates queries with physicians to obtain or clarify diagnoses and/or procedures as appropriate, utilizing the established physician query process. (EF)

QUALITY/SAFETY - 30%

1. Maintains and achieves departmental standards of coding quality by assigning accurate ICD-10-CM/ICD-10-PCS and CPT codes and APC assignment utilizing an electronic encoder application in accordance with hospital policy and regulatory body guidelines. (EF)
2. Maintains and achieves departmental standards of abstracting quality by reviewing the discharge disposition entered by nursing and corrects if necessary in order to achieve the highest quality of entered data. Assigns and enters physician identification number and procedure date correctly in the medical record abstracting system. (EF)
3. Reviews medical record documentation and abstracts data into the encoder and Electronic Health Record (EHR) to determine principal or final diagnosis, co-morbid conditions and complications, secondary conditions and procedures. Utilizes all tools/resources for accuracy.(EF)
4. Complies with the Standards of Ethical Coding as set forth by the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) and adheres to official guidelines.

FINANCE - 20%

1. Utilizes time effectively. Consistently codes and abstracts at departmental standards of productivity while ensuring accuracy of coding. (EF)
2. Supports meeting organizational goal for Accounts Receivables (AR) associated with uncoded accounts. (EF)
3. Maintains coding timeframes within established departmental standards by ensuring all work items assigned to the coding queues are processed in a timely manner. (EF)

GROWTH/INNOVATION - 10%

1. Critically evaluates her or his own performance, accepts constructive criticism, and looks for ways to improve. (EF)
2. Displays initiative to improve relative to job function. Contributes ideas to help improve quality of coding data and abstracting data. (EF)

This job description is not intended to be all inclusive; the employee will also perform other reasonably related business/job duties as assigned. Houston Methodist reserves the right to revise job duties and responsibilities as the need arises.

EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS

• Associate's degree in a Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management accredited program required or additional two years of experience (in addition to the minimum experience requirements listed below) required in lieu of degree

EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

• One year of relevant outpatient coding experience