Want to Hire a Coding Service? This is What you Need to Know

by BIS Global Business Integrity Services

Choosing to outsource your coding doesn't have to be a difficult task. There are many things you need to know, but this fact sheet covers the basics of finding the right medical coding outsourcing services for your needs.

Getting started

You have some initial questions about medical coding outsourcing.

Is the company reliable?

Is the company licensed?

What is the scope of services?

What is the price?

Is it secure?

Can the company respond quickly?

What are the payments?

What if there are problems?

All of these questions and more are answered in this Factsheet.

Getting help

You have now considered the factors involved in medical coding outsourcing, and you know exactly what you want to do. The next question is: where do I get help? There are two areas you can turn to:

Find an agency that can develop or deliver custom coding and programming projects.

Develop a system for automating your billing, as well as taking orders and providing data management.

Research

As with any other type of hiring, the first step is to start by researching. To get a clear picture of your needs, keep in mind that you should get as much information as possible about the services available to you.

Are they owned or franchised? Who the owner(s) are and what their experience and qualifications are are important factors to consider. Are they located in your area? Research the reviews they have, what their reputation is and ask for referrals from past clients.

Is there a free trial available? Some companies do allow you to try them out for free for a limited period of time before they charge for any work that they do. Do your research to find out which coding companies offer such a service.

Find out if they have experienced in your line of work.

Finding the right company

Finding a medical coding services company is a tedious and time-consuming task, so what do you do? It's hard work for sure, but you must invest the time and effort to get the best possible code from the beginning.

• Compare outsourcing providers: medical coding providers vary drastically in quality and code interpretation. Make sure to talk to some different providers to find out their strengths and weaknesses.

• Estimate costs: It's vital to start budgeting your medical coding costs from the beginning. Find out what you'll be paying for per month and per hour.

• Look for companies who specialize in high-level coding: Many medical coding services take part in a code level or generic base, which means they don't always interpret a code right.

What should you look for?

Avoiding coding errors

Are you a nurse who wants to review the coding errors that patients experience? Or perhaps a doctor who wants to check the accuracy of codes that are generated by the coding software used to submit their medical data?

If you are, you have come to the right place. Our documentation is designed to help you. We have handbooks, blog articles and more to help you identify the following items.

Look for services with solid licenses

Do they offer the type of medical coding certification, you are looking for? In other words, is their software supported by a professional organization that can verify its accuracy?

Medical coding mistakes can cause catastrophic medical errors and have the potential to end your career.

Is it possible to get certified without going to school?

How much support do they offer?

How do you pay?

How do you verify that the solution will work for you?

These are only a few of the questions you will need to ask yourself when you are looking to hire a medical coding outsourcing services company.

Important considerations

What type of service do you need?

Do you need a full-service medical coding outsourcing company? Or, do you need a smaller service that specializes in particular medical coding processes? Deciding on the type of medical coding outsourcing service is a matter of factors and considerations.

What type of coding services is most important to you?