OT: Anyone work in Medical Records field?

M

Malissa

Member
Hi. I'm considering a career change to Health Information Management and was wondering if anyone works in this field and could tell me what it entails, how they like it, etc. Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
 
I worked in the Medical Records field for a few months until I was moved to a different department. I think that if you generally enjoy office jobs then you will probably enjoy this. You need to learn medical coding (most likely) for medical conditions, basic filing, patient rights. There is a part of our Medical Records system called OASIS where patients' change of status is continuosly submitted online to the state for billing purposes (and others that I'm not totally aware of). I did this for several weeks while covering for a coworker. IT is not DIFFICULT, it just requires a lot of attention to detail. Nurses and doctors are generally very sloppy and they hate doing their paperwork, so it requires a lot of care and attention on your part. You may be required to take a few classes, though you can find that information at your local university/college or online. Even though I'm very sure you can learn everything you need to know on the job, it may give you an advantage to take a couple of semester courses first. I hope this helps. It's really not a bad field to be in. You get to learn quite a bit of medical without actually being in the field.

Sara
 
Sara, thanks! That was very helpful information. I'm actually looking at a certificate program in Health Information Management. I already have a bachelor's and a master's in Computer Info Systems but I'm sick to death of my field (software development) and I thought this field might, as you say, be a good way to sort of work in the medical field. My impression is that I'd be sitting at a computer screen all day doing coding - unless, of course, I was in management or training or something. My understanding is that I would have no contact with patients but would interact with doctors and nurses on occasion to clarify their information. Thanks again! :)
 
Hey, Malissa. I'm glad I could help. If you have any more specific questions, I could try to find out for you. I still work in the same business and am only down the hall from Medical Records :) I think the biggest requirement is that you are very very organized. The amount of stuff that you need to process is phenomenal!
 
:D Hi! I work in the Medical Record Department of a State Psychiatric Center and love it! But you have to be an RHIT (registered health information technician) to qualify. Before the state job, I worked in hospitals for 7 years and did not like it near as much! In the hospitals I did coding and transcription and the area where I come from the pay is terrible, but in a major city the pay should be better. Right now at the state job I do a lot of legal stuff, correspondence, statistics, billing and there are just 3 of us in the department. Oh, also I have a associates degree in Health Information Management and a CCS (Certified Coding Specialist) certificate from AHIMA. Let me know how it turns out! :D
 
Lisa, yes I would expect to take a cut in pay but I'm at the point in my life where I realize that liking a job is more important than how much money it pays. Took me a long time to figure that one out!

The one thing about this career field that I'm not sure about is the statistics. I mean, just how much of that would I be doing? I cringe when I think back to my statistics course in college...ugh!! I do love office work, though.

Thanks so much for sharing your insight!! :)
 
Hi Sara. One thing I definitely am is organized. I've been trying for the past year to find a career field that I would enjoy and where I'd be able to use my natural skills like organization and attention to detail. I've also taken the Myers-Briggs personality test and have come to the conclusion that I need to be in a career where I feel I can be of some service. That's why I started looking at the medical field but I'm not sure I'd want to be something like a nurse. Another career I've looked at is Dietician but I'd practically have to start all over with college since my degree isn't in the "hard" sciences.

You said you work down the hall from Medical Records...do you know anyone there who you could ask about it? How they like it, what they don't like about it, etc. Thanks again! :)
 
:) I do not believe you would be doing many statistics, that is usually left to the director/manager. You might do bed census. Would you be a medical record clerk? If so, you could be doing anything from correspondence, filing, analyzing, putting charts together etc.:) Where would you be working at?;)
 
Hi Lisa. From what I understand, once I have this HIM certificate I would go on to sit for the RHIA(?) exam. Not sure what I'd be doing then although this certificate prepares people for more of a mgmt. position, I think, although I believe the program still requires learning coding. I like the idea of doing coding - not so sure about mgmt. My other alternative would be to go to a community college and get a HIT certificate and then sit for the RHIT exam. I just want a job that I enjoy....waaahhhh! ;)

What do you like/love about your job? What do you dislike/hate about it? Have you always been in this career? I very much appreciate your help! :)
 
:) I have always been in the medical record field. I worked in several different hospitals and have done both coding and transcription. I enjoy coding. It's kind of like being a detective to come up with the right code. There are so many rules for coding. Transcription was quite boring. The thing I did not like about working in the hospital was all the back biting people, actually there were just a few, who made the job unbearable! Also, where I worked there was a lack of respect for the coders from the physicians. In order to be a good coder you will have to have anatomy and physiology and medical terminology. The RHIT is the 2 year exam and the RHIA is the 4 year exam. There are study books for the exam that I would strongly recommend. Also, if you are seriously considering going into coding, the CCS exam can almost guarantee you a job! A lot of employers will not even look at someone unless they have some kind of coding experience or a coding certificate. ;-) Were you thinking of working in an physician's office or hospital?
 
Well I'm really not sure where I'd work, actually. I'm going to one of the local community colleges tomorrow to talk to the woman in charge of their HIT program - they also offer the coding certificate. I'm going to ask her about job opportunities in the area (Denver) and pick her brain about the career field. Is it true that this field doesn't pay that well? Can you make a living? I can accept the fact that I'd have to take a pay cut but it'd be worth it if I enjoyed the work.

Oh, also...you talked about study guides...is that to say that I wouldn't necessarily have to get a degree first to become certified?

Thanks again, Lisa! :)
 
:) I think if you work so many years in the medical record field (coding) they take that into consideration and you would not have to take college, though I would strongly urge you take anatomy and physiology and medical terminology. I am not sure if it works that way now or not, things may have changed from 10 years ago;-) If you would like, check out the AHIMA website and check out the application process for taking the test. :9 :+
 
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