The process of Medical Coding is today become a necessity for claiming of medical reimbursements. Also called by the name of insurance coding, the medical coding process involves assigning of codes to medical diagnoses and various other related procedures. Thus the medical coders convert the entire physicians note into medical codes that is used by the insurance companies to pay the health care provider. This type of coding actually helps in attaining quick judgment with just a glance. One can see the accurate display of the entire history and services performed on the patient.

So what are the different steps in this process of medical coding?

From the hospital, the patient chart is first sent to the medical coding service provider. These medical records usually include nursing documentation, physicians’ documentations, and the patient demographic sheets. Medical coding service providers thoroughly check all these records and within the next 48 hours have to assign appropriate numerical and diagnostic codes to each of the records. These can include,

• E/M level
• CPT codes
• HCPCS
• ICD-9 codes
• Modifiers

After assigning the codes it will have to be rechecked to see if the right codes have been assigned or if there is any thing has been overlooked. The coding team thus rechecks the entire documentation and makes sure that all the codes assigned are correct.

These coded records are then returned to the client. Transfer can be by postal mail, e-mail or electronic down load or air shipping. These coded files are now ready for the next step of medical billing.

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