What salary do medical coders and medical transcriptionists make?
November 23rd, 2009 by admin
Also, what is the difference between the 2 jobs? Please give links to information if possible. Thanks in advance.
Tags:Coders,Medical,salary,transcriptionists
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Medical coders and medical transcriptionists are not careers – why are so many people asking about this lately on this website?
Go find a better job. You will not make much doing this.
Medical coders use codes to identify specific outpatient and inpatient procedures and services for billing private and public insurance companies. Medical coders read medical documentation (i.e. patient charts) then assign the proper code, using their coding knowledge in addition to checking classification manuals, to the completed service or procedure. Once they’ve determined the proper coding, medical coders key the code into the proper form on their computer system.
Medical transcriptionists listen to dictated recordings made by physicians and other health care professionals and transcribe them into medical reports, correspondence, and other administrative material. They generally listen to recordings on a headset, using a foot pedal to pause the recording when necessary, and key the text into a personal computer or word processor, editing as necessary for grammar and clarity. The documents they produce include discharge summaries, medical history and physical examination reports, operative reports, consultation reports, autopsy reports, diagnostic imaging studies, progress notes, and referral letters. Medical transcriptionists return transcribed documents to the physicians or other health care professionals who dictated them for review and signature or correction. These documents eventually become part of patients’ permanent files.
The salaries for both these careers depend on where you live.
Earnings [About this section] Back to Top Back to Top
medical coders
Median annual earnings of medical records and health information technicians were $28,030 in May 2006. The middle 50 percent earned between $22,420 and $35,990. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $19,060, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $45,260. Median annual earnings in the industries employing the largest numbers of medical records and health information technicians in May 2006 were:
General medical and surgical hospitals $29,400
Nursing care facilities 28,410
Outpatient care centers 26,680
Offices of physicians 24,170
medical transcripionts
http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos271.htm