I am completing a medical coding course with Andrews right now (sm)
Posted By: childfree by choice on 2005-07-21
In Reply to: Andrews and Career Step have the best reputations - and best chance of being hired after (nm)
and I highly recommend them. The tuition is steep, but they allow you to pay in monthly installments, so that makes it a lot easier. The quality of the course is excellent, and I really think I'll be able to pass the certification exams once I finish the course. The only complaint I have is that they are slow in responding to emails about tests, questions, etc., but other than that, I would recommend them. Good luck.
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Completing Andrews vs MTec
Just wondering if anyone can tell me why Andrews is a 9-12 month program and MTec a 12-14 month one? I am very interested in both, but if I can do this in a shorter time frame then I'm for Andrews. Thanks!
I've thought about coding. My DH does medical coding and I think with an MT's medical termino
background and anatomy and physiology knowledge, a transition into coding wouldn't be hard at all. From what I can tell by looking through my husband's books, an MT would have to learn insurance regulations and legalities. We've basically got all the medical background down or we should be if we're worth our salt as an MT.
I even contacted AHIMA and found that the qualifications for taking the CCS or CCP coding exams are completion of the a coding program, RHIT program, or RHIA or related work experience. Transcription is part of HIM, albeit the red-headed stepchild of the HIM department, but a part nonetheless and so satisfies the qualification of having work experience.
The test is tough though. My husband didn't pass it his first time out and I think I read something like only 20% or so pass it the first time. So it would probably be best to take some sort of formal coding class, in my opinion.
Best coding course is Andrews (sm),
same as for MT. AHIMA offers an online course, but Linda at Andrews says be careful because it's time limited; if you don't finish a section in time, you have to pay again. I would go with Andrews because then I'd know I'd get work right after completion. My husband is also studying coding; he's retraining from MT. He's combining it w/a degree in accounting. I only know of 2 online coding companies listed on the forum pedal to the metal (you'll have to Google it) and Amphion, a huge MT/coding company. Many companies right now are hiring coders to fly to the comapny and either audit or do the backlog. Check with "Redpen" (Peggy LaChance) at Andrews School for the best info as she is a working coder and instructor. Good luck.
Has anyone tried Andrews for coding?
I am curious to know since Andrews seems to be reputable for an MT course, if this is the same feeling for the coding course. I would eventually like to move into this profession when my youngest (she's 8) gets just a little older. I have 20 years in the MT field, but I'd like to move into coding on-site within the next four years or so. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated! 
Andrews has a coding program, & its reputation is as good as their MT course.
.
Medical coding
Use the link below that I wrote a few months ago. It is a very honest review of today's coding needs and environment. Good luck!
http://forum.mtstars.com/company/v/1/13589.html
Medical Coding
Hi, I've been an MT for 9-1/2 years working at home and am in need of a change. Am looking for a good coding class that won't send me to the poor house and that you can actually FIND A JOB when certified. Is that possible? Does anyone know some good schools and how much experience you must have before you can work at home doing coding? Thanks to anyone who replies.
There's medical coding and billing.
nn
Are any of you familiar with medical coding? - sm
Needing a better job than the one I've got, I've been spending my late nights searching the far reaches of the internet. It seems the only MT jobs that will actually support a person are in-hospital jobs, and the few that still exist are rare, and difficult to find. They're definitely not listed on our Job Board, that's for sure. When I do find them, they all seem to be part-time, or too far away, or involve heavy phones. Answering phones and transcription are NOT compatible activities!
So I keep seeing LOTS of ads for Coders. Obviously that would mean school. Ick. Being the hater of school that I am, I would want to be sure that's what I wanted to do, so I thought I'd see what all of you think of Coding as an alternative to MT work.
- Have any of you worked in coding before, or are you currently in school to learn that profession?
- How hard would it be for a late-middle-aged MT to learn?
- Do you think coding is worth spending time in school to learn? (i.e., Decent pay, not about to be offshored, etc.)
- If you've done it or are learning, do you LIKE it? Is it interesting? Tedious? Stressful? Boring? Rewarding in any way?
- Are you learning it on-site, or at home? How many hours per day are you devoting to your studies? How long does it take to get credentialled?
Thanks in advance for any input you may have on this subject!
medical billing or coding newbie
alliedschools.com
Has anyone tried either their medical billing or coding training courses??
Did you like it, would you recommend it?? I'm tired of working at a restaurant and would like to learn a career but I just want make sure that I am learning from a school that will actually lead me somewhere(specially that it cost 1600 dollars)
So please let me know what you think about them and if there is other schools that you will recomment over them!
Thanks
Go into coding more ## or the legal end of the medical for an attorney
JMO
Future of medical coding is good
Medical coding is very lucrative career. Medical coders are not only required in hospitals but also in pharma industry and clinical research. Know more about coding ..
http://medicalcodingindia.blogspot.com/
Is medical coding a dying profession like MT?
My income is in the crapper and keeps getting worse and worse. I love working at home, been doing it for over a decade, so looking into something I can do at home. So what about medical coding? Offshore problems? Technology advances pushing out the "real person" coder? Any disadvantages? Worth learning and getting into at this point?
Not-so-good news re: medical coding,
I was watching the news tonight (Sacramento, CA area), and there was a story about a lady who was looking for work. She had spent $10,000 on a coding/billing education, but can't find work. Apparently that field is "saturated", as the newscaster said. (Maybe from lots of MTs trying to get into that?) Anway, I had sort of been thinking about going to school to learn coding, but now I think I'll pass.
Does anyone know of a website, like this one, that deals with Medical Coding/Billing..sm
My husband is curious and wanting to get into Medical Billing/Coding and work from home like I do with transcription. Does anyone know of a website, like this one, that offers so many jobs from home and information regarding coding and/or billing? Thanks. Also, if anyone has input on this please let us know. Would love to find out which course is the best, etc....thanks!
I will quit also...I'm hoping to get into doing something else, such as medical billing/.coding
n
With our contest, all completing the task does is
I'm not paid enough to waste my time.
I should have specified, hospital inpatient coding and doc office coding are very different.
They follow different coding rules and an entirely different set of codes. I learned both while earning my B.S. in H.I.M., and both are challenging, though inpatient more so simply because there are more codes.
Honestly, you could get a job in a med rec dept without ANY certificate; some computer experience and your experience as an MT would get you in the door. It might just be doing chart assembly/completion, filing, etc., but there are certainly jobs in MR that don't require specific schooling. Then being in the dept you can really learn more about all the functions and pick the one you REALLY want to spend time, money, and effort on for additional schooling.
Something great-- Using Google-- set to use the automatic function of completing the search
For anyone like myself who never used the automatic completion function of Google, IT IS GREAT.
I just started using it, and when I typed in like the first 2 words of something I had never heard before, like say you were typing "sphincter of", then sphincter of Oddi would be one of the choices that Google would automatically bring up.
This is so great! What a time saver. Try it.
Someone with more tech expertise can maybe say how to set the settings so the Google automatic completion comes on. sometimes it would be there and sometimes not, but I downloaded some add-on for Firefox that makes it always there. It was the "Customize Google" add-on for Firefox.
So, if you are using Firefox (Mozilla) browser, go to the add-on page (Google it) and then download the "Customize Google" add-on and then set the settings. I think this was the most useful. There is a way to set it from Google, but it kept not working somehow, the settings would go away.
Other downloads I have used-- other Firefox add-ons that I found helpful: Adblock Plus. Google Toolbar for Firefox (different than Customize Google), and Auto Copy. -- Auto Copy will automatically put whatever you select on a Web sit onto your clipboard, so you can paste it right into the document.
Hope someone finds this all helpful. Thanks for all your gals' help over the years. I have learned a lot and got a lot of tips, and so wanted to post this.
Anyone know if coding would pay as well as MT? Is coding being outsourced too?
xx
Andrews or M-TEC
Andrews and M-TEC. Do a search on either one of them and you will find they are the best of the best in MT training.
#1 is M-TEC, #2 Andrews, and #3 is...
Career Step, although I don't believe it is even CLOSE to as comprehensive as the M-Tec and Andrews. If you want to really be prepared to work after graduating, you will chose wisely. 
Andrews
x
Andrews. Never seen anyone not get a job
But I have seen several CS grads still looking for work months later. You get what you pay for, remember. Cheaper isn't always better. If you can't get a job after graduating, then you've lost far more money in the long run on the "cheaper" school. In fact, on another well-known MT site, there is a CS grad looking for work and the spelling/grammar is atrocious for someone who just "graduated." This person shouldn't have been allowed to graduate without honing those skills. Not saying that to be mean, just saying it's the school's job to see that graduates are work-ready and this person clearly was/is not.
JMHO, as an MT of 20+ years and an MTSO, and not to say that CS grads are bad because there are many excellent MTs who went to CS. I just question any school that allows anyone to "graduate" when they still spell common everyday words incorrectly. My two cents, FWIW.
Yes, Andrews or sm
The other one I cannot think of, check the boards at MTchat. Andrews has there own board and the other school, M-Tec or something like that. People rave about those two schools over there. Having it on a "list" is not necessarily indicative of a good school. I think you can even talk to some grads, or see their postings.
M-TEC or Andrews
I hope the original poster does her research. I graduated from M-Tec and got a job right away. Recently someone who learned on the job and had been working in an office for 5 years didn't last a week on my easier account. The point is, there are times when you can learn on the job. These days, that is not the norm. The best advice (in my opinion) is one of the 2 schools mentioned above. You just don't know if the people teaching you on the job are teaching you the right way or not.
I don't know why someone would say those graduates "suck eggs." It is proven time and again those graduates get the jobs because they simply learn more through these schools. Maybe the graduates did not go through the top tier program.
There is mega proof on side of these graduates being top notch (although I suppose there are always exceptions) so for anyone to say the opposite-- well my opinion is that is, again, not the norm. Makes you wonder what the motivation is.
If you take someone who takes a few anatomy lessons and put them on the job for a year and compare them to a recent graduate of Andrews or M-TEC's top tier program, the Andrews/M-TEC graduates, even with no job experience, will come out top by far. They simply cover THAT MUCH. That's why they are hired. Thanks for letting me have my say!
M Tec or Andrews?!
Can anyone tell me pros and cons of both of these schools? I live in Canada and am trying to decide which one to go with.
Thanks in advance!
Katie
MTEC or Andrews
These 2 schools produce grads who are ready to work and get good jobs. They don't promise you a job, but upon graduation you have access to a list of companies that hire grads from these schools. I personally attended MTEC. They have a placement rate in the mid 90% range for their grads. I had no problem getting a job. In fact, every company I tested with offered me a job. I absolutely have no regrets about my choice to go with MTEC. You can't go wrong with Andrews either.
MTEC or Andrews
MTEC or Andrews would both be excellent choices. They are both well respected, and their graduates get a thorough education enabling them to get jobs.
Andrews turns out the best MTs!
They are "client ready" and have great success.
SALLIEMAE AND ANDREWS?
Does Andrews Accept Salliemae?
Can't answer about Andrews but..
as the hiring manager for a small company, I have hired 4 Career Step people and all have done a wonderful job.
...or be a grad of M-TEC or Andrews.
nm
I agree. Andrews or M-Tec. nm
x
MTec or Andrews?
I've been researching and it seems to always come down to these two. Which would you recommend? I'm having a really hard time deciding which one would be best. Are there any differences between the two? TIA
Tha;nk you hard choice.. Andrews I think...
I am not stupid actually I'm pretty smart but there is so much to learn and I need the correct support... I am investigating loans and I emailed Linda at Andrews for more information
Andrews or Career Step?
My SIL is really interesting in taking an MT course. I gave her the phone numbers for both of these schools. She is undecided about which one to go with. It looks like Career Step will be less money, but I've heard Andrews graduates seem to get hired more quickly and are getting the better jobs. Does anybody have experience with either of these schools that can offer some input? Any information would be welcome and appreciated! Thanks!
By reputation, in order: 1. Andrews 2. M-TEC
Those are the big 3, and I've read enough posts on enough boards over the years to say that I think there really is a very strong general consensus on the order I've put them in. Andrews and M-Tec are actually probably fairly close together in terms of reputation, with Career Step following close behind those 2.
Sounds like it would be more a matter of balancing the costs, time, etc., versus what is offered by each, but if possible, I would think going with Andrews would not only result in better career opportunities, but also just a lot less frustration in the future with difficult dictators, etc., because of the better overall training and foundation they give.
This is why Andrews is such a great school. . sm
We were not allowed to use a medical spellchecker with our assignments. We might have at the very end of the course, but I'm not sure about that. We had to learn to use our references. That said, I would not want to work on production without a spellchecker!
Andrews and Career Step have the best reputations
nm
Totally untrue...M-TEC & Andrews grads are...
still allowed to test. Please stop giving false information.
Why? M-TEC & Andrews produce the absolute best grads.
nm
The owners of both Andrews and M-Tec very accessible and can help you with your decision.
Best of luck. :)
Andrews, M-TEC, Career Step, in that order.
x
I would buy new a Dorland's Medical Dictionary, Stedmans Medical and Surgical Equipment...SM
and Tessier's The Surgical Word Book, 3rd edition. Books you could buy used I would say would be Stedman's Pathology and Lab Medicine and Cardiology/Pulmonary word book. These are all the books I use the most during my day. You could buy other speciality word books as you need them and could probably go used with those.
I wouldn't bother with buying a drug book, new editions come out every year and I just stick to the FDA website and RXList as my drug references.
Also FYI, not a book, but I use my Stedman's Electronic Medical Dictationary a lot. It's easier to open the program than it is to pick up a huge 30-pound dictionary.
I've never heard a bad remark from Andrews or M-Tec grads.
I've heard about the grader being wrong/ambiguous, and I've heard about the mistakes in the course.
From what I've heard, I also think the course is geared toward producing MTs to work for the big cheap companies. It's kind of like a (fill in the blank)______ company MT-maker assembly line.
I think I saw "Pell Grant" mentioned on Andrews site?? nm
x
Andrews School or M-TEC online are excellent courses. See inside.
If you complete one of those courses, you should have no trouble finding a job working from home. They are a bit more expensive than some of the other courses, but MANY companies will waive their 2 years' experience requirement for grads of those two schools. Do not be suckered in by cheaper schools, MT companies know which schools supply good training and which ones don't.
Medical Transcription In The Era Of Electronic Medical Records
EMR has revolutionized the healthcare industry in recent times. Many experts felt that EMR & Voice Recognition would totally replace Medical Transcription - however; the industry soon realized that transcription has certain advantages over point & click charting and many physicians preferred to dictate notes rather than document the data at the point of care themselves.
Coding
Try the Billers/Coders board. Much more info there.
Coding
nm
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