@@Daydreamr30 Hi, I work from home. My duties basically consist of abstracting cases with about 15% of the time doing case finding. I go into the office only about once a month, or whenever necessary.
@@mindfluential6413 Hi, I completed a NCRA-Accredited Cancer Registry Management Certificate Program through a community college. This is for people that already have a degree. You can do that or 1,950 hours (equal to one year full-time) experience in the cancer registry field. After you complete one of those options you then have to pass the CTR certification exam.
Hello! I've been coding for 7 years, now moving on to reviewing and I understand your frustrations. I've seen the coding world change a lot since I first started and I know that now more than ever it is difficult to obtain an entry level position. There are a lot of factors but two really stand out to me. The increase in accredited online/in person rhia/rhit degrees has caused an influx of CCS ready young coders to enter the field, making it more and more competitive to get a job, all while making the gold standard the ccs even more than it was before (or cpc in some cases specifically for outpatient). Also, the cost to hire outside contractors has dropped significantly for hospitals, so a lot of times HIM departments end up switching to these for their coding, while relying more on drg coordinators or billing specialist for in house needs. Is this fair? no, not really but it's just how the industry has shifted. However, I dont want you to give up. There are a few things to consider. The first is that the coding community as a whole is still very SMALL, so know that just because you havent gotten a position doesnt mean it was filled by another person. From my experience, I've seen positions be interviewed for and then remain unfilled for months to years before a department takes filling the position seriously. It is all dependent on the overall HIM departments need and a lot of times the directors wants or values. So keep applying and even reapply places so your application remains on the top and relevant for when they do need to increase their pool of coders. Next is, consider taking your CCS vs keeping your CCA. LIke i said with some rhia/rhit programs the CCS is part of the curriculum and it means that without it, it will be difficult to compete. Put yourself in the best position to be noticed by obtaining this standard. Lastly, look everywhere. Getting hired in an acute care facility is very difficult off the bat but it doesnt mean there arent other ways to start. As some people have mentioned, you can try to apply at local or private doctors or clinics to do billing on the doctor's end. This is usually a good place to start. Also, different departments have different billing needs. ERs need billers and coders who tend to be seperate from HIM. Ambulatory surgery centers need outpatient coders. Acute Rehabilitation centers require both coders on the UB-04 side and also internally for the irf-pai side (irf pai coordinators). Also, look into some of the major 3rd party contract coders out there, himimagine, him on call, commforce. They dont always have a job listing or application but if you email them directly with your resume and say you are interested in remote coding they will look it over usually. Anyway, I hope this helped and I hope you eventually find the thing you are looking for. Good luck!
I forgot to mention but also you might be having difficulty because you missed the mass hiring boom for coders, which happened about 3 years ago when icd 10 was implemented. Hospitals all over the united states were scared there would be a slow down in reimbursement due to coders not being familiar with the new system. That, coupled with that fact that a lot of older coders had decided to retire before icd 10, caused a HUGE wave of hiring into coding departments of any capable coder. So now, many positions are filled with coders from that time period regardless of their skills or abilities in comparison to newer coders today. Additionally, just for your info, there are a few things ive seen in your comments from other people and i just wanted to give you some clarification based on the hospitals i've worked at on the east coast and the ones my peers have worked at. So if it is different where you are please feel free to ignore this but i havent seen anything otherwise. Coding supervisors arent the ones who make the final decisions about hiring. It is the director of the him department. The director is the one who runs the budget of the department and then decides if a position can be made based on the budget and need of a position. The coding supervisor works closely with the director but is mostly just your manager if you are hired. This is also why they wouldn't really know your salary. Salary is dictated by the director and then enforced by human resources. also, i have rarely ever seen someone hired internally within a department. I have worked in a hospital with a union and without a union. The UNION job was the one where i saw this happen but always into a HIM clerk position, not a coding position. also other things to look into career wise for the future. You have expressed an interest in clinical information, so I would recommend looking into the world of CDI (clinical documentation improvement). On the east coast there is an initiative to allow coders into the position, along with an ahima credential (cdip) which helps support it. I know its not common yet for coders all over the united states though. Most facilities want an RN to take that position but slowly we are being allowed into that world. It's a job where you fix documentation on the FRONT end instead of the back end, rounding with doctors and checking charts in real time to see where documentation can improve. It is the future of HIM and something to consider or set yourself up for when the time arises.
I'm on the fence between studying more coding or going back to school for cancer registry. Great point about interacting with clinical staff vs. just abstacting. Thank you so much!
Abby Rupert I’m right there with ya, I’ll be uploading a video soon with an update on my current predicament with this. I’m also working on a vlog-type video on what I’m currently working on 😁
I'm a certified coder with CCS since April and I did apply many times to jobs applications but....nothing I don't know what to do they all are asking for experience. I watched almost all your videos and I think we're in the same boat no one wants to hire us as a new graduate with no experience. Thank you
Saly Brhadj it’s frustrating and I don’t understand why the coding community or employers seeking coders don’t understand or want to mentor new students. I wish I knew why they are so stubborn because saying they need experienced people to do a complex job is not a good enough reason. They’re going to run out of people to hire because they’ll be cycling through the same pool of people and never grow or expand. That’s my view and that makes no sense to me. I don’t want to discourage people but I also don’t want to lie about it and say everything is great and they’re hiring new coders all the time because that’s not the case (atleast in Wisconsin). But if you know your calling is to be a code then don’t give up. I still don’t know what my calling is so I’m more than okay with changing directions 😊
@@codingwithkate3792 I was so exciting knowing I will become a certified coder I really enjoyed the program so when I passed a CCS I was really really exciting. ...then boooom ...and now believe me I'm disappointed
Saly Brhadj me too, I’m very disappointed in the mind-set of coding supervisors in charge of hiring coders. I’m also wondering if the coding field is over-saturated with coders and employers can afford to be this picky? Either way, it’s frustrating, disappointing, and discouraging.
Coding With Kate I am newly certified last month actually and I start my new job in two weeks. I was working a full time job and worked with a temp agency to find me a coding job and they definitely did so I would try temp agency I also sent you a video on another successful coder here on TH-cam and she said that’s how she started so I wouldn’t b so quick to look into something else so quick keep trying and don’t give up but because you don’t have any experience I would suggest going through temp agencies to gain the experience
Have you looked into Epidemiology? Not necessarily becoming an epidemiologist, although I bet you'd love it, but to see positions in epidemiology departments. I currently work for Public Health and there is a position I wanted to apply for but they want experience with registries and I was unfamiliar. That is how I came upon your videos.
This is really interesting. I had heard of registry for a long time but didnt know if/how it was related to coding. But i agree on your view. I recently started my first medical coding job and its so revenue driven that Its not like what i expected. Its a large nyc hospital so theres alot of pressure on reimbursement from our directors. I will have to stick it out though i need experience!
First off I want to say your videos are truly informative and helpful so thank you for sharing them and the fact that you have not been offered a position yet blows my mind. . I am not yet a certified coder but I have been wanting to pursue my certification but seeing all the comments about not being able to land a job is somewhat concerning to me. I truly enjoyed this video about registrar positions but what other qualifications does one have to meet other than a coding certification to land a registrar position?
Mari Carrasco it really depends on the facility but usually you need to have take med terms, A&P, path and pharm, and then experience with medical docs, clinical data abstracting, and the skills that coders usually acquire. It seems most facilities don’t need you to get a cancer registrar certification right off the bat but I assume as you progress in the job they will want you to get certified, I think?
I've been a Certified Tumor Registrar for 2 years and I love it! I changed careers and use to work as an Occupational Therapy Assistant.
@@Daydreamr30 Hi, I work from home. My duties basically consist of abstracting cases with about 15% of the time doing case finding. I go into the office only about once a month, or whenever necessary.
@@lvclt500 hi, what did you do to become a certified tumor registrar. I have college degree in biomedical sciences. What should be my next step
@@mindfluential6413 Hi, I completed a NCRA-Accredited Cancer Registry Management Certificate Program through a community college. This is for people that already have a degree. You can do that or 1,950 hours (equal to one year full-time) experience in the cancer registry field. After you complete one of those options you then have to pass the CTR certification exam.
rachel when you say abstract cases what do you mean, the data? Pertaining to the demographics? Cancer and location? Starving? Treatment?
@Ivclt do you present your findings at meetings? or is it more just abstracting data? Thanks!
Hello! I've been coding for 7 years, now moving on to reviewing and I understand your frustrations. I've seen the coding world change a lot since I first started and I know that now more than ever it is difficult to obtain an entry level position. There are a lot of factors but two really stand out to me. The increase in accredited online/in person rhia/rhit degrees has caused an influx of CCS ready young coders to enter the field, making it more and more competitive to get a job, all while making the gold standard the ccs even more than it was before (or cpc in some cases specifically for outpatient). Also, the cost to hire outside contractors has dropped significantly for hospitals, so a lot of times HIM departments end up switching to these for their coding, while relying more on drg coordinators or billing specialist for in house needs. Is this fair? no, not really but it's just how the industry has shifted.
However, I dont want you to give up. There are a few things to consider. The first is that the coding community as a whole is still very SMALL, so know that just because you havent gotten a position doesnt mean it was filled by another person. From my experience, I've seen positions be interviewed for and then remain unfilled for months to years before a department takes filling the position seriously. It is all dependent on the overall HIM departments need and a lot of times the directors wants or values. So keep applying and even reapply places so your application remains on the top and relevant for when they do need to increase their pool of coders. Next is, consider taking your CCS vs keeping your CCA. LIke i said with some rhia/rhit programs the CCS is part of the curriculum and it means that without it, it will be difficult to compete. Put yourself in the best position to be noticed by obtaining this standard.
Lastly, look everywhere. Getting hired in an acute care facility is very difficult off the bat but it doesnt mean there arent other ways to start. As some people have mentioned, you can try to apply at local or private doctors or clinics to do billing on the doctor's end. This is usually a good place to start. Also, different departments have different billing needs. ERs need billers and coders who tend to be seperate from HIM. Ambulatory surgery centers need outpatient coders. Acute Rehabilitation centers require both coders on the UB-04 side and also internally for the irf-pai side (irf pai coordinators). Also, look into some of the major 3rd party contract coders out there, himimagine, him on call, commforce. They dont always have a job listing or application but if you email them directly with your resume and say you are interested in remote coding they will look it over usually.
Anyway, I hope this helped and I hope you eventually find the thing you are looking for. Good luck!
I forgot to mention but also you might be having difficulty because you missed the mass hiring boom for coders, which happened about 3 years ago when icd 10 was implemented. Hospitals all over the united states were scared there would be a slow down in reimbursement due to coders not being familiar with the new system. That, coupled with that fact that a lot of older coders had decided to retire before icd 10, caused a HUGE wave of hiring into coding departments of any capable coder. So now, many positions are filled with coders from that time period regardless of their skills or abilities in comparison to newer coders today.
Additionally, just for your info, there are a few things ive seen in your comments from other people and i just wanted to give you some clarification based on the hospitals i've worked at on the east coast and the ones my peers have worked at. So if it is different where you are please feel free to ignore this but i havent seen anything otherwise. Coding supervisors arent the ones who make the final decisions about hiring. It is the director of the him department. The director is the one who runs the budget of the department and then decides if a position can be made based on the budget and need of a position. The coding supervisor works closely with the director but is mostly just your manager if you are hired. This is also why they wouldn't really know your salary. Salary is dictated by the director and then enforced by human resources.
also, i have rarely ever seen someone hired internally within a department. I have worked in a hospital with a union and without a union. The UNION job was the one where i saw this happen but always into a HIM clerk position, not a coding position.
also other things to look into career wise for the future. You have expressed an interest in clinical information, so I would recommend looking into the world of CDI (clinical documentation improvement). On the east coast there is an initiative to allow coders into the position, along with an ahima credential (cdip) which helps support it. I know its not common yet for coders all over the united states though. Most facilities want an RN to take that position but slowly we are being allowed into that world. It's a job where you fix documentation on the FRONT end instead of the back end, rounding with doctors and checking charts in real time to see where documentation can improve. It is the future of HIM and something to consider or set yourself up for when the time arises.
Hello !! Just wanted to let you know, I love watching you. I just got a billing specialist job in FL!
I'm on the fence between studying more coding or going back to school for cancer registry. Great point about interacting with clinical staff vs. just abstacting. Thank you so much!
Abby Rupert I’m right there with ya, I’ll be uploading a video soon with an update on my current predicament with this. I’m also working on a vlog-type video on what I’m currently working on 😁
I'm a certified coder with CCS since April and I did apply many times to jobs applications but....nothing I don't know what to do they all are asking for experience. I watched almost all your videos and I think we're in the same boat no one wants to hire us as a new graduate with no experience. Thank you
Saly Brhadj it’s frustrating and I don’t understand why the coding community or employers seeking coders don’t understand or want to mentor new students. I wish I knew why they are so stubborn because saying they need experienced people to do a complex job is not a good enough reason. They’re going to run out of people to hire because they’ll be cycling through the same pool of people and never grow or expand. That’s my view and that makes no sense to me. I don’t want to discourage people but I also don’t want to lie about it and say everything is great and they’re hiring new coders all the time because that’s not the case (atleast in Wisconsin). But if you know your calling is to be a code then don’t give up. I still don’t know what my calling is so I’m more than okay with changing directions 😊
@@codingwithkate3792 I was so exciting knowing I will become a certified coder I really enjoyed the program so when I passed a CCS I was really really exciting. ...then boooom ...and now believe me I'm disappointed
Saly Brhadj me too, I’m very disappointed in the mind-set of coding supervisors in charge of hiring coders. I’m also wondering if the coding field is over-saturated with coders and employers can afford to be this picky? Either way, it’s frustrating, disappointing, and discouraging.
Coding With Kate I am newly certified last month actually and I start my new job in two weeks. I was working a full time job and worked with a temp agency to find me a coding job and they definitely did so I would try temp agency I also sent you a video on another successful coder here on TH-cam and she said that’s how she started so I wouldn’t b so quick to look into something else so quick keep trying and don’t give up but because you don’t have any experience I would suggest going through temp agencies to gain the experience
Have you looked into Epidemiology? Not necessarily becoming an epidemiologist, although I bet you'd love it, but to see positions in epidemiology departments. I currently work for Public Health and there is a position I wanted to apply for but they want experience with registries and I was unfamiliar. That is how I came upon your videos.
This is really interesting. I had heard of registry for a long time but didnt know if/how it was related to coding. But i agree on your view. I recently started my first medical coding job and its so revenue driven that Its not like what i expected. Its a large nyc hospital so theres alot of pressure on reimbursement from our directors. I will have to stick it out though i need experience!
Is it a prerequisite to be a coder prior to going into the clinical registry?
First off I want to say your videos are truly informative and helpful so thank you for sharing them and the fact that you have not been offered a position yet blows my mind. . I am not yet a certified coder but I have been wanting to pursue my certification but seeing all the comments about not being able to land a job is somewhat concerning to me. I truly enjoyed this video about registrar positions but what other qualifications does one have to meet other than a coding certification to land a registrar position?
Mari Carrasco it really depends on the facility but usually you need to have take med terms, A&P, path and pharm, and then experience with medical docs, clinical data abstracting, and the skills that coders usually acquire. It seems most facilities don’t need you to get a cancer registrar certification right off the bat but I assume as you progress in the job they will want you to get certified, I think?
Do Cancer Registrars work from home?
Yes you can work from home. There is also a requirement to be onsite for Tumor board meetings.
Could you assist me with top companies who work in recording registries and clients outside of US..I would need one to work for one of my hospitals