At Houston Methodist, the Health Information Management Coding Clerk is responsible for assisting Coding leadership with management of workflow in the coding section through performance of various monitoring, tracking, and reporting activities.

PATIENT AGE GROUP(S) AND POPULATION(S) SERVED
Refer to departmental "Scope of Service" and "Provision of Care" plans, as applicable, for description of primary age groups and populations served by this job for the respective HM entity.

HOUSTON METHODIST EXPERIENCE EXPECTATIONS

• Provide personalized care and service by consistently demonstrating our I CARE values:
  • INTEGRITY: We are honest and ethical in all we say and do.
  • COMPASSION: We embrace the whole person including emotional, ethical, physical, and spiritual needs.
  • ACCOUNTABILITY: We hold ourselves accountable for all our actions.
  • RESPECT: We treat every individual as a person of worth, dignity, and value.
  • EXCELLENCE: We strive to be the best at what we do and a model for others to emulate.

• Practices the Caring and Serving Model

• Delivers personalized service using HM Service Standards

• Provides for exceptional patient/customer experiences by following our Standards of Practice of always using Positive Language (AIDET, Managing Up, Key Words)

• Intentionally collaborates with other healthcare professionals involved in patients/customers or employees' experiential journeys to ensure strong communication, ease of access to information, and a seamless experience

• Involves patients (customers) in shift/handoff reports by enabling their participation in their plan of care as applicable to the given job

• Actively supports the organization's vision, fulfills the mission and abides by the I CARE values

PEOPLE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Collaborates and communicates effectively with the coding staff, external auditors, business office and HIM directors.

SERVICE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Ensures physician inquiries are responded to timely, and responses are forwarded to coders appropriately and timely.

• Responds promptly to inquiries from coders, business office, and other external reviewers.

• Monitors all accounts pending coding and Hospital billing; monitors and ensures coders are getting appropriate accounts in their work queues.

QUALITY/SAFETY ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Reports physician query activities to coding leadership in a timely manner.

• Processes DRG validation letters from external auditors and monitors external audit requests of incoming denials and outgoing appeals.

• Assists coders with PSI monitoring of retro cases.

• Assists coding leadership with data correction of discharge disposition and attending physicians.

FINANCE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Communicates accounts on hold for coding due to missing documentation to each HIM department.

• Monitors and logs all WQs touched and completed by the review team starting with prebill review to claim edits.

• Processes invoices and follows up with accounts payable.

GROWTH/INNOVATION ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Generates and communicates ideas and suggestions that improve quality of service.

• Assists quality review team with creation of review spreadsheet and data entry.

This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive; the employee will also perform other reasonably related business/job duties as assigned. Houston Methodist reserves the right to revise job duties and responsibilities as the need arises.

EDUCATION

• Associate's degree in health information management or related field required or additional two years of relevant experience (in addition to the minimum experience requirements listed below) required in lieu of degree

WORK EXPERIENCE

• Some inpatient or outpatient coding preferred

LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS - REQUIRED

• N/A

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Demonstrates the skills and competencies necessary to safely perform the assigned job, determined through on-going skills, competency assessments, and performance evaluations

• Sufficient proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing the English language necessary to perform the essential functions of this job, especially with regard to activities impacting patient or employee safety or security

• Ability to effectively communicate with patients, physicians, family members and co-workers in a manner consistent with a customer service focus and application of positive language principles

• Excellent communication and public relations skills are essential

• Good organizational skills with the ability to multi-task and prioritize tasks

• Must be self-motivated and able to work independently

• Extensive PC knowledge - must be able to work effectively in common office software, coding software and abstracting systems

SUPPLEMENTAL REQUIREMENTS

WORK ATTIRE

• Uniform No
• Scrubs No
• Business professional Yes
• Other (department approved) No

ON-CALL*
*Note that employees may be required to be on-call during emergencies (ie. DIsaster, Severe Weather Events, etc) regardless of selection below.

• On Call* No

TRAVEL**
**Travel specifications may vary by department**

• May require travel within the Houston Metropolitan area Yes
• May require travel outside Houston Metropolitan area Yes

Houston Methodist (HM) is one of the nation’s leading health systems and academic medical centers.  HM consists of eight hospitals: Houston Methodist Hospital, its flagship academic hospital in the heart of the Texas Medical Center, and seven community hospitals throughout the greater Houston metropolitan area.  HM also includes an academic institute, a comprehensive residency program, a global business division, numerous physician practices and several free-standing emergency rooms and outpatient facilities.  Overall, HM employs over 25,000 employees.   Houston Methodist is supported by a wide variety of business functions that operate at the system level to help enable clinical departments to provide the best patient care and service in a spiritual environment.

 

In 2019 Houston Methodist and its physicians treat more than 6,333 international patients from more than 76 countries. Houston Methodist Global Health Care Services’ consulting and education divisions also provide advisory services and training and development to health care organizations around the world.