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Medical Billing Careers

DerrikKyle — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 03:27:22 +0000

Since time immemorial, a career in medicine has been looked upon with prestige, and people consider it humanitarian and noble. A career in medicine calls for a lot of responsibility and the ability to update one’s knowledge on the evolving medical technology. With the passage of time and innovation in the field of science, the medical profession is becoming very challenging. There are a number of fields within the medical career, such as Healthcare Administration, Healthcare Management, Medical Insurance Billing, Medical Office Billing and several others.
Basic Requirements For Medical Billing
The job of medical billing involves a lot of hard work and vast knowledge of medical terminology, anatomy, coding and proper completion of forms. In addition, you need to have basic computer knowledge and a typing speed of at least 35 words per minute. A good temperament is another important characteristic that the person needs to possess, since he is required to deal with a number of patients, their attendants, doctors, medical representatives and other office personnel.
Job Outlook And Employment Opportunities
Medical billing is one of the fastest growing careers in healthcare. The importance of medical billing personnel is on the rise, since several insurance companies and the government are continuously spending substantial time and money to nix fraud and abusive practices. Due to this demand, various companies and practices are constantly on the lookout for trained and experienced medical billers. Personnel could find positions with doctors, hospitals, nursing homes, insurance companies, legal offices, rehabilitation centers, legal offices and consulting firms or they could also work independently.
They could set up an electronic billing system through their personal computers. Independent medical billers can also work as insurance specialists and consultants. The job is lucrative and revolves around helping patients and medical professionals calculate their insurance bills.
Some of the other job opportunities that are included within medical billing are as follows:
- Billing Specialist
- Coding Specialist
- Medical Collector
- Patient Account Representative
- Claims Analyst
- Claims Processor
- Reimbursement Specialist
- Claims Reviewer
- Electronic Claims Processor
- Billing Coordinator
- Claims Assistant Professional
Work Culture
The work culture of medical billers is usually part of an office setup. More often than not, the personnel do not work in close proximity to where patients are diagnosed. They generally have billing offices and services in large corporate buildings, in small suburban offices and in the offices of doctors. They usually work during the day, from Monday to Friday, forty hours a week. However, there are times when, in insurance companies, they are required to work late at night. They are paid well for working overtime and their services are much appreciated by the medical establishment and patients alike.

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An Introduction to Two Innovative Medical Careers

DerrikKyle — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 17:25:03 +0000

In the United States, Physician Assistants (PAs) are non-physician clinicians licensed to practice medicine with a physician’s supervision. This supervision, in most cases, need not be direct or on site and many PAs practice in remote or underserved areas in satellite clinics. PAs can treat patients and, in most states, prescribe medicine, and in some states in the US they carry a DEA number that gives them authority to prescribe controlled medications like narcotics. PAs in surgical practices also serve as first assists in surgery. PAs provide medical services that are reimbursed under Medicare and third party insurances.

Physician Assistants held about 65,000 jobs in 2005. The number of jobs is greater than the number of practicing PAs because some hold two or more jobs. For example, some PAs work with a supervising physician, but also work in another practice, clinic, or hospital. According to the American Academy of Physician Assistants, there were about 58,665 certified PAs in clinical practice as of January 2006.

Just over 56 percent of PAs worked in the offices and clinics of physicians in 2005, either allopathic or osteopathic. About 36 percent were employed by hospitals. The rest were mostly in public health clinics, nursing homes, schools, prisons, home health care agencies, and the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. According to the American Academy of Physician Assistants, about 17 percent of all PAs provide health care to rural communities and those with fewer than 20,000 residents, in which physicians may be in limited supply.

In 2006, there are more than 130 accredited PA programs in existence in the United States. They are all accredited by one body—the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA). A majority of them are master’s degree programs (requiring GRE for entry), but some are available as an undergraduate major. A number of these undergraduate programs are making a transition to graduate level training.

A Physician Assistant may use the post-nominal initials PA, RPA, PA-C or RPA-C, where the R indicates Registered and the C indicates “Certified.” The “R” designation is unique to only a couple of states; most Physician Assistants use the PA-C. The certification is granted by one certifying body, the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA).

Physician Assistants and Nurse Practitioners both provide similar services in most states, the major distinction being that nurse practitioners are registered nurses by trade. Nurse Practitioners require more training than physicians assistants, such as a Masters Degree in nursing. Both are also known as Advanced Practice Clinicians (APCs) or mid-level practitioners (MLPs).

PAs should not be confused with Medical Assistants, who perform routine clinical and clerical tasks in a physician’s office. A Medical Assistant (MA) is a multi-skilled allied healthcare practitioner who is competent in both a wide variety of clinical and laboratory procedures, as well as many administrative roles. Medical assistants have been described as healthcare’s most versatile, multifaceted professionals. Medical Assisting is an allied health profession whose practitioners function as members of the health care delivery team and perform administrative and clinical procedures.

Formal education of medical assistants usually occurs in vocational or technical institutes, community colleges, proprietary schools, or junior colleges. The course length usually ranges from 1 to 2 year programs, complete with externships. The curriculum presented must always be accredited if its graduates plan to become either certified or registered. In 2002, there were 495 medical assisting programs accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) and about 170 accredited by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education School (ABHES). Accreditation by either CAAHEP or ABHES usually requires that the schools curriculum provide sufficient classroom, lecture, and laboratory time (if applicable) to each of the courses below.

Administrative Courses
Computer Applications
Manual Recording of Patients’ Data
Scheduling Appointments
Maintaining medical Records
Word Processing/Typewriting/Keyboarding
Coding/Insurance
Telephone Triage
Personnel Management

General Courses
Anatomy and Physiology
Behavioral Psychology
Pathophysiology
Medical Terminology
AIDS/HIV
Patient Education
Medical Law and Ethics

Clinical Courses
Phlebotomy
l Medical Asepsis/Infection Control
Pharmacology/Administration of Medications
Assisting Techniques/Physical Examination
Assisting with Minor Surgery
Basic Laboratory Procedures/Routine Blood and Urine Testing
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)
X-Ray Theory and Positioning
Electrocardiogram (EKG)

Certification is a voluntary process which is strongly backed by the AAMA and a number of other well respected certification bodies in the USA as a way to guarantee competency of a medical assistant at a job-entry level. However, in order to be eligible for certification one must attend a school which has been accredited by either CAAHEP or ABHES. Certification is usually achieved by taking a test issued by the National Board of Medical Examiners and AAMA, or AMT, or NHA and is offered twice yearly, simultaneously, at over 200 different test sites across the United States.

Successful completion of the rather intense exam earns the taker the proper credentials to become a Certified Medical Assistant, or CMA. National certification is legally required in order for any medical assistant to adhere to CMA status. The title CMA then follows postnominally.

Recertification must occur every 5 years in order for one to maintain their credentials. There are two ways to do this; one may either continually earn continuing education hours by attending CMA meetings, conventions and seminars, or by completely retaking the initial exam to prove they still possess a certain level of knowledge.

A medical assistant may choose another possible credential over CMA, and become a Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) instead. Again, credentialing is completely voluntary. The American Technologists (AMT) agency is responsible for certifying MAs who choose this course.

AMT first began offering this certification in 1972 on the months of June and November, through a computerized exam, much like the one offered by the AAMA. AMT therefore has its own conventions and committees, bylaws, state chapters, officers, registrations and revalidation examinations.

To become eligible to hold the title of RMA a student must be at least 18-years-old, pass a medical assisting curriculum at a school accredited by either ABHES or CAAHEP and possess a minimum of 5 years experience. The initials RMA then follow the individual’s name.

RMAs have historically been very active in legislation, seeking protection for medical assistants, as well as continuously encouraging improved educational curriculums.

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Different Resort and Hotel Careers in the Hospitality Industry

DerrikKyle — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 10:24:36 +0000

A concierge is an employee who lives on the premises and serves as a janitor and general caretaker.
In medieval times, the concierge was an officer of the King who was charged with executing justice, with the help of his bailiffs. The term concierge evolved from the French Comte Des Cierge, The Keeper of the Candles, who tended to visiting nobles in castles of the medieval era.
In 19th century and early 20th century apartment buildings, particularly in Paris, the concierge, often a middle-aged woman, had a small apartment on the ground floor and was able to monitor all comings and goings. However, such settings are now extremely rare; most concierges in small or middle-sized buildings have been replaced by the part-time services of janitors. These are less costly and less intrusive.
Some larger apartment buildings or groups of buildings retain the use of a concierge, without the traditional disposition whereas the concierge saw all comings and goings. The concierge may, for instance, keep the mail of absented dwellers; be entrusted with the keys of apartments in cases of emergencies in the absence of the inhabitant; and other services.
In hotels and certain other facilities, a concierge assists guests with various tasks like finding taxicabs, restaurants, and interesting places to visit. In upscale establishments, a concierge is often expected to “achieve the impossible”, dealing with any request a guest may have, no matter how apocryphal or strange, relying on an extensive list of personal contacts with various local merchants and service providers.
Additionally there are private concierge service companies, that cater to individuals or organizations and provide a whole range of services. Typically provided services include travel arrangement, event planning, vacation planning, homewatch management and errand services to name a few. These independent concierges generally charge a fee on top of the cost of the service, to cover their time and expenses.
The owners and operators of concierge and errand service businesses are supported and advocated by the non-profit International Concierge and Errand Association and the National Concierge Association. These associations serve their members through essential resources, continuing education, networking opportunities and other professional endeavors.
Hotel concierge staffs in the US have their own professional association, Les Clefs d’Or. Members can be distinguished by the gold keys they display on their lapels.
Bathroom attendants are workers stationed in a bathroom that provide tap water, soap, towels and an assortment of toiletries. They are a relatively recent phenomenon. Previously confined to extravagant restaurants or bars, bathroom attendants have begun to creep into mainstream society and can be found in moderately priced bars across metropolitan cities.
It is often the case that these bathroom attendants can seem presumptuous, pressuring clientele to accept a spray of aftershave or an array of personal grooming services, in exchange for a tip.
It is thought by some that such services apply implied pressure to offer financial reward for a fairly limited service, and as such have seen the discussion of social etiquette in such situations.
Chef is a term commonly used to refer to an individual who cooks professionally. Within a restaurant however, chef (French for chief or head) is often only used to refer to one person: the one in charge of everyone else in the kitchen. This is usually the Executive Chef. There are many kinds of kitchen organizations, with the titles and duties for each position varying depending on the particular restaurant. In general, the hierarchy in a classical kitchen brigade is as follows:
The Chef de Cuisine’s placement within the kitchen can vary depending on the individual restaurants hierarchy setup. Generally, it is either equivalent to an Executive Chef position, or a position equivalent to a Sous Chef, under the command of an Executive Sous Chef.
The sous chef (pronounced “soo-shef” French for “under chef”) is the direct assistant of the Executive Chef. The Sous Chef often shares some duties with the executive chef, such as menu planning, costing and ordering. Larger kitchens often have more than one sous chef, with each covering a certain shift or having his or her own area of responsibility, such as the banquet sous chef, in charge of all banquets, or the executive sous chef, in charge of all other sous chefs.
Generally done by the sous chef, the expediter serves as the liaison between the customers in the dining room and the line cooks. With the help of proper coordination and timing, they make sure that the food gets to the wait staff in a timely fashion, so that everyone sitting at a particular table is served simultaneously.
A chef de partie, also known as a “station chef” or “line cook”, is in charge of a particular area of production. In large kitchens, each station chef might have several cooks and/or assistants. In most kitchens however, the station chef is the only worker in that department. Line cooks are often divided into a hierarchy of their own, starting with “First Cook”, then “Second Cook”, and so on as needed.
In larger kitchens, each station chef would have cooks and assistants (commis) that help with the particular duties that are assigned to that area. With experience, assistants may be promoted to station cooks and then to station chefs.
A valet or gentleman’s gentleman is a gentleman’s male servant. The valet performs personal services such as maintaining his employer’s clothes, running his bath and perhaps (especially in the past) shaving his employer. In a great house the master of the house had his own valet, in the grandest the same would go for other adult members of the employing family (e.g. master’s sons), at a court even minor princes and high officials may be assigned one, but in a smaller household the butler (the majordomo in charge of the household staff) might have to double as his employer’s valet. In a bachelor’s household the valet might perform light housekeeping duties as well. Valets, like butlers and most specialized domestic staff, have become relatively rare, and a more common, though still infrequent, arrangement is the general servant performing combined roles.
Traditionally, valets did much more than merely lay out clothes and take care of personal items. He was also responsible for making travel arrangements, dealing with any bills and handling all money matters concerning his master or his master’s household.

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