The Blocks of a Hospital

The Building Blocks of a Hospital

Ask yourself what comes to mind when you think of a hospital. You probably answered Doctors, Nurses, Patients, but did you think about the people who manage the billing and paperwork for the hospital as well. While medical billing and coding representatives and nurses work hand-in-hand at a hospital, they each have a very different role they play within the hospital. There are similarities between them such as their daily dealings with patients and handling of paperwork/filing. However, there are also many differences. For instance, medical billing and coding reps. collect payments, call prior patients to set up payment plans, and deal with insurance companies. While nurses perform frequent patient evaluations, deal with patients at the bedside and in an out-patient setting, and make day-to-day nursing care plans for both in the hospital and for care after discharge. Another difference between them is their economic stance in society.

The most common similarity between medical billing and coding reps. and nurses job requirements within a hospital are they both deal with patients. Medical billing and coding reps. have to communicate with patients about their bills. Nurses have to communicate with patients about their health care needs. Excellent social skills and discreteness are a must-have requirement for both job fields. They both handle paperwork/filing. Medical billing and coding reps. receive which services the patient received from their visit and then they code and enter them into a computer system, where an invoice is generated and sent to the patient. Nurses record which of the services the patient received, and then that information is sent to the medical billing and coding department. Without one of these job fields the other one would not be able to function. So, not only are they alike, they also work hand-in-hand. A great example of this comparison can be found in the Texas Health Steps Program. Well child...