title: Directed educational training improves coding and billing skills for residents.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine if coding and billing acumen improves after a single directed educational training session.
  
  
  METHODS
  Case-control series.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fourteen otolaryngology practitioners including trainees each completed two clinical scenarios before and after a directed educational session covering basic skills and common mistakes in otolaryngology billing and coding. Ten practitioners had never coded before; while, four regularly billed and coded in a clinical setting.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Individuals with no previous billing experience had a mean score of 54% (median 55%) before the educational session which was significantly lower than that of the experienced billers who averaged 82% (median 83%, p=0.002). After the educational billing and coding session, the inexperienced billers mean score improved to 62% (median, 67%) which was still statistically lower than that of the experienced billers who averaged 76% (median 75%, p=0.039). The inexperienced billers demonstrated a significant improvement in their total score after the intervention (P=0.019); however, the change observed in experienced billers before and after the educational intervention was not significant (P=0.469).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Billing and coding skill was improved after a single directed education session. Residents, who are not responsible for regular billing and coding, were found to have the greatest improvement in skill. However, providers who regularly bill and code had no significant improvement after this session. These data suggest that a single 90min billing and coding education session is effective in preparing those with limited experience to competently bill and code.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: James R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Benke
authors.forename: Sandra Y
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Stacey L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Ishman
mesh_terms: D059019:Clinical Coding; D002983:Clinical Competence; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate / Q000379:methods*; D004521:Educational Measurement / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency / Q000379:methods*; D010036:Otolaryngology; D010820:Physicians; D015397:Program Evaluation; D000078329:Workforce