Inpatient Medical Coder
What inpatient medical coders do, required certifications, core skills, and how to advance your career in hospital-based coding.
Overview
Inpatient medical coders translate hospital stays into ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes and ICD-10-PCS procedure codes that drive DRG assignment and reimbursement. Work is detail-heavy and documentation-driven, with a strong focus on CC/MCC capture, clinical indicators, and discharge summaries.
Browse openings: /jobs?q=inpatient%20coder
Typical Employers
Acute care hospitals, academic medical centers, health systems, RCM vendors, and large payers.
Certifications
- AHIMA: CCS (preferred), RHIT/RHIA (advantageous)
- AAPC: CPC (good foundation), plus inpatient experience
Core Skills & Tools
- ICD-10-CM/PCS, DRG/MS-DRG logic, case-mix index (CMI)
- Clinical terminology (surgical, cardiac, ortho, neuro, OB)
- Query writing to providers for documentation clarification
- Encoders, groupers, EHRs (Epic/Cerner/Meditech), auditing tools
Day-to-Day
- Review H&Ps, progress notes, op notes, discharge summaries
- Validate principal diagnosis/procedure and secondary conditions
- Ensure MCC/CC capture and POA indicators
- Collaborate with CDI on documentation gaps
Remote Friendliness
Common after ramp-up; productivity and quality targets apply.
Career Paths
Senior coder → DRG auditor → Clinical Documentation Integrity (CDI) → Coding supervisor/manager → Education/QA
Salary Snapshot
Compensation varies by region, experience, and productivity/quality incentive plans.
How to Stand Out
- Demonstrate DRG reassignment logic in a portfolio exercise
- Track your accuracy/productivity metrics
- Keep a personal ICD-10-PCS notebook for tricky procedures
Interested in Inpatient Medical Coder?
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