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Necessity of English Proficiency in Medical Coding

Irish Blessing

A moonbeam to charm you,A sheltering angel, so nothing can harm you.A sunbeam to warm you,

Naturally, being fluent in English places you at an advantage in the field of Medical Coding. That being said, it does not fully eliminate you from entering Coding. Medical Coding is different from Medical Transcription and does not require the same expertise and fluency in English. Medical Transcription careers demand that you be highly fluent in American English, as we get most of our clients from the USA. You need to be tuned to their culture and lifestyle to name a few.

But that is not the case with coding. Of course you should have a working knowledge of English. Or else you will be unable to comprehend a Medical Chart. As you need to peruse a medical chart, understand what is being done for a patient and derive the codes. The requirement for fluency in English is not as high as in Transcription. I keep comparing the two fields of transcription and coding because I started my career in US healthcare as a Medical Transcriptionist in the year 1999. Now it is 20 years since then and for the past few years, I transitioned into coding and I am a Certified AAPC coder and a coding trainer.

I can say with confidence that I have seen some coders who do their job quite well with great accuracy in fact, though they have only limited English vocabulary.

Also for those looking to upgrade their knowledge of 

English language, you are always welcome to do so. Learning a new language or expanding your current skills is an upcoming trend and will keep you in good stead always!

Coding is more attention to detail and accuracy. You should be able to select the correct code and pay attention to payer rules and regulations. Being alert for any updates on codes every year is mandatory. Being familiar with Anatomy and Physiology will be an added benefit.

So don’t let the fear of lack of mastery over the English language prevent you from entering the world of Coding. Medical Coding is a thriving field and is expected to boom in the near future. Lots of opportunities for freshers and new graduates keep opening up daily! Jump in and take a training course in coding and create a satisfying career for yourself. You will be challenged daily in Coding and you will eventually turn out to be a lifelong learner. Anyone eager to learn something new will be a good fit in this industry!


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  1. Thank you for sharing information about the necessity of English Proficiency in Medical Coding. I appreciate you for take this kind of topic for the blog. This blog is really interesting to read. I think you can share information about the best Online Medical Coding Training Institutes in Kozhikode.

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