As of 2017, there were around 200,000 jobs in the field of medical auditing and the job outlook is set to progressively grow by 13% by the year 2026. This makes medical auditing a rewarding, lucrative and an in-demand career.
The ultimate goal of medical auditors is to provide better healthcare delivery and improve the financial health of the medial provider.
From correcting discrepancies in clinical documents to reporting findings in a timely fashion, medical auditors form the backbone of any facility that deals with patient medical data.
If you’re thinking of choosing medical auditing as a career, here’s what you need to know.
Medical Auditor Job Profile
The job duties of a medical auditor consist of reviewing and accurately auditing patient health data and corresponding medical codes and practices. This assists in patient billing and allows providers to be properly reimbursed for the medical diagnostic tests and treatments they provided.
Median Annual Salary
In 2017, the general annual pay for medical auditors varied between $34K and $74K. This means that the median pay for these job holders is around $54K.
The two main factors determining the pay scale an incumbent enjoys are the number of years of experience they have and a concrete knowledge base in medical coding terminology.
Medical Auditing Certification and Training
There are several routes to becoming a certified professional certified medical auditor. Aspirants have to meet the minimum requirement of a post-secondary certificate or an associate degree. Often, certification takes around 6 months or even a year while an associate’s degree typically requires two years.
- Employer preference: In most cases, employers seek out applicants who have a bachelor’s degree in a health science field or any other health service or business administration service.
- Online Training Programs: Medical audit training programs are often completed online and primarily focus on topics like healthcare compliance, communications and accounting.
- Audit Skills: As no hands-on experience is needed to learn the concepts, students can choose an online-based, self-paced certificate program while honing their computer skills. These along with a bunch of others are a necessity in the medical auditing field.
Medical auditing is a stable career choice for those with the right skillset and a reputable certification. It’s ideal for individuals who have a knack for number crunching and have sharp analysis ability.
Prove Yourself As A Certified Professional Medical Auditor
Allied Prep Technical Institute is a leading medical technical school based in Louisiana, U.S. We provide meticulously-designed six-month medical audit training programs. Other certification programs include medical inpatient & outpatient coding and medical billing in an online and on-campus setting.
Get in touch with us today to find out more.