Thursday, March 19, 2020
How to write a medical billing resume (with examples)
How to write a medical billing resume (with examples) If you’re interested in starting (or growing a career) in the mega-hot healthcare industry but are interested in a more administrative path, medical billing can be a great choice. Medical billing professionals handle the financial side of healthcare, translating medical charts into billing codes that are then sent to insurance companies or patients. Let’s look at three different job applicants’ medical billing resumes: one just starting out, another with experience under her belt, and a third who’s looking to move into a managerial position.First up is Amanda, our medical billing newbie.Download this resumeAmanda Brinker3298 First StreetLincoln, NE 12121(333) 111-2222Amanda.Brinker.III@emaildomain.comOrganized, Efficient Recent Grad with Administrative ExperienceKEY STRENGTHSCompleted medical billing and terminology certificate programProficient in evaluating and processing insurance claimsExperienced working as an admin in a medical clinicWell-versed in E MR and current medical billing technologyEDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONNebraska South College; Associate’s Degree, Health Information ManagementAwards/Honors: Dean’s List, graduated in top 10th percentileEXPERIENCEMidwest Animal Clinic (Lincoln, NE)    Jan. 2016 – presentOffice AssistantPerform administrative support in a veterinary medical clinic.Process patient information and charts.Answer phones and handle waiting room triage.Schedule appointments and manage calendars.Provide customer care and information.The Oppenheimer Group (Lincoln, NE)Sept. 2017 – Dec. 2017Claims InternProvided administrative support for the Claims department of a large insurance company.Processed insurance claims, verifying information and routing to the appropriate team members.Maintained and enhanced a digital claim filing system.Amanda doesn’t yet have a ton of experience working in medical billing yet, but she does have a few things going for her: she’s c ompleted a training program, she has experience working in a medical office (albeit a veterinary one), and she also has experience working at an insurance company in an internship. In her resume, she wants to play up those important features, so she starts with a â€Å"Key Strengths†section that helps focus the reader on what she brings to this job. By setting the narrative herself rather than doing the standard reverse-chronological resume format (putting experience first), Amanda is making sure that the information she wants the reader to see most is front and center.Next up is Joe, who has been a medical billing professional for about 10 years.Download this resumeJoe Lightfoot7676 Francis Street * Pawnee, Indiana 56565 * 999-222-1111JoeQLightfoot@emaildomain.comCore Competencies ICD-9 expertiseProven accuracy and attention to detailExpert knowledge of medical billing security and encrypted data managementAdept at communicating with patients, medical staff, and administ rative staffExperienceMetro Hospital                                                                   Pawnee, INMedical Billing Specialist                                                     2011 – presentManage and coordinate billing for patients.Administer an active company-wide database of patient and insurance information.Encrypt medical service charges using ICD-9 code system.Oversee the distribution of bills to patients and insurance companies.Mentor new employees and department interns as part of Metro’s talent development initiative.Indiana North University Hospital                                 Shaw, INMedical Billing Clerk                                                            2008 – 2011Ensured accuracy and data security of patient information and billing codes.Processed statements and invoices through the AccuCare medical billing system.Tracked submitted claims, including instituting tracers as necessary.Developed expertise in all commercial, private, and managed care insurance programs, including Medicare and Medicaid.Office of Janet M. Arroyo, MD                    Pawnee, INAssistant Billing Clerk                                                          2007 – 2008Processed and marked patient charts for coding and billing.Filed patient records and submitted claims.Assisted senior billing clerk with audits, coding, and electronic claim submission.Farley Medical Supply                                                       Pawnee, INBookkeeper                                                                           2005 – 2007Processed vendor invoices to ensure prompt, accurate payments.Issued customer invoices.Recorde d cash receipts and made bank deposits.Maintained detailed logs and the chart of accounts.SkillsExemplary record keepingFocus on customer data accuracy and information securityWorking knowledge of all insurance types and ongoing regulation changesElectronic medical record maintenanceMicrosoft Office suite expertiseEducation and CertificationBrady College (Parkville, IN)AAS, Medical Billing and Coding, 2007AAS, Business Management, 2005Joe goes with a more traditional format (the reverse-chronological format, which features experience most prominently). It works well for his resume, because he has years of experience to feature. However, he starts with a list of core competencies to guide the reader toward specific aspects of his career so far. His experience bullets support those points as well. And he’s also careful not to repeat bullet points, even though there may not have been huge differences between his medical billing jobs. It’s important to differentiate as muc h as you can, finding unique points to highlight for each of your positions.And last but not least, here’s Abdullah, who is trying to level up in her medical billing career by moving into a management position.Download this resumeAbdullah Hernandez75 Market BoulevardTarrytown, NY 43434222.444.6666A.F.Hernandez@emaildomain.comExperienced, results-oriented medical billing specialist seeking to leverage 15+ years of administrative excellence into a supervisory position.Core CompetenciesEnsuring the highest-quality coding and billing work from self and team membersDeveloping workflow processes and protocols to ensure billing and coding accuracyTalent development and managementBilingual (English and Spanish)ExperienceMedical Billing Specialist            County General Hospital6/2013 – presentÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â à ‚                              New Rochelle, NYEstablish and implement guidelines for medical providers to ensure data accuracy.Work with Billing Supervisor to determine team assignments.Developed a cross-checking system with the front office to ensure that patient data is complete and accurate for claims processing.Oversee regular reporting to ensure that claims are processed and sent out on schedule.Manage database of insurance information, hospital procedure data, and billing codes.Billing Clerk                                State VA Hospital3/2010 – 6/2013                                                                Albany, NYVerified patient information and payments, following up with Collections procedures when necessary.Researched and resolved denials and rejections in a timely manner.Reviewed billing edits and verified patient information with insurance companies.Submitted claims to Medicare/Medicaid with the highest degree of accuracy.Medical Billing Clerk                    Anson Health Center7/2008 – 3/2010                                                                Albany, NYCoordinated bills for patients, routing them to patients and insurance companies.Resolved billing issues and disputes.Processed worker’s compensation claims.Transitioned the clinic t o a digitized filing system for claims and billing.Medical Billing Assistant               HealthPoint Services5/2003 – 3/2010                                                                Albany, NYObtained and processed patient charts and medical records for billing purposes.Verified patient information as necessary.Maintained patient information database.Organized, scanned, and copied patient charts for billing and archiving.Technical SkillsICD-9 coding systemAccuBill database managementMicrosoft Office suiteGoogle suite Education/AffiliationsAmerican Society of Medical Billing ProfessionalsSecretary, Hudson Valley Chapter2015 – presentHuntville CollegeBachelor’s Degree, Health ManagementAssociate’s Degree, Medical Coding and BillingAbdullah has a sizable work history, but because she’s seeking to move up it’s important to emphasize not just that she has the experience and skills, but also the upward trajectory in her career. She does this by emphasizing the standards she holds for herself and others in the â€Å"Core Competencies†section, and by showing increasing levels of sophistication and responsibility throughout her different jobs. The old clichà © applies here: show, don’t tell. Make sure your resume supports the job you want, not just the jobs you’ve had.
Monday, March 2, 2020
6 Things To Know About How To Buy a Telescope
6 Things To Know About How To Buy a Telescope Telescopes give skygazers a great way to see magnified views of objects in the sky. Buying that first (or second or fifth) telescope is an exciting moment, so its a great idea to be fully informed before heading out to the stores. Theres a lot to learn and a telescope is a long-term investment, so its important to learn the terminology. In addition, its always good to know what types of objects are of interest. Some people mainly want to observe planets, while others are into deep sky objects. Those targets help determine which telescope to get. A telescope with eyepiece (lower end), finderscope,and a good mount are important for long-term enjoyment of stargazing.  Andy Crawford/Getty Images Power Is Overrated A good telescope is not JUST about the â€Å"power†. If a telescope ad touts claims about 300X or other numbers about the â€Å"power†the scope has, watch out! High power sounds great, but, there’s a catch. High magnification makes an object appear larger, which is important. However, the light gathered by the scope is spread over a larger area which creates a fainter image in the eyepiece. So, its important to keep that in mind. Also, high-powered scopes have specific requirements for eyepieces, so its a good idea to check out what eyepieces work best with a given instrument. Sometimes, lower power provides a better viewing experience, particularly if observers are checking out objects that are spread out across the sky, such as clusters or nebulae. Telescope Eyepieces: Power is Not the Only Object Any new telescope should have at least one eyepiece, and some sets come with two or three. An eyepiece is rated by millimeters (mm), with smaller numbers indicating higher magnification. A 25mm eyepiece is common and appropriate for most beginners. As mentioned above, a telescope’s power or magnification is not the best indicator of a good scope. As with the whole, so the parts. A higher power eyepiece does not necessarily mean better viewing. It may allow you to see details in a small cluster, for example, but if its used to look at a nebula, it will only show a part of the object. So, high- and low-power eyepieces each have their place in observing, depending on what interests the stargazer. Its also important to remember that while a higher magnification eyepiece may provide more details, it may be harder to keep an object in view. To get the steadiest seeing in such cases, its important to use a motorized mount. Remember: a lower-power eyepiece makes it easier to find objects and keep them in view. Lower magnification eyepieces require less light, so viewing dimmer objects is easier. Refractor or Reflector Telescope: Whats the Difference? The two most common types of telescopes available to amateurs are refractors and reflectors. A refractor uses two lenses. The larger of the two is at one end; its called the objective. On the other end is the lens the observer looks through, called the ocular or the eyepiece. A reflector gathers light at the bottom of the telescope using a concave mirror, called the primary. There are many ways the primary can focus the light, and how it is done determines the type of reflecting scope. Telescope Aperture Size Determines the View The aperture of a scope refers to the diameter of either the objective lens of a refractor or objective mirror of a reflector. The aperture size is the true key to the power of a telescope. Its ability to gather light is directly proportional to the size of its aperture and the more light a scope can gather, the better the image an observer will see. At this point, many beginners just think: I’ll just buy the biggest telescope I can afford. Unless they can afford to invest in their own observatory as well, they should probably not go too big when it comes to an instrument. A small scope that can be transported easily will probably get used a lot more than a larger one that takes some effort to haul around. Typically, 2.4-inch (60-mm) and 3.1-inch (80-mm) refractors and 4.5-inch (114-mm) and 6-inch (152-mm) reflectors are popular for most amateurs. Telescope Focal Ratio. The focal ratio of a telescope is calculated by dividing aperture size into its focal length. The focal length is measured from the main lens (or mirror) to where the light converges to focus. As an example, a scope with an aperture of 4.5 inches and focal length of 45 inches, will have a focal ratio of f/10. While a higher focal ratio does not always mean a higher quality image, it often means as good an image for similar cost. However, a higher focal ratio with the same size aperture means a longer scope, which can translate into a telescope someone has to wrestle with a bit more to get into a vehicle for transport to a viewing area. Get a Good Telescope Mount is worth the money. The mount for a scope is just as important as the tube and optics. Most people don’t think of that when they decide to buy a scope unless theyve done their homework. The mount is a stand that holds the telescope steady. It is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to view a distant object if the scope is not very steady and wobbles at the slightest touch (or worse, in the wind!). So, its important to invest in a good, solid telescope mount. There are basically two types of mounts, altazimuth and equatorial. Altazimuth is similar to a camera tripod. It allows the telescope to move up and down (altitude) and back and forth (azimuth). The equatorial is designed to follow the movement of objects in the sky. Higher end equatorials come with a motor drive to follow the rotation of the Earth, keeping an object in the field of view longer. Many equatorial mounts come with small computers, which aim the scope automatically. Caveat Emptor, Even for a telescope. Yes, let the buyer beware. This is as true today as it ever has been in the past. It also applies to the purchase of a telescope. Just as with any other product, it is almost always true that you get what you pay for. A cheap department-store scope will almost certainly be a waste of money. The truth is that most people do not need an expensive scope, and its better to buy the best one for the budget. However, its also important to avoid getting suckered in by cheap deals at stores that dont specialize in scopes. Being a knowledgeable consumer is key. Read everything about scopes, both in telescope books and in articles online about what is really needed for stargazing. Go to astronomy club meetings and do a little parasitic viewing (of course, always ask permission), and ask for advice about telescopes. Most members love to give advice, and theres no better way to experiment with different models of instruments. Edited and updated by Carolyn Collins Petersen.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)