Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Medical Coding Part 3 – AI Implementation’s Impact on a Coder’s Skill Set

Part 2 of this blog series focused on how ChatGPT predicts how artificial intelligence or machine learning tools will change the role of medical coders in relation to the type of work they will oversee, particularly in relation to its complexity. This last piece in the series is a follow-up to those changes with a focus on the specific tasks that ChatGPT suggests a shift in responsibilities will bring and the new skills coders will need to cultivate to successfully complete them.

ChatGPT

Question

How will the introduction of autonomous coding systems or other artificial intelligence or machine learning affect the work of human medical coders?

Response

The introduction of autonomous coding systems and other artificial intelligence (AI) or machine learning (ML) technologies will significantly affect the work of human medical coders, but in ways that will likely enhance their roles rather than eliminate them. Here's how AI and ML are expected to impact medical coders:

1. Training and Adaptation to New Tools

As AI tools are integrated into the workplace, medical coders will need to acquire new technical skills and knowledge. This includes understanding how AI and ML systems work, how to interact with these systems, and how to resolve issues that arise from their outputs. Coders may also need to develop skills in data analysis and reporting to work alongside AI systems and use insights generated by AI to improve coding efficiency and accuracy.

Impact on coders: Continuous training and adaptation will be necessary. Coders will need to stay current with technological advancements and be able to use AI tools to supplement their expertise in coding, ensuring they can work efficiently and accurately in a tech-driven environment.

2. Shift in Job Roles and Responsibilities

With AI handling a greater portion of routine tasks, the role of medical coders will evolve. Rather than performing basic coding functions, coders will take on more strategic tasks, such as analyzing trends, handling audits, ensuring compliance, and offering insights into healthcare documentation practices.

Impact on coders: Coders will take on a more supervisory and consultative role, working alongside AI systems to ensure the highest standards of coding. This could lead to more involvement in healthcare management, process improvement, and collaboration with healthcare providers to improve clinical documentation.

3. Enhanced Collaboration with Healthcare Teams

AI can improve the documentation process by flagging incomplete or unclear information in patient records, prompting coders to engage with healthcare providers to clarify details. Coders may work more closely with physicians, nurses, and other healthcare professionals to ensure that clinical documentation is accurate and thorough, thus supporting better coding.

Impact on coders: Coders will collaborate more with clinicians to ensure that all relevant information is included in medical records for proper coding. This will further cement their role as an integral part of the healthcare team, with a focus on improving both documentation quality and coding accuracy.

4. New Career Opportunities and Roles

As the nature of medical coding shifts with the adoption of AI and ML, coders may find new career opportunities in areas such as:

• AI oversight: Ensuring that AI systems are functioning correctly and handling exceptions.
• Coding analysis: Reviewing large datasets to identify trends and improve healthcare processes.
• Training and development: Educating new coders and clinicians on how to leverage AI in coding and documentation.

Impact on coders: Coders who adapt to these changes and gain additional skills may have the opportunity to move into more advanced, higher-paying roles, such as coding auditor, compliance officer, or even AI-related positions.

Conclusion:

With the introduction of autonomous coding systems and AI/ML technologies coders will be empowered to focus on more complex, strategic, and value-added tasks, such as quality control, compliance, collaboration with healthcare teams, and handling exceptions. Coders will need to adapt to new tools and expand their skill sets while AI will be a tool to augment human capabilities, making coders' work more efficient, accurate, and impactful.

Take Aways

Embracing the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning to assist in the coding of healthcare records and the changes that will bring in the role of medical coders will necessitate adjustments in the skills coder possess.

Enhancements or additions to current skills that might be considered include:

• Coders will need training to ensure proficiency in technological skills at a level where they are comfortable working with artificial intelligence tools.
• Successfully moving into supervisory or consultative roles such as auditing or roles that include more collaboration with clinicians requires a coder to take stock of their soft skills such as communication, teamwork and adaptability in addition to good coding skills.
• The use of artificial intelligence tools will allow more data to be generated and in a shorter amount of time. Acquiring skills in data analytics will pose coders as natural candidates for doing the work of analyzing this data.

Since 1992, HIA has been the leading provider of compliance audits, coding support services and clinical documentation audit services for hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, physician groups and other healthcare entities. HIA offers PRN support as well as total outsource support.

The information contained in this coding advice is valid at the time of posting. Viewers are encouraged to research subsequent official guidance in the areas associated with the topic as they can change rapidly.