Healthcare / science careers

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Pescador

Trakanon Raider
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Seems like a decent amount of people here are in the sciences. Even though I'm not even close to IT / software, I have enjoyed reading through that thread, so I figured it might be interesting to get a similar discussion for other fields. I grouped healthcare and science together since there is some overlap and there might not be enough people for separate threads.
 

Kuriin

Just a Nurse
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I believe Izo is HBS, I'm a nurse, Vanderhoof is a psychiatric NP, and I'm sure there are a few others here in the medical field.
 

Pescador

Trakanon Raider
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How do healthcare workers generally feel about pharma companies? I work at a midsize pharma company so I'm not part of "big pharma", but I feel like the pharmaceuticals industry in general gets a bad rap.
 

ZyyzYzzy

RIP USA
<Banned>
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I do chem/bio defense and did a decent amount of work with diagnostics/detection and medical countermeasures . Such useless work.
 

Tim

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I started working in healthcare as an EMT-B, over time got my EMT-P then bridged that degree to RN and just finished BSN. I did the typical route of someone who was a major fuckup in life until his late 20's and always heard from everyone that healthcare was the place to be. Dual licencing opens up some fun opportunities. I will probably try to get my MPH in the future.

If anyone has an interest in working in the field and doesn't mind starting out with grunt work, EMT is pretty fun and something you can get in on pretty easily as just a part time pursuit.
 

Pescador

Trakanon Raider
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A couple of my physician friend started as EMTs and they seem super passionate about medicine. It's a good way to get your foot in the door for future with as a doctor, fireman, etc.

Any researchers here?
 

eXarc

Molten Core Raider
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I've done a hefty amount of medical consulting. Coding/billing systems in hospitals as well as insurance side.

Boring and not in so many ways. Love medicine but would have to try to go to school for something actually practicing hands on medicine if I ever were to get into the field.
 

ZyyzYzzy

RIP USA
<Banned>
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Any researchers here?

So I am in an interesting position. Me and my team aren't researchers per se, but act more as super PI's coming up with things we need work done on that fills our knowledge/material gaps for transition into advanced development/production.
 

Borzak

Bronze Baron of the Realm
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Not in the healthcare industry, but seems like all my good friends are. I would think one of the biggest draws is it is in demand everywhere. Seems like a lot of options open up having the ability to work with a lot of places to work in.

Only reason I bring that up is because a close friend just bought his moms old house and he's making very well into 6 figures now, he could work anywhere and his wife is a nurse practioner so she could as well.

Just something to think about.
 

B-Biscuit

Bronze Knight of the Realm
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101
I recently began a new career in the medical field and thought we could use a thread so all different types of people in this line of work can exchange information on the ever changing medical field.

Also I have a question and didn't know where else to put it.

My new job basically wants me doing a ton of coding and keeping everyone (from billers to doctors) educated on changing codes in different health insurances. Is there a magazine or website as kind of a reader's digest for coders?
 

Vanderhoof

Trakanon Raider
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I am constantly arguing with the coder at my hospital. Evidently, there is not an ICD -10 for OCD and we go round and round over it...
 

B-Biscuit

Bronze Knight of the Realm
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101
What's your position? We have the same communication problems here, this is my first job in the medical field period and they basically want me to head up a coding department and get everybody on the same page. I only understand my side of the job and loosely at that, but it's definitely tedious and a lot of rules. Any feedback on where the problems are coming from in your facility?
I am constantly arguing with the coder at my hospital. Evidently, there is not an ICD -10 for OCD and we go round and round over it...
 

B-Biscuit

Bronze Knight of the Realm
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101
So I've started my first job as a medical biller and coder and basically they want me to help create and basically run a one woman coding team. I need to be able to get everyone from admin to doctors on the same page with ever changing insurance codes. Anybody have any recommendations to magazine or website that I can use as a sort of jumping point for staying updated?
 

Vanderhoof

Trakanon Raider
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I'm a psychiatric nurse practitioner.

The coders waste a ton of time auditting every note we send out (considering I never need to make any changes to the notes). It's frustrating that the diagnoses in the ICD-10 don't match the diagnoses we use in DSM V. They also make me write a list of patients I see in the hospital with the billing code I'm using and turn it in for auditting purposes (I bill for each patient myself in the EHR and no one can tell me why I need to do this).
 

B-Biscuit

Bronze Knight of the Realm
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Wow, that's a lot. We do 10 audits per physician every 3 months (supposed to be 3-4 each month but some of them wait). As far as we can tell they don't do anything with them once they go wherever.

We actually do need the audits because oir physicians do things like put 18 CPT on a claim and leave half the progress notes undone.

I think in theory my job is a great idea and could be beneficial but no one likes being told how to do their job.
 

Kithani

Blackwing Lair Raider
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The entire coding system just pisses me off and seems obviously designed to be so cumbersome that companies can keep getting out of paying based on ever changing technicalities.
 

Asshat wormie

2023 Asshat Award Winner
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Any of you guys in coding/billing departments that hire outside corporations for DRG coordinator duties? And if so, any clue what the pay structure and amounts that are paid to such a corporation?
 

B-Biscuit

Bronze Knight of the Realm
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101
The entire coding system just pisses me off and seems obviously designed to be so cumbersome that companies can keep getting out of paying based on ever changing technicalities.

I agree. I dont know why they cant all be relatively the same. Its a constant jump through hoops and then they don't pay and its never the insurances that patients call to yell at.

To make things worse the place I'm working at is under staffed and the whole system just seems to be broken. Been there almost 2 weeks and still waiting on orientation and them to scan my SS card and stuff.
 

B-Biscuit

Bronze Knight of the Realm
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101
I work specifically in physician billing. We do have a billing department for the hospital but I'm not entirely sure about their billing method.