How to Find a Diagnostic Coding Conference

The health care industry is always in flux. New treatments, techniques, tools, procedures, surgeries, drugs, regulations and insurance company policies keep medical billers and coders on their toes. Sometimes, email newsletters and regular check-ins with the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services website are not enough to keep you up to date on diagnostic codes and other coding issues. That's why there are numerous coding conferences and continuing education events in which you can participate.

Instructions

• 1

  Check with the major billing and coding trade associations such as the American Association of Professional Coders and the Healthcare Billing and Management Association for their upcoming conferences and educational events. Many focus on diagnostic coding, especially as it pertains to new regulations and new medical diagnoses.

• 2

  Enroll in a telephone conference lecture or series. This new continuing education class format helps accommodate billing and coding professionals who may not have the time or means to attend in-person, multi-day conferences. Numerous private courses can be found online.

• 3

  Sign up for a diagnostic coding webinar. This audio-visual conference runs through your Internet connected computer. You are able to follow along with the speaker's presentation via software that allows you to view her screen. Participants can also ask questions of the presenter and often of other coders participating in the conference. This technology also aims to bring the conference to you and alleviate the stress and cost of attending an in-person conference.

• 4

  Search for diagnostic coding conferences and workshops through medical industry specialty groups and associations for specific medical disciplines. For example, "Urology Today" magazine offers periodic conferences on billing and coding as pertains to the urology specialty. The American Medical Association -- the inventor and owner of CPT coding -- has workshops, round-tables and symposia on medical coding.

• 5

  Sign up for a diagnostic coding conference through a private organization which creates medical billing and coding conferences professionally. While these for-profit businesses are not necessarily industry endorsed, that doesn't mean their information is not accurate or relevant. They may pricier than other options, so shop your local options carefully .