New Year, New Job

[Carolyn Heath]

Just to let everyone know that Christmas 2012 came early for me. On December 21, 2012, I just accepted a job offer from a local pharmacy doing data entry and I start on Monday, January 7, 2013. Even though it is not medical coding, it will give me the work experience in the medical field. I, like many others, have certifications in different medical fields. In addition to having a CPC-A in medical coding, I also have a CPhT (certified pharmacy technician) given by the PTCB (Pharmacy Technician Certification Board) and also am certified as an administrative medical assistant. I am also studying for my AHIMA CCS-P and, hopefully, will be taking that exam sometime next year. What a way to start the New Year off--with a job!!

 

[Sparky]

Congratulations Carolyn! Happy New Year!

 

[Maine girl]

Congrats! Hope you really like it and it leads you to more opportunities!

 

[Carolyn Heath]

Thank you, Sparky and Maine girl!

 

[Sparky]

Carolyn, you are most welcome!

 

[Michele]

Just to let everyone know that Christmas 2012 came early for me. On December 21, 2012, I just accepted a job offer from a local pharmacy doing data entry and I start on Monday, January 7, 2013. Even though it is not medical coding, it will give me the work experience in the medical field. I, like many others, have certifications in different medical fields. In addition to having a CPC-A in medical coding, I also have a CPhT (certified pharmacy technician) given by the PTCB (Pharmacy Technician Certification Board) and also am certified as an administrative medical assistant. I am also studying for my AHIMA CCS-P and, hopefully, will be taking that exam sometime next year. What a way to start the New Year off--with a job!!

Congrats Carolyn! Hope you find a little time during your last free days before rejoining the workforce to pamper yourself - you deserve it!

 

[Carolyn Heath]

Thank you, Michele!

 

[Kim Hazelwood]

just out of curiosity, and congrats!!!, with all your accreditations, is it just the economy? is there no work out there?! i'm a bit spazzy considering; i'm petrified. cest la vie and i'm so happy for you! can't wait to work again.

 

[Carolyn Heath]

I think that it is a little bit of both, but I had seen job postings for coders and applied for those jobs. The problem with breaking into the medical coding field is that the employer is basically "afraid" to take on someone who is a new coder or do not have coding experience and they hire someone who has coding experience. This is an ongoing problem for all new coders like me trying to break into the medical coding field. Those with the CPC-A credential (and that includes me) are having problems trying to get the "A" remove because they don't have the medical coding experience and nobody is given them a chance. I am hoping that this job will give me the experience so that I can get a medical coding position at a later time and reaching my goal to do remote medical coding.

 

[Carolyn Heath]

Just to bring everyone up to date. No sooner that I have started on January 7, 2013, I will be let go and back to unemployment once again beginning January 18, 2013. I was given no proper training for the position by the girl who was supposed to be training me and the position was not data entry; it was phone work. I learned one big lesson: Always ask what the job entails before taking it and don't take the job if the hiring manager tells you that you will find out once you come aboard as an employee. That is a red flag if there is a refusal of describing your job duties. You need to know what the job duties are and how you are going to be trained to do the job.

 

[Michele]

Just to bring everyone up to date. No sooner that I have started on January 7, 2013, I will be let go and back to unemployment once again beginning January 18, 2013. I was given no proper training for the position by the girl who was supposed to be training me and the position was not data entry; it was phone work. I learned one big lesson: Always ask what the job entails before taking it and don't take the job if the hiring manager tells you that you will find out once you come aboard as an employee. That is a red flag if there is a refusal of describing your job duties. You need to know what the job duties are and how you are going to be trained to do the job.

I am so sorry to read this. My thoughts and prayers are with you that your search for a job to replace this one will be a short one.

 

[Carolyn Heath]

Thanks, Michele! At least I learned how to work with patients when they ask questions and go out of my way to help them get their questions answered.

 

[Sparky]

Carolyn, I am sorry to hear about this. I do understand the frustration you are dealing with and you are absolutely right, if you don't ask about the details of the job duties upfront, you will be blind sided not knowing the full depth of your responsibilities. Most places if they true to their word they will train you the proper way of how policy and procedures go; or others, just as you stated, they will teach you briefly on certain things, maybe go over the duties but then just place you on what they don't want to do themselves. Then companies want to know why they can't keep "GOOD" workers, those who are hard working, reliable, and willing to learn. I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers, something good will come your way. Stay Positive!!!

 

[Carolyn Heath]

You are correct, Sparky! If you do not have the proper training, you cannot do the job. Another thing is that the pharmacists who is the owner/manager apparently does not know how to handle employees because all he does is scream and yell if you are not doing what you are hired to do which is unprofessional for anyone in the medical profession. I am positive that something good will come my way and it will be the right position with the right fit. It is good to have good friends like you and everyone on this forum to get and give support to each other.

 

[Sparky]

Carolyn, thank you my friend for the support as well. Yes, for a professional such as he the pharmacist - should of, could of, would of, DIDN'T take the people skills class 101. ALL professions no matter how small or large the company is ................ we all need to know how to talk to one another, not talk against each other or talk negatively putting individuals down or like we just got off the little yellow school bus. I believe that is the number one problem throughout this country, instead of unity and working together as a team to succeed, we are working against each other. What happen to old fashion values and helping and supporting one another? There are too many chiefs and not enough indians.

 

[Sparky]

I had experienced the same situation, the truth hurts but it is reality. If the job we are aiming for sounds to good to be true, chances are.... it is; in most cases.

 

[Carolyn Heath]

I am back to employment once again. This time I will be working from home as a medical coder. I will be doing HCC Coding and Alicia Scott had talked about this in one of the webinars. I did HCC Coding before so this was nothing new. I went through an agency to get this project. I completed the paperwork, took a coding test, took a training course, and completed coding assessments after training. I am ready to go and am waiting for my securedID to come through the mail. All I can say now is I got my dream job: to be a remote medical coder. So excited to do what I am trained to do.

 

[Maine girl]

Congrats, Carolyn! It gives me hope for a future coding job.

 

[Sparky]

Congratulations Carolyn!

 

[Carolyn Heath]

Thank you, Maine girl and Sparky!