As the healthcare system moves towards electronic patient records, there is a growing demand for specialists who can code and digitize patient records, as well as health information professionals to manage the entire process and check for accuracy. These individuals are known as medical coders or health information technicians.
Medical coding professionals work in a variety of settings including hospitals, clinics, long-term care settings, consulting firms, government agencies, health insurance companies and more. An associate degree in medical coding often serves as a stepping stone to a bachelor’s degree in health information management, which allows for career advancement.