Question
Hi
I am late deaf who don't use sign language.  I am interested in Medical Coder field.  I would like to know that do you know any disabled who work in medical support field like coder or related field?  Do they have any problem in working?  How can they handle it? I am not so sure is this job required a high level of communication or not.  I am deaf, so I want a job that can work dependently without cause trouble to the employer.  I have a certificate in Medical Record Clerk, but I prefer a job that is more specific than clerk, so I am thinking about take coder class.  Please advise me.

Answer
Hello Kate:

I believe that medical coding/billing is an excellent career for a person with deafness or hearing impairment.  With the greater and greater use of electronic transfer of data the need for hearing is less than ever in this independent position.  

You will need to develop not only coding skills but also medical terminology.  In addition you need to develop your written language skills.  In this sort of career ASL might be less useful than taking lip reading classes.

A good place to start would be claims processing in a health insurance company in which there are lots of entry-level jobs.  While pursuing this you should do everything you can to improve your command of written English and to enhance your writing skills.

You might want to explore the American Academy of Professional Coders at http://www.aapc.com/ and certification as a Professional Coder (CPC) http://www.aapc.com/certification/index.htm .  I also recommend eSight Careers Network http:/www.esight.org as a place to find other disabled medical coders and get peer advice.

Good luck in your career!

Nan Hawthorne