Intellect Insights

  U.S. Healthcare Staffing The U.S. healthcare system is facing unprecedented challenges in meeting the staffing needs of its hospitals and clinics as demand continues to rise. As the population ages and more Americans gain access to insurance coverage, the number of patients seeking medical care is growing dramatically. At the same time, many existing healthcare professionals are approaching retirement age, exacerbating shortages in key specialties across the country. Healthcare staffing agencies have become vital partners for facilities in addressing these workforce challenges through innovative staffing solutions.   The Growing Healthcare Workforce Gap   Experts project the U.S. will face shortages of both nurses and physicians in the coming years that will be extremely difficult to overcome. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates the nursing profession will have the largest job growth of any occupation through 2030. However, nursing schools have struggled to...

  Medical Coding What is Medical Coding? Medical coding is the transformation of healthcare diagnoses, procedures, medical services and equipment into universal medical alphanumeric codes. Some common coding systems include Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes, International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes and Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) codes.   Medical coders review patients' medical records and assign the appropriate codes. These codes are used for insurance reimbursement purposes and for medical data analysis. Coding allows hospitals and healthcare providers to receive payment for services rendered by linking billing to medical procedures, services and diagnoses.   Accurate medical coding requires extensive knowledge of anatomy, medical terminology and the nuances of various coding systems. Medical coders undergo rigorous training programs to learn proper code assignment based on provider documentation and national coding g...