How does medical coding compare to medical transcription?
The process of medical coding is a highly regulated and tightly supervised activity. Medical coding is also subject to frequent and rigorous audits to ensure accuracy in billing, as there are literally billions of dollars on the line. It is a much more scrutinized activity than medical transcription. As a consequence, the requirements for certification are greater for individuals in the medical coding and billing field compared with many other career fields. Whereas medical transcription requires spelling and advanced literacy skills, coding is more analytical and objective. Medical transcription is predominately performed by individuals working from home. At this point, most medical coding is still performed in hospitals and clinics.
