Inpatient Surgical Coder – PRN

Healthcare Outcomes Performance Co. (HOPCo)

Inpatient Surgical Coder specializing in orthopedic and spine surgery coding. Independent coding and support for high-acuity inpatient surgical cases with real-time training for staff.

Posted 7/9/2026part-timeRemote • Arizona • 🇺🇸 United StatesMid-LevelSeniorWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

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Demonstrates advanced expertise in ICD-10-CM, ICD-10-PCS, and DRG coding for complex inpatient orthopedic and spine surgeries, while ensuring compliance with regulatory guidelines. Proven ability to mentor coding staff and improve coding quality through training and feedback.

Highest-signal resume keywords

ICD-10-CM CodingICD-10-PCS CodingDRG AssignmentOrthopedic Surgical CodingMentoring Coding Staff

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

Inpatient CodingCPT CodingHCPCS CodingCoding Guidelines InterpretationRegulatory Compliance

Soft Skills

Critical ThinkingAttention to DetailLeadership Skills

Tools & Technologies

Coding SoftwareEMR SystemsReporting Tools

Certifications & Qualifications

RHIARHITCCSCIC

Industry Keywords

Orthopedic SurgerySpine SurgeryDenial ManagementPayer AuditsQuality Improvement

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Reviews and abstracts clinical documentation from complex inpatient orthopedic and spine surgery records to assign accurate ICD-10-CM, ICD-10-PCS, DRG, POA, and discharge disposition codes.
Independently codes high-acuity inpatient orthopedic spine surgery cases including cervical, thoracic, and lumbar procedures, revisions, fusions, instrumentation, and neurological-related musculoskeletal procedures.
Provides real-time feedback and training for coding staff to improve coding quality and productivity.
Applies and validates accurate MS-DRG assignments while ensuring compliance with CMS, UHDDS, Official Coding Guidelines, and payer-specific requirements.
Identifies coding trends, documentation gaps, and reimbursement risks and communicates findings to leadership.
Maintains productivity and quality standards while managing high-volume and high-complexity inpatient workloads.
Serves as a coding resource and mentor to less experienced coders and assists with onboarding and education initiatives.
Participates in policy development, coding guideline interpretation, and implementation of regulatory updates.
Acts as a liaison between coding staff, leadership, and external stakeholders.
Supports coding audits, denials management, appeals, and quality improvement activities as assigned.

Requirements

What you’ll need

High school diploma or GED required
Associate or Bachelor’s degree in Health Information Management or related field preferred
Must hold at least one of the following: RHIA, RHIT, CCS, or CIC. CCS strongly preferred
Minimum of 4-5 years of IP facility/hospital coding experience required
Minimum of 4-5 years of recent/current experience coding complex inpatient surgical cases required
Extensive experience with inpatient coding (ICD-10-PCS and DRG assignment) required
Demonstrated expertise in orthopedic surgical coding across multiple subspecialties
Prior experience in auditing, mentoring, or leading coding teams strongly preferred
Experience with denial management, appeals, and payer audits preferred
Advanced to expert level knowledge of ICD-10-CM, ICD-10-PCS, DRG, CPT and HCPCS coding systems
Advanced understanding of DRG and APC reimbursement methodologies, ortho anatomy and spine surgical techniques.
Proven ability to interpret and apply complex coding guidelines and regulatory updates
Strong leadership skills with the ability to mentor and develop coding staff.
Prominent level of accuracy, critical thinking, and attention to detail.
Proficiency with coding software, EMR systems, and reporting tools.

Benefits

Comp & perks

Health insurance
Paid time off
Professional development opportunities