Coder III

Overview

At Augusta Health, your work matters — and so do you. Whether you're delivering direct patient care, supporting operations, or innovating behind the scenes, every role contributes to our mission of promoting wellness and healing through compassionate service. We offer more than just a job — we offer a purpose-driven career in a nationally recognized, independent health system located in Virginia’s scenic Shenandoah Valley.

Learn more about career opportunities on our Careers Page .

Our team members thrive in a supportive culture that values collaboration, integrity, and excellence. With opportunities across clinical and non-clinical areas, Augusta Health is a place where your skills make a difference, and your growth is a priority.

Why Join Augusta Health?

We believe in taking care of the people who care for our community. That’s why Augusta Health offers a comprehensive and thoughtfully designed benefits package that supports your well-being, career development, and work-life balance. Whether you're launching your career or bringing in years of experience, we provide the tools, resources, and encouragement to help empower you to reach your full potential — personally, professionally, and financially.

Explore our Benefits , current Hiring Incentives , and our Taking Care of Us initiative — which embraces Belonging , Respect , Inclusion , Diversity , Growth , and Equity ( B.R.I.D.G.E. ) — to see how we invest in our team members and culture.

Total Rewards & Benefits ( may vary by position ):

• Comprehensive insurance package including medical, dental, and vision coverage.
• Retirement savings plans and financial wellness support programs.
• Generous paid time off and flexible scheduling to promote work-life balance.
• Career development programs including clinical ladders, shared governance, and advancement opportunities.
• Personalized onboarding with dedicated preceptors and ongoing educational support.
• Tuition reimbursement and access to onsite childcare.
• Free onsite parking, 24/7-armed security for your safety, a Health Fitness Reimbursement Program, and an onsite credit union and pharmacy.
• Competitive pay with shift/weekend differentials.
• Employee discounts at the cafeteria, gift shop, pharmacy, and local entertainment venues (i.e., movie tickets).

Full details are available on our Benefits Page .

Job Summary

Under the direction of the Health Information Management Director and the Coding Manager, the Coder III follows all regulatory guidelines in the reporting and sequencing of ICD-10-CM and PCS codes for all patient accounts, generates coding queries to physicians to clarify patient condition(s) when conflicting or ambiguous information is reflected in the patient record, understands their role in quality performance measures, and serves as a resource to the Business Office in the reconciliation and resolution of problematic accounts.

This position plays a critical role in supporting Augusta Health’s mission and advancing departmental goals through measurable performance indicators and service excellence. This position contributes to a collaborative, patient-centered environment and helps drive outcomes aligned with organizational priorities.

Essential Job Duties:

• Accurately enter ABS data (e.g. Surgeon name, procedure date, discharge disposition, admit diagnosis, POA status, etc.).
  • 95% + Accuracy.

• Meets or exceeds bill drop dates/AR expectations:
  • Consistently monitors and manages AR to facilitate dropping of pending, old, or problematic accounts of assigned locations in accordance with 30-Day Bill Drop policy.
  • Consistently meets established bill drop dates.
  • Percentage of weeks in which bill drop dates are met:
    • 90% of the time.

• Accurately reports principal diagnosis in keeping with the most current AHA Coding Clinic and ICD-10-CM/ICD-10PCS guidelines.
  • 95% + Accuracy.

Works with Coding Manager and Denial Management Coordinator to ensure all coding denials are addressed timely.

• Manages Queries Appropriately:
  • Generates appropriate query selection based on clinical evidence established in the patient medical record.
  • Formats non-standardized queries in keeping with AHA Coding Clinic, CMS, and QIO guidelines.
  • Utilizes standardized query templates when available.

• Maintains established Productivity Standards:
  • Inpatient encounters: an average of 2 accounts per hour.

• Meets or exceeds the expected DRG/APC accuracy rate of 95%:
  • Diagnosis and procedural codes applied to accounts result in the appropriate DRG or APC assignment(s).

• Accurately reports procedure codes:
  • All ICD-10-CM and CPT procedure codes are accurately coded and reported in keeping with AHA Coding Clinic, CPT Assistant, ICD-10-CM, CPT-4, and/or unique payer coding and reporting guidelines.
  • 95% + Accuracy.

• Accurately reports secondary diagnoses in keeping with the most current AHA Coding Clinic and ICD10-CM/ICD-10-PCS guidelines.

Inpatient:

• 95% + Accuracy.

Required Qualifications:

• Education: High School Diploma or GED equivalent.
• Licensure/Certification: CCS or CPC.
• Experience: Inpatient Coder - minimum of three years hospital inpatient coding experience.
• Driver's License: N/A.
• Eligibility to work in the United States and meet Virginia state employment requirements.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Education: Associate's Degree in Health Information Mgmt (HIM).
• Licensure/Certification:
  • CCS, RHIT, RHIA.
  • CCA, COC, CIC, CPA-A.
• Experience:
  • Three years inpatient coding experience.
• Prior experience in a hospital, healthcare system, or related service-oriented environment.
• Familiarity with Augusta Health’s systems, workflows, or organizational culture is a plus.

Competencies, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Requires good written, oral communication and interpersonal skills. ability to effectively communicate with all hospital practitioners is essential.
• Demonstrates competency in the use of computer applications and grouper software, Medicare edits, and all coding and abstracting software and hardware currently in use by HIM.
• Requires comprehensive knowledge of anatomy and physiology, medical terminology and disease processes.
• Requires analytical ability to allow for interpretation of clinical data in all clinical specialties to determine appropriate code assignment.
• Requires proficiency in abstracting chart data into computer module.
• Requires ability to work independently, an eagerness to learn, attention to detail and good critical thinking skills.
• Must possess high ethical standards due to confidential nature of patient information.

About Augusta Health

Augusta Health is an independent, nonprofit, mission-driven health system located in Fishersville, Virginia, in the heart of the Shenandoah Valley. We offer a full continuum of inpatient and outpatient services, including Augusta Medical Center—a 255-bed facility—and Augusta Medical Group, which operates 40 practice locations and four urgent care centers. Our commitment to excellence, innovation, and compassionate care makes Augusta Health a leading employer and healthcare provider in the region.

Discover more about our history, values, and community impact on our About Us Page .

Equal Opportunity Statement

Augusta Health recruits, hires, and promotes qualified candidates for employment without regard to age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, marital status, national or ethnic origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, veteran or military discharge status, and family medical or genetic information.

We are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace in accordance with federal and Virginia state employment laws.

Augusta Health opened in 1994 to continue a tradition of personalized care with small-town hospitality that began with predecessor hospitals in Staunton and Waynesboro. Today, our highly trained physicians and staff use state-of-the-art technology to provide top quality care with warmth and compassion. We offer many amenities so patients and families can be comfortable and close during difficult times Quick Stats for 2022 255 beds 225 active medical staff 2,450 employees 50 volunteers 74 hospice volunteers 59,573 emergency visits 10,324 admissions 892 babies delivered 549 new cancer patients 585,703 outpatient visits to Augusta Medical Group clinics 293,795 other Outpatient Registrations (this includes Home Health, Laboratory, Outpatient Surgery, Imaging, etc.) 61,166 Urgent Care Visits