Investigation on the current situation and resignation tendency of medical record coders in Anyang, Henan province / 中华医院管理杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To investigate the current status of medical record coders and their resignation tendency, and put forward suggestions for the training and team building of medical record coders.Methods:From April to May 2020, a questionnaire survey was conducted among the medical record coders in 27 DRG payment pilot hospitals in Anyang, Henan. Statistical analysis was conducted on the profile of the medical case department, basic personal information, professional quality, job satisfaction and resignation intention. Kendall coefficient was used to analyze the factors related to the resignation intention.Results:There were 98 coders in the surveyed hospitals, including 43 full-time coders and 55 part-time coders. Eighty-three valid questionnaires were recovered, and the effective recovery rate was 84.7%. Among them, 29(34.9%) had education level of junior college or below, 51(61.4%) had junior title or below, 15(18.1%) had medical information or case management as their major, 29(34.9%) coders had not obtained a coding certificate, 31(37.3%) were dissatisfied with the salary system, and 14(16.9%) had a tendency to leave. The medical record coders with lower professional titles, coding certificates and lower salary satisfaction were more likely to have the intention of resignation.Conclusions:Medical record coders in Anyang were challenged with such problems as shortage of manpower, low percentage of coding certificate holders and low salary satisfaction. Title, code certificate issuance and salary satisfaction were correlated with their resignation intention. Hospital managers should strengthen the importance of medical record coding and coders, and establish a reasonable salary, title evaluation and performance incentive system, so as to improve the attractiveness of coder position.