Interview with Mary Campbell
CPC, CCS-P
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What is your name?
Mary Campbell
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Where are you from?
Originally from Minneapolis, then lived in Wisconsin for 20+ yrs and now I live in the Silicon Valley area of California.
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What is your favorite activity?
I am a volunteer at our local Humane Society where I am a dog socializer. I get to work with dogs who have found themselves homeless and hope to keep them social and happy so that when their forever family comes along they are ready to fit right in.
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Do you have any hobbies?
Same as above, really. I also like to play on the computer, play cards, golf and just hang around at the beach.
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What credentials do you hold?
CPC, CCS-P
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What organizations do you belong to and how have they helped your career?
Just the AAPC at this time. I don’t know if it has helped me or not. I am not a very active member, I hate to admit. I do think it has helped my credibility and it clearly has helped with our newer staff members. We know that we are all on the same page when it comes to coding.
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How did you get into the field of medical billing and coding?
I really just fell into it and found that I really love it! I began in Medical Records and an opportunity came along to take a class in Anatomy/ Physiology and Medical Terminology. I really was at the right place at the right time 22 yrs. ago!
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What is your current position?
I am the Senior Reimbursement Analyst for a group of 270 physicians here in California. The main focus of my job is auditing and education of the physicians. All providers are audited yearly both in their routine visits and in their consultations. I now have a staff of 4 and it keeps us very, very busy!
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What is one of your accomplishments in this field that you are most proud of?
I think I have been a mentor to many people that I work with. I’ve created tools that both the staff and physicians can use to help them in their daily coding.
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What do you find most exciting about this field?
That it is ever changing!!
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What do you find most frustrating?
Hmmm….ok, that it is ever changing!! In addition to the changes I get the most frustrated at the lack of true guidance when it comes to coding. I fear sometimes that we have gotten lost in the guidelines and taken away some of the common sense. In my heart I really don’t think this was the intent when the guidelines were created. Have we done that to ourselves by creating “coders”. I’m not sure, but I strive every day to keep some level of common sense in my auditing.
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What do you feel the future holds for this field?
As technology advances I feel that the entire process will become more automated, and in reality more accurate. I think the Electronic Records are so exciting. Imagine having access to your medical records wherever you are seen!
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What would you tell someone just starting out in this field?
Learn anatomy and medical terminology and then really get to know your doctors so you really understand what it is they are doing.
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Who do you consider a mentor?
I’ve met so many smart talented people in this field who are so willing to pass along their knowledge that I have a hard time picking out one person.
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What is your favorite billing or coding product?
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What is your affiliation with the CRN and how has that helped you?
CRN is a group of such wonderful people who are full of knowledge and they are willing to share and learn from each other. You can’t put a price on that! I may not be online often but I know that if I need some help this is the place to come!