I am currently a transcriptionist for a small local hospital. They are aware that I am enrolled in the Andrews School coding course and would be able to utilize me when I graduate and pass the exams, but the question is would it be worth sending out my resume to other hospitals? I'm not sure what kind of pay increase my present employer would offer.
I absolutely would send out your resume to other employers (and not just hospitals)! You certainly don't have to accept any job offers you get if you really enjoy and want to stay with your current employer, but having the information and other offers can help with negotiating your pay and new coding position at your current employer.
For instance, your current employer may offer you (just as an example here) a $3/hour increase for moving into the coding department. But the starting pay that other job offers you get list may be more like an $8/hour increase over what you make currently, so you will know that you need to renegotiate that amount with the current hospital because certified coders in your area have a higher base pay than the hospital is offering.
-Glenda
Great post, Robin!
I am in a similar situation. I work at a hospital as a chart analyst; they know I am going to school for coding. They do have a coding training program that I would be eligible for once I graduate, but I plan on getting my CCS and looking outside the hospital for other opportunities as well because I know the training program here does not pay much more than what I make already. I love the hospital and all the people I work for, and I would be in the same department and have the same manager and director, But after all this schooling, I really want to make more money than what I know they can offer me, so I am keeping my options open.
That is a good idea, Glenda. I also definitely plan to use the resumes 4 coders service when I am ready because resumes are really not one of my strengths :)