Medical assistants and medical coders: Two rewarding professions in healthcare with (we admit) very similar job titles! However, the differences between medical assistants and medical coders are vast. While each professional carries out essential duties in healthcare facilities, helping to streamline the delivery of patient care, the scope of their work is actually quite unique.

Simply put: Medical coders handle documentation and billing procedures within a medical setting, while medical assistants are responsible for more hands-on, patient care tasks. Keep reading to learn more.

What is a medical assistant?

A medical assistant is an essential member of the healthcare team. Medical assistants work alongside nurses, physicians, and other staff to keep healthcare facilities running smoothly. These professionals complete a blend of clinical and administrative duties to help streamline operations and provide a top-tier patient experience. This might mean preparing patients for exams and taking vital signs, or scheduling appointments and coordinating billing tasks.

What is a medical coder?

A medical coder is a critical connector between healthcare providers and insurance companies. Essentially, medical coders help ensure that providers get paid for their services. These professionals translate patients’ medical records—diagnoses, procedures, services rendered, lab results, and more—into standardized codes that can be used for documentation and creating insurance claims. Their role is entirely administrative but essential in every type of medical office and patient care facility.

Key differences between medical assistants and medical coders

Job responsibilities

Medical assistants and medical coders both carry out job duties that are essential for keeping the flow of healthcare operations and patient care. However, their job duties are very distinct.

Medical assistants wear many hats and are typically responsible for both administrative and clinical tasks within a healthcare setting. However, some medical assistants might specialize in one area or the other. Clinical job duties of medical assistants can include:

• Assisting physicians with patient examinations
• Collecting and preparing laboratory samples
• Giving medications (as permitted and directed)
• Measuring patients’ vital signs
• Recording patients’ medical histories

Medical assistants also fulfill several administrative tasks to keep healthcare operations running efficiently. These administrative job duties might include:

• Coordinating billing and filing claims
• Helping patients complete necessary forms or paperwork
• Scheduling patient appointments and answering phone calls
• Tracking inventory and placing orders for medical supplies
• Updating and organizing medical records

Medical coders carry out more specific job duties on a day-to-day basis. As described above, their primary responsibility is to translate patient documentation into universal, alphanumeric codes that can be used to bill patients and file insurance claims. These codes will essentially describe the patient’s diagnosis, as well as any treatments, services, or supplies provided and received, in a streamlined and standardized way. To summarize their duties, medical coders are responsible for:

• Collecting patient information from healthcare providers
• Reviewing documentation and verifying its accuracy
• Translating documentation into standardized medical codes

Some medical coders will also handle billing tasks after the coding takes place. Called medical billers and coders, these professionals might also:

• Process insurance claims for payment
• Send medical invoices to patients and insurance companies
• Work with patients to help coordinate or schedule payments

Learn more about medical billers and medical coders here.

Workplace environments

Medical assistants typically work in healthcare facilities where patient care is delivered. For example, they are often found in private practices, outpatient clinics, long-term care settings, and hospital settings. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the majority of medical assistants work in physicians’ offices where they can help with hands-on care. However, there are many workplace options for medical assistants beyond this. You can learn about those here.

Medical coders can work in similar healthcare environments, coding patient information directly from the facility or office in which services were received. However, medical coders are not limited to these settings. Medical coders can also find work in insurance companies, pharmacies, medical supply companies, and third-party billing agencies to manage documentation and claims. Some medical coders also have the opportunity to work from home, as most of their responsibilities can be completed with a computer and internet connection. Learn more about medical coding workplaces here!

Training requirements

Both medical assistants and medical coders have something in common: the pathway to achieving these titles is relatively quick! Many people weigh medical assisting vs. medical coding for this very reason—each career offers a fast track into healthcare. However, the specific requirements are unique.

Medical assistants typically need to complete specialized postsecondary education, such as a certificate program or associate degree in Medical Assisting. Following graduation, some states will also require medical assistants to become licensed or certified in order to practice. In others, this step is voluntary.

Medical coders are also expected to have some level of postsecondary education in their field. Typically, Medical Billing and Coding programs are offered at the certificate level but can be found at the associate degree level as well. And while professional certification is not required nationally, many employers prefer to hire coders who have taken that extra step to become certified or registered.

Goodwin University offers a range of flexible healthcare degrees online and in Connecticut. Learn more here!

Similarities between medical assistants and medical coders

Medical coders and medical assistants fulfill unique responsibilities within the healthcare field, but they also have a lot in common. Both titles can be achieved in less than two years, for example, which is not always common in the medical field. However, the education required is very distinct, in that it prepares each professional for their own career paths.

Here are a couple of other similarities between a medical assistant and a medical coder:

Healthcare knowledge is a must

Medical assistants and medical coders both need to know their way around the medical facility and the types of services provided there. For obvious reasons, medical assistants need to know the ins and outs of healthcare so that they can support providers and deliver patient care. Medical coders require healthcare knowledge because that is core to what they are transcribing every day. They must know medical terminology and the details of services, in order to invoice and code documents properly. As such, both Medical Assisting and Medical Coding programs will cover topics in medical terminology, medical office management, medical law and ethics, and more.

Administrative duties are the norm

Medical coders carry out administrative responsibilities every day, but medical assistants can too! As described above, medical assistants may also help manage the medical office by keeping up on inventory, handling phone calls and patient bookings, and coordinating billing as needed.

Can medical assistants work as medical coders (and vice versa)?

While both medical assistants and medical coders have specialized training in their fields, it is possible to cross-train in these professions or change careers from one to the other fairly easily. In fact, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, it’s common to train medical assistants in coding practices. As they explain, medical assistants often “help patients understand and receive their insurance coverage, such as by completing forms, coding information, and contacting companies about billing” — common tasks fulfilled by medical billers and coders.

Medical assisting vs. medical coding: Which path is right for you?

Medical assisting and medical coding offer two fast and fulfilling ways to work in healthcare. There is no wrong decision here! The right career for you will be the one that best aligns with your interests, talents, and goals. Do you wish to work directly with patients, supporting healthcare providers? Or, do you wish to work behind the scenes, crunching codes and keeping documents organized?

Whichever path you choose, Goodwin University can help you get there. Follow these links to learn more about our Medical Assisting programs and Medical Billing and Coding program. Courses are offered online or on our campus in Greater Hartford, CT!