How Attitude Affects Your Success

With Easter and Spring come hope, new life, and, in some cases, a new attitude. We feel better about things. There is little room for negativity. It’s a time for growth and change. We might think about how we can improve on a personal level as well.

What about your education? Have you thought about your attitude toward your studies? You could be enthusiastic and eager to continue. Maybe you are ready to quit. A poor quiz grade or difficult subject matter might lead to a negative outlook. Perhaps you simply take your program for granted. Your lessons are something else you have to cross off of your to-do list.

Your long-term goals are a source of motivation. Your desire to graduate and embark on a new career keep you striving for success. But what about the here and now? Are you ready to dive into your studies on a regular basis? Your attitude can directly affect your progress or lack thereof. It can at times be difficult to tackle your studies. When this happens, I have found it helpful to just start working on a lesson. I might tell myself that I will just read one section or work on a practice review exercise. However, once I begin, I find that I will go further and accomplish more than what I originally planned to do. My energy level picks up and I am no longer feeling as tired as I was when I first started to look at the material.

Attitude can impede your progress if you give in to negative feelings. Rather than allow a negative experience to weigh you down, look for something positive to take from it. See the situation for what it is—a learning experience. Don’t put off your studies and don’t ignore your feelings. Acknowledge the fact that you are disappointed and/or upset. Your feelings are valid. It is okay if you are feeling frustrated. Then turn around and challenge yourself to do better next time. Use this as motivation to keep yourself on track. Keep moving forward even if you have to take small steps. You will reach your goal if you keep working towards it.

A good attitude can lead to success in your studies and later in your career. If you feel that your attitude needs an adjustment, now might be a good time to work on it. After all, this is a season of fresh starts and new beginnings!

Preparing for Change

We just made the change to Daylight Saving Time. It is nice to have more daylight but it is also difficult to “lose” an hour’s sleep. Of course, once your body becomes accustomed to the change, you really don’t notice the difference anymore. It is similar to when the seasons change. As winter gradually gives way to spring, the snow disappears. Suddenly, one day, you realize the snow is gone! It seems like it happened overnight even though the thaw has been going on for some time. The change still takes a little getting used to.

When a person decides to pursue a career or to make a career change, this, too, is a turning point. And when one graduates, and is ready to enter the workforce, once again it is a time of transition. Life altering events involve change. A good example would be when a couple learns that they are going to have a baby. This same couple might start to make preparations for their child’s arrival.This could include setting up a nursery and purchasing items for the baby in advance of the birth.

Sometimes it can be tempting to wait for one adventure to end before starting a new one. For instance, a student might wait until he/she graduates before starting a job search. It is easy to put things off. After graduation, the student might be at a loss regarding the next step to take. They might ask themselves questions such as the following: “I graduated—now what?” Or, “where do I go from here?” A better approach would be to give serious thought to these questions prior to graduation.

Winter eventually gives way to spring. It does not happen all at once. We should learn from this and take steps now to enable us to make a smooth transition to the next phase of our journey.

What type of steps can students take while they are still in school? Some examples include writing or updating their resume, going on informational interviews, joining an organization related to their new profession and attending local chapter meetings. You might explore the possibility of applying for an internship.

Some of the ways that you prepare for change might be unique to your particular set of circumstances. For instance, your needs and/or goals might require a different environment. As a result, you might be planning to move to another state.

Whatever path you take, it will likely include change and change usually involves some type of preparation. This requires careful thought. It is better to have a plan in place rather than find yourself “flying blind.” Most plans need some degree of organization. If you take the time to think things through, it will result in a far less stressful situation later on. When the time comes, you will know what to do and you will have a clear idea how to proceed because you have taken the time to prepare for change.

When the Fog Lifts: “Light Bulb” Moments

I woke up to a heavy fog today. By mid-morning, the fog began to lift. Sometimes lesson material can appear to be foggy. This is especially true when you encounter something new or unfamiliar. Nothing really seems to make sense; everything sort of runs together with no particular shape or form. You can’t get a clear picture. When this happens, it is easy to get discouraged. However, if you keep working on your lesson, more often than not you will experience a moment of clarity. Everything falls into place. Without warning, the fog lifts, and the picture becomes clear. You wonder why you were stymied in the first place!

“Light bulb” moments like this can be exhilarating. You might find yourself pursuing your studies with renewed zeal. You will find that you can accomplish a great deal with this energy to fuel you. Perhaps you can recall a few of these instances when you suddenly became enlightened for no apparent reason.

I have experienced times when the “fog” lifts and my study material makes sense whereas before it did not. When this happens, I find that my whole outlook changes. I feel my enthusiasm for my studies returning and it is much easier to keep motivated to continue. Sometimes the light breaks through when I read the same material over again—several times. A breakthrough can also come about when I walk away from a difficult lesson or problem for awhile and then go back to it later. When I am working with figures, the calculations can at times be confusing. I might do the same problem several times. All of a sudden I see my error and I am able to reach the correct solution.

If you quit or concede defeat you will remain stuck in place without a clear picture of how to proceed or move forward. It is easy to give up when things are not going well. When mental blocks occur, it can be difficult to find an answer or to see what is happening. Everything seems blurred.That is why these foggy times can be so trying.

Be persistent and ask questions. If you hang in there and keep working on a problem, or lesson, the “fog” will eventually lift.You will arrive at that moment of comprehensibility. Then everything looks brighter!

What to Expect in Your Program

When I first enrolled in the Enhanced Medical Coding & Billing Specialist program at U.S. Career Institute, I did not have a lot of background regarding this profession. I was not entirely sure what to expect. I knew that I was interested in pursuing this career and that I would have to work hard. I found out that there was a lot of material to cover. In addition to the e-books (also available as hard copy “Instruction Packs”) there were supplemental materials including flashcards, CDs and medical billing software.

Instruction Pack One starts out with an introduction to healthcare and goes on to explore the role of a medical coder and biller as part of the healthcare team. The first lesson described what a medical coder and biller does and it helped to paint a picture of what a typical day might be like. The next four lessons are devoted to medical insurance. Insurance terminology is covered as well as the different types of insurance: Private Insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, Military Insurance, Workers’ Compensation and more.

Students are introduced to medical terminology in lesson six. Some of the terms were familiar to me but many of the others were not. Lessons seven and eight also deal with medical terminology. Each builds on what is learned in the previous lesson. The Quick Learn Tutor, flashcards and pronunciation CDs are used with this material as well. Instruction Pack One concludes with a discussion of “Medical Records” followed by a lesson concerning “Ethics and Legal Issues.”

Instruction Pack Two begins with a lesson on “Determining Payment.” The next three lessons deal with anatomy. Students are introduced to both the CMS-1500 Claim Form and the UB-04 Claim Form. This section of the course concentrates more on the billing portion of the program. Students learn about medical technology and how to fill out the claim forms. Secondary Claims are discussed in a separate lesson. Other things are covered as well such as EOBs (Explanation of Benefits) and how to manage accounts.

Instruction Pack Three starts out with a lesson on solving problems. This discussion includes problems that might be encountered with insurance carriers, physicians (providers) and patients. The next lesson covers a variety of “coding and billing resources.” The rest of the lessons concentrate on ICD-9-CM coding. It helps to have a better understanding of medical terminology before you start working with the codes. The lessons enable students to systematically work their way through diagnosis coding using the ICD-9-CM manual. Lesson 29 ends with an ICD-9-CM Coding Practicum.The final lesson discusses how technology might play a role in the future of health care. It addresses electronic health records and how the medical coding and billing profession is going to be affected.

Instruction Pack Four covers CPT Coding. Students learn how to use the CPT manual for coding procedures. The final lesson consists of a practicum that involves using both ICD-9-CM Coding and CPT Coding. You are combining everything that you have studied up to this point in the program.

Instruction Pack Five starts off with the final lessons devoted to CPT coding. There are two of them.The next lesson addresses HCPCS coding. The final lesson puts everything together, allowing students to combine everything that they have learned in the program in a final practicum.

There are some things that all of us can relate to regardless of our area of study. A distance learning student has to have self-discipline. Patience is a plus! Attitude is important. I was reminded once again that I do not have to be perfect. I just have to do the best that I can. It’s okay to ask questions. You are not expected to have all of the answers. These learning experiences are also a part of my/your education.

I have enjoyed my time at USCI. In addition to my program, I have had the privilege to write for the student blog. I enjoy your input and comments. You have helped to enrich my learning experience and to make my time here that much more memorable. Thank you!