Entry Level Inpatient Coder Jobs
New grad inpatient coder jobs attract recent graduates and entry level candidates with zero to two years of experience, where a strong internship or hands-on coding portfolio can matter more than a long resume. Most openings are on-site roles across Healthcare & Medical Services, Education, and Science & Research, with employers like Houston Methodist, The University of Michigan, and Piedmont Healthcare hiring at this level now.
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INTRODUCTION
At Houston Methodist, the Inpatient Coder position is responsible for ensuring diagnostic and procedure codes are assigned accurately to inpatient encounters based upon documentation within the electronic medical record while maintaining compliance with established rules and regulatory guidelines.
FLSA STATUS
Non-exempt
QUALIFICATIONS
Education
Associate’s degree or higher in a CAHIIM accredited program or additional two years of experience (in addition to the minimum experience requirements listed below) in lieu of degree
Experience
One year of relevant inpatient coding experience or successful completion of the Houston Methodist Coding Apprentice Program or Outpatient to Inpatient Coder Transition Program
LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS
Required
Must have one of the following:
- RHIT - Certified Health Information Technician (AHIMA)
- RHIA - Registered Health Information Administrator (AHIMA)
- CCS - Certified Coding Specialist (AHIMA)
SKILLS AND ABILITIES
Demonstrates the skills and competencies necessary to safely perform the assigned job, determined through ongoing skills, competency assessments, and performance evaluations
- Sufficient proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing the English language necessary to perform the essential functions of this job, especially with regard to activities impacting patient or employee safety or security
- Ability to effectively communicate with patients, physicians, family members and co-workers in a manner consistent with a customer service focus and application of positive language principles
- Knowledge of coding classification systems, DRG and APC systems, official coding guidelines and coding compliance
- Knowledge of an electronic medical record and imaging systems preferred
- Working knowledge of medical terminology, anatomy and physiology
- Proficiency with electronic encoder application preferred
- Extensive PC knowledge - must be able to work effectively in common office software, coding software and abstracting systems
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
PEOPLE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
Interacts and communicates effectively with members of the coding team and the appropriate stakeholders.
- Participates and provides good feedback during coding section meetings and coding education inservices as well as takes initiative to assist others and shares knowledge with the appropriate stakeholders.
SERVICE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
Responds promptly to internal and external customer requests. Responds promptly and appropriately to requests to code or review coded accounts for accuracy.
- Initiates queries with physicians to obtain or clarify diagnoses and/or procedures as appropriate, utilizing the established physician query process.
QUALITY/SAFETY ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
Maintains and achieves the highest standards of coding quality by assigning accurate/ICD-10-CM/ICD-10-PCS codes utilizing an electronic encoder application in accordance with hospital policy and regulatory body guidelines.
- Maintains and achieves department standards of abstracting quality by reviewing accurate discharge disposition entered by nursing and corrects if necessary in order to achieve the highest quality of entered data. Assigns and enters physician identification number and procedure date correctly in the medical record abstracting system.
- Reviews medical record documentation and abstracts data into the encoder and EPIC/Electronic Health Record (EHR) to determine principal or final diagnosis, co-morbid conditions and complications, secondary conditions and procedures. Utilizes all tools/resources for accuracy.
- Complies with the Standards of Ethical Coding as set forth by the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) and adheres to official guidelines.
FINANCE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
Utilizes time effectively. Consistently codes and abstracts at departmental standards of productivity while ensuring accuracy of coding.
- Supports meeting organizational goal for Accounts Receivables (AR) associated with uncoded accounts.
- Maintains coding timeframes within established departmental standards by ensuring all work items assigned to the coding queues are processed in a timely manner.
GROWTH/INNOVATION ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
Critically evaluates her or his own performance, accepts constructive criticism, and looks for ways to improve.
Displays initiative to improve relative to job function. Contributes ideas to help improve quality of coding data and abstracting data.
SUPPLEMENTAL REQUIREMENTS
WORK ATTIRE
- Uniform: No
- Scrubs: No
- Business professional: Yes
- Other (department approved): No
ON-CALL
- Note that employees may be required to be on-call during emergencies (ie. Disaster, Severe Weather Events, etc) regardless of selection below.
- On Call: No
TRAVEL
Travel specifications may vary by department
- May require travel within the Houston Metropolitan area: Yes
- May require travel outside Houston Metropolitan area: Yes
Company Profile:
Houston Methodist is one of the nation’s leading health systems and academic medical centers. The health system consists of eight hospitals: Houston Methodist Hospital, its flagship academic hospital in the Texas Medical Center, seven community hospitals and one long-term acute care hospital throughout the Greater Houston metropolitan area. Houston Methodist also includes a research institute; a comprehensive residency program; international patient services; freestanding comprehensive care clinics, emergency care and imaging centers; and outpatient facilities. Come lead with us!
Houston Methodist is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
INTRODUCTION
At Houston Methodist, the Inpatient Coder position is responsible for ensuring diagnostic and procedure codes are assigned accurately to inpatient encounters based upon documentation within the electronic medical record while maintaining compliance with established rules and regulatory guidelines.
FLSA STATUS
Non-exempt
QUALIFICATIONS
Education
Associate’s degree or higher in a CAHIIM accredited program or additional two years of experience (in addition to the minimum experience requirements listed below) in lieu of degree
Experience
One year of relevant inpatient coding experience or successful completion of the Houston Methodist Coding Apprentice Program or Outpatient to Inpatient Coder Transition Program
LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS
Required
Must have one of the following:
- RHIT - Certified Health Information Technician (AHIMA)
- RHIA - Registered Health Information Administrator (AHIMA)
- CCS - Certified Coding Specialist (AHIMA)
SKILLS AND ABILITIES
Demonstrates the skills and competencies necessary to safely perform the assigned job, determined through ongoing skills, competency assessments, and performance evaluations
- Sufficient proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing the English language necessary to perform the essential functions of this job, especially with regard to activities impacting patient or employee safety or security
- Ability to effectively communicate with patients, physicians, family members and co-workers in a manner consistent with a customer service focus and application of positive language principles
- Knowledge of coding classification systems, DRG and APC systems, official coding guidelines and coding compliance
- Knowledge of an electronic medical record and imaging systems preferred
- Working knowledge of medical terminology, anatomy and physiology
- Proficiency with electronic encoder application preferred
- Extensive PC knowledge - must be able to work effectively in common office software, coding software and abstracting systems
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
PEOPLE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
Interacts and communicates effectively with members of the coding team and the appropriate stakeholders.
- Participates and provides good feedback during coding section meetings and coding education inservices as well as takes initiative to assist others and shares knowledge with the appropriate stakeholders.
SERVICE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
Responds promptly to internal and external customer requests. Responds promptly and appropriately to requests to code or review coded accounts for accuracy.
- Initiates queries with physicians to obtain or clarify diagnoses and/or procedures as appropriate, utilizing the established physician query process.
QUALITY/SAFETY ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
Maintains and achieves the highest standards of coding quality by assigning accurate/ICD-10-CM/ICD-10-PCS codes utilizing an electronic encoder application in accordance with hospital policy and regulatory body guidelines.
- Maintains and achieves department standards of abstracting quality by reviewing accurate discharge disposition entered by nursing and corrects if necessary in order to achieve the highest quality of entered data. Assigns and enters physician identification number and procedure date correctly in the medical record abstracting system.
- Reviews medical record documentation and abstracts data into the encoder and EPIC/Electronic Health Record (EHR) to determine principal or final diagnosis, co-morbid conditions and complications, secondary conditions and procedures. Utilizes all tools/resources for accuracy.
- Complies with the Standards of Ethical Coding as set forth by the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) and adheres to official guidelines.
FINANCE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
Utilizes time effectively. Consistently codes and abstracts at departmental standards of productivity while ensuring accuracy of coding.
- Supports meeting organizational goal for Accounts Receivables (AR) associated with uncoded accounts.
- Maintains coding timeframes within established departmental standards by ensuring all work items assigned to the coding queues are processed in a timely manner.
GROWTH/INNOVATION ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
Critically evaluates her or his own performance, accepts constructive criticism, and looks for ways to improve.
Displays initiative to improve relative to job function. Contributes ideas to help improve quality of coding data and abstracting data.
SUPPLEMENTAL REQUIREMENTS
WORK ATTIRE
- Uniform: No
- Scrubs: No
- Business professional: Yes
- Other (department approved): No
ON-CALL
- Note that employees may be required to be on-call during emergencies (ie. Disaster, Severe Weather Events, etc) regardless of selection below.
- On Call: No
TRAVEL
Travel specifications may vary by department
- May require travel within the Houston Metropolitan area: Yes
- May require travel outside Houston Metropolitan area: Yes
Company Profile:
Houston Methodist is one of the nation’s leading health systems and academic medical centers. The health system consists of eight hospitals: Houston Methodist Hospital, its flagship academic hospital in the Texas Medical Center, seven community hospitals and one long-term acute care hospital throughout the Greater Houston metropolitan area. Houston Methodist also includes a research institute; a comprehensive residency program; international patient services; freestanding comprehensive care clinics, emergency care and imaging centers; and outpatient facilities. Come lead with us!
Houston Methodist is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
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Entry Level Inpatient Coder Jobs: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get an entry level inpatient coder job?
Start by earning a recognized credential such as the CPC, CCS, or RHIT, since most employers treat certification as the baseline for entry level candidates. Practical experience from a coding practicum, internship, or volunteer medical records work strengthens your application considerably. Tailoring your resume to show specific code sets you have worked with, such as ICD-10-CM and ICD-10-PCS, gives hiring managers a concrete signal of readiness.
Which companies hire entry level inpatient coders?
Companies hiring entry level inpatient coders right now include Houston Methodist, The University of Michigan, and Piedmont Healthcare, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. At this level, health systems, acute care hospitals, and revenue cycle management firms tend to post the most openings, as they often run structured onboarding programs designed to bring new coders up to production standards.
Are there remote entry level inpatient coder jobs?
Yes, though many employers prefer new coders to start on-site before transitioning. About 44% of entry level inpatient coder openings are remote or hybrid as of November 2026, reflecting broader industry shifts toward distributed coding teams. Candidates who can demonstrate strong accuracy rates and familiarity with encoder software often have an easier path to fully remote positions.
Are these new grad inpatient coder jobs?
Yes, the roles on this page include new grad, recent graduate, and junior inpatient coder positions. A posting is typically new-grad friendly when it welcomes zero to two years of experience, accepts an internship or practicum in place of professional coding history, or lists a completed certification as sufficient for consideration. If the job description invites candidates building their coding career, it is aimed at this stage.
Which industries hire the most entry level inpatient coders?
Entry Level inpatient coder roles concentrate in Healthcare & Medical Services, Education, and Science & Research, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. These sectors drive hiring at this level because inpatient coding is central to billing compliance and reimbursement accuracy, creating consistent demand for coders who are freshly certified and trained on current diagnosis and procedure code sets.