Ambulatory Surgery Coder - Remote (US)

Type: Contract, remote within the United States | Location: Remote, United States | Positions: 1 | Term: 12-month base period from November 1, 2026, with one possible option year | Start: contingent on contract award

The role

Our client is a large tertiary health system in the Great Lakes region whose health information management program spans inpatient, outpatient, and surgical care across a wide range of medical specialties. On the system's new sixteen-person coding team, this is the dedicated ambulatory surgery seat - the specialist the surgical volume runs through.

You will code same-day surgical encounters across the system's procedural specialties, working in CPT, HCPCS, and ICD-10-CM with the modifier discipline surgical coding demands. Surgery coding is completed immediately after the procedure whenever possible, so you sit close to the clinical pace of the ORs and procedure suites.

This position requires U.S. citizenship, and all work must be performed from within a U.S. jurisdiction. Successful completion of a background investigation is required before starting.

What you will own

• Coding ambulatory surgery encounters against a daily productivity standard of approximately nine surgical encounters, immediately after the procedure when possible and always within five calendar days
• Assigning and sequencing CPT, HCPCS, and ICD-10-CM codes for procedural records, verifying component codes against comprehensive codes and applying modifiers only where clinically supported
• Issuing provider queries when operative documentation is unclear or incomplete, and closing every query within 30 days of the date of service
• Abstracting surgical, medical, and demographic data from the record, including unusual procedures not clearly listed in code books
• Maintaining a personal coding accuracy rate of 95% or better, measured separately by code set

What we require

• An active AHIMA credential (RHIT, RHIA, CCS, or CCS-P) or AAPC CPC, maintained throughout the engagement, with the baseline ICD-10 continuing-education units your credentialing body requires
• Two years of continuous professional coding experience in a health system comparable in size and complexity to a large tertiary medical center
• Completion of an accredited coding certificate or HIM/HIT program, with formal training in anatomy and physiology, medical terminology, disease processes, pharmacology, and reimbursement methodologies
• U.S. citizenship and fluent spoken and written English
• Eligibility to pass a background investigation and exclusion-list screening

What will set you apart

• A surgical coding background across multiple procedural specialties
• Experience on current-generation cloud EHR and encoder platforms

Work environment

Remote-first: work is performed from your own workspace over the client's secure VPN, with occasional on-site work only by mutual agreement. All personnel must be physically located in a U.S. jurisdiction while working.

Hours and coverage

The program runs 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, with your schedule set inside that window. The team maintains overlap for handoffs and coverage during absences.

Compliance and credentialing

Immunization documentation (MMR, hepatitis B, varicella, TB screening, annual flu) and participation in annual privacy and compliance training are required. The client maintains a competency file for each coder covering certifications, experience, and completed training.

Location

Remote (U.S.)

Why candidates will be interested

The single dedicated surgical coding seat on a sixteen-person team - specialist work with clear standards, a two-year runway, and your required coding CEUs funded as part of the engagement.