Importance of Anatomy and Physiology in Medical Coding and Billing

Anatomy and Physiology

Human anatomy is the study of the various body structures, such as hands, muscles,
and organs like the liver and heart. Human physiology is closely related with human
anatomy. It is the study of the functioning of human structures and organs. Thus, while
human anatomy focuses on how various human structures appear, human physiology
examines how the structures function (Shiland, 2016). For instance, human anatomy would
look at the appearance of bones and muscles while human physiology would examine how
the bones are brought together or apart through contraction and relaxation of muscles.

Medical Coding and Billing

Medical coding involves translating doctor’s diagnoses and prescriptions into either
alphanumeric or numeric codes (Shiland, 2016). There are unique codes for every service that
a patient receives in a healthcare facility. Once codes have been created, information is used
for medical billing. Medical billing involves preparation of bills to be paid by the patient
either through their insurance cover or from out of pocket.

Relationship Between Anatomy and Physiology and Coding and Billing

Knowledge of human anatomy and physiology helps coders and billers to prepare
bills that are accurate. This is because dictations of physicians usually include medical
terminologies, details of procedures, organ names, and surgical approaches that can only be
understood if one has some knowledge of human anatomy (Gonzalez, Ruiz & Perez-
Fernandez, 2020). Since knowledge of physiology is key to understanding human anatomy,

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especially gross anatomy, it is important that medical coders and billers understand both
human physiology and human anatomy in order to prepare accurate bills.

Personal Experience with Coding and Billing

I have had various experiences with coding and billing. The most common experience
is the statement I receive in my email any time I go for medical checkups. The statement
details procedures performed on me or services that I received and the outstanding fees that
has not been covered by insurance.

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References

Gonzalez, D., Ruiz, M., & Pérez-Fernández, J. (2020). Billing and Coding. In Critical Care
Administration (pp. 199-206). Springer, Cham.

Shiland, B. J. (2016). Medical Terminology & Anatomy for Coding-E-Book. Elsevier Health
Sciences.