Ashley Carson, Director of Coding & Compliance at RCCS, will be celebrating her 5th year at the company in June. But she has been making positive changes in the industry for far longer than that. Over her impressive 20+ year tenure, she has shown great passion for improving her workplace and supporting her team.
 
After receiving her certification, Ashley began working at United Hospital Center in West Virginia. There, she started her career mainly working with billing and collections. She later received her first coding job at WVU Medicine, where she remained for 10 years.
 
“I went from being a coding specialist to a team lead, and when they created the professional coding educator position, I stepped into that role and stayed there for almost four years,” she explained.
 
In 2019, Ashley made a career change and started a new chapter at RCCS where her focus shifted towards consulting. Eventually, she had a hand in the creation of Coding+, RCCS’ outsourced workforce solution assisting with remote coding needs. Her focus then shifted again to the growth and development of Coding+.
 
“I stepped into the manager role for Coding+ after a year of being a consultant and grew that area and division for 2 1/2 years,” she explained.
 
She continues to expand the specialties they offer, as well as create and strengthen repeat business for assessments and education. Since its inception, she has been the driving force behind Coding+, remaining its sole manager, a role she passionately embraces.
 
“One of my goals when I came here was to eventually step into a management role and, luckily, I got to do that! I’ve helped grow a foundational pillar of business for RCCS with Coding+ and am excited as my role continues to expand and grow,” Ashley said.
 
While achieving her professional goals at RCCS, Ashley finds fulfillment in various aspects of her work.
 
“I like what I do here because I have the freedom and ability to grow new relationships with not only clients but employees and build an outsourced coding environment where everyone feels supported and educated,” she continued.
 
High-quality, custom education is a top priority for Ashley. She said she strives to provide ongoing education as a staple of what they do both internally and externally in their coding department.
 
“If my coders don't feel like they've been educated or they don't know the guidelines surrounding their assignment then I failed,” Ashley explained.
 
She understands the healthcare industry evolves every day, or at the very least, every year. She feels it is her responsibility to ensure her coders and clients alike stay updated with the latest information.
 
“By providing full spectrum education with follow-up and assessments, I am more confident in my team [and] I can share that confidence with our clients by ensuring the people working with their charts have attended and passed the proper educational assessments,” she explained.
 
Ashley's work doesn't just make a difference within her department and for their clients. Her work extends its impact across various levels within the organization and beyond. Proper education means proper documentation, which contributes to overall compliance and best practices. When everyone is practicing compliance, there are fewer denials on the back end which affects the revenue cycle process and the client’s bottom line.
 
“Coding is the central hub that can affect both front-end and back-end parts of the industry and by educating them properly, the other divisions work better like a well-oiled machine,” she added.
 
Beyond her coding duties, Ashley leads a busy life. Over the past year alone, she presented webinars for BC Advantage and contributed to the virtual CROWN seminar sessions.
 
Additionally, Ashley has shared her expertise through public speaking engagements at provider education seminars, addressing audiences ranging from 10 to 250 people during her career. Ashley is a member of both AHIMA and AAPC and is currently preparing for a compliance specialty certification in 2024.
 
Writing articles is another activity Ashley has also dabbled in. She has published articles in For the Record Magazine and is now helping members of her staff contribute to other publications.
 
Outside of work, Ashley finds joy in riding motorcycles and cherishing time with her three children, who keep her occupied with their various activities.