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Coder II - Trauma

Advocate Health · Milwaukee, WI · Remote available · $26.55–$39.85 an hour · Full time

Posted Sep 25, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

Tell me about your experience coding surgical or complex specialties. What made trauma or a similar specialty harder than general coding?

What they are checking: Whether they have real specialty depth for a team that handles surgical and complex professional coding.

How do you balance productivity standards with accuracy when a single trauma encounter can take a long time to code correctly?

What they are checking: Whether they can manage production pressure without cutting corners on cases that take real effort.

Working remotely, how do you get answers quickly when you're stuck on a guideline question?

What they are checking: Whether they know when to use references, peers and educators instead of guessing or sitting stuck.

How do you keep up with CPT, ICD-10-CM and payer policy changes that affect surgical coding each year?

What they are checking: Whether they keep their AAPC or AHIMA skills current through real habits, not only required credit hours.

What would you do

A trauma note is long and partly templated, and the surgeon's procedure description is vague about what was actually done. What's your next step?

What they are checking: Whether they will query for clarity instead of coding to the highest plausible service.

You disagree with a coding educator's feedback on one of your audited trauma charts. How do you raise it?

What they are checking: Whether they can make a calm, guideline-based case for their choice and accept the outcome either way.

About the work

How do you approach coding a trauma surgeon's professional services when a patient has multiple injuries and several procedures in one session?

What they are checking: Whether they can sequence multiple procedures, apply modifier 51 and 59 correctly, and avoid bundling errors on complex trauma cases.

When would you use modifier 25 on a trauma E/M service, and what do you look for in the note to support it?

What they are checking: Whether they know when a separately identifiable E/M is truly supported, a frequent audit target in surgical coding.

How do you handle critical care time for a trauma patient, including when critical care and a procedure happen the same day?

What they are checking: Whether they understand critical care time rules and which procedures can or cannot be counted inside that time.

Explain how global surgical periods affect what you can bill when a trauma patient returns to the OR during the global period.

What they are checking: Whether they can choose between modifiers 58, 78 and 79 correctly, which directly affects payment for return trips.

How do you assign ICD-10-CM injury codes, including the seventh character and external cause codes, for a patient in a car crash?

What they are checking: Whether they handle injury coding conventions accurately, since trauma claims depend heavily on correct encounter characters.

Practice this interview out loud.

Offer builds a real interview for this exact role at Advocate Health from your resume and this job description, asks the questions one at a time, and tells you what landed. The first one is free.

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The full job description

As published by Advocate Health.

Department: 13495 Enterprise Revenue Cycle - Coding Production Operations: Professional Coding Operations Surgical and Complex Status: Full time Benefits Eligible: Yes Hou rs Per Week: 40 Schedule Details/Additional Information: Will support : • Trauma Schedule : • Monday - Friday 1st shift 40 hours a week. Certification required : • Coding Certification issued by one of the following certifying bodies: American Academy of Coders (AAPC), or American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA). Remote opportunity: • Advocate Health may approve those who wish to work out of the following registered states: AL, AK, AR, AZ, DE, FL, GA, IA, ID, IL, IN, LA, KS, KY, ME, MI, MO, MS, MT, NC, ND, NE, NH, NM, NV, OH, OK, PA, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, WI, WV, WY Pay Range: $26.55 - $39.85 Major Responsibilities: • Independently perform complex, specialty-specific professional fee coding (CPT/HCPCS and ICD-10-CM) for physician services rendered in both office and hospital settings, ensuring expert application of modifiers and E/M guidelines, or; • Perform entry-level facility coding for simple outpatient encounters (e.g., diagnostic imaging, labs) and basic inpatient services (e.g., uncomplicated admissions, short stays) using ICD-10-CM and ICD-10-PCS, where applicable • Ensure all coding adheres strictly to official guidelines (e.g., provided by AAPC or AHIMA), federal regulations (CMS), and organizational compliance standards • Identify the need for formal clinical queries for documentation clarification when necessary for professional or facility records • Maintain high accuracy and productivity standards appropriate to the complexity of the assigned workload • May provide informal guidance to new coding staff on professional coding nuances ​ Licensure, Registration, and/or Certification Required: • An active coding certification issued by the American Academy of Coders (AAPC) OR American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA); Dual certifications, preferred Education Required: • High School Diploma or Equivalent required • Completion of an accredited medical coding or HIM program (or equivalent experience) Experience Required: • Minimum of 3-5 years of direct professional fee coding experience in a multi-specialty environment is required • Experience with professional procedural coding (e.g., surgical, interventional procedures) is preferred • Experience with Epic or similar electronic health record systems is required Knowledge, Skills & Abilities Required: • Proficient knowledge of medical terminology, anatomy, and pathophysiology • Advanced proficiency in CPT/HCPCS and ICD-10-CM/PCS coding systems • Basic understanding of facility payment methodologies (MS-DRGs) as they apply to simple encounters • Strong analytical skills, attention to detail, and ability to context-switch between different coding guidelines • Ability to work independently, manage a varied workload, and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment Physical Requirements and Working Conditions: • ​Exposed to normal office environment in a remote work setting • Job may require occasional travel for training or meetings, therefore, may be exposed to road and weather hazards • May need to be able to lift up to 40 lbs. occasionally (e.g., equipment) • Sits the majority of the workday, but also may lift, reach, and bend throughout the day • Operates all equipment necessary to perform the job This job description indicates the general nature and level of work expected of the incumbent. It is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities required of the incumbent. Incumbent may be required to perform other related duties. #REMOTE #LI-REMOTE Our Commitment to You: Advocate Health offers a comprehensive suite of Total Rewards: benefits and well-being programs, competitive compensation, generous retirement offerings, programs that invest in your career development and so much more – so you can live fully at and away from work, including: Compensation • Base compensation listed within the listed pay range based on factors such as qualifications, skills, relevant experience, and/or training • Premium pay such as shift, on call, and more based on a teammate's job • Incentive pay for select positions • Opportunity for annual increases based on performance Benefits and more • Paid Time Off programs • Health and welfare benefits such as medical, dental, vision, life, and Short- and Long-Term Disability • Flexible Spending Accounts for eligible health care and dependent care expenses • Family benefits such as adoption assistance and paid parental leave • Defined contribution retirement plans with employer match and other financial wellness programs • Educational Assistance Program Note: Eligibility for programs listed above may depend on your FTE or status (e.g., full-time, part-time, per diem, temporary, etc.); please ask a Recruiter for more information during an interview. About Advocate Health Advocate Health is the third-largest nonprofit, integrated health system in the United States, created from the combination of Advocate Aurora Health and Atrium Health. Providing care under the names Advocate Health Care in Illinois; Atrium Health in the Carolinas, Georgia and Alabama; and Aurora Health Care in Wisconsin, Advocate Health is a national leader in clinical innovation, health outcomes, consumer experience and value-based care. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Advocate Health services nearly 6 million patients and is engaged in hundreds of clinical trials and research studies, with Wake Forest University School of Medicine serving as the academic core of the enterprise. It is nationally recognized for its expertise in cardiology, neurosciences, oncology, pediatrics and rehabilitation, as well as organ transplants, burn treatments and specialized musculoskeletal programs. Advocate Health employs 155,000 teammates across 69 hospitals and over 1,000 care locations, and offers one of the nation’s largest graduate medical education programs with over 2,000 residents and fellows across more than 200 programs. Committed to providing equitable care for all, Advocate Health provides more than $6 billion in annual community benefits.

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