Microsoft Suite
Athena Utley, BBA, RHIT
Inpatient Coder & Preceptor
Owens Cross Roads,AL
Summary
Dynamic, RHIT-certified Inpatient Coder and Preceptor with over nine years of progressive experience in health information management and inpatient rehabilitation coding. Recognized for leadership, accuracy, and productivity in the Virtual Coding Center (VCC East), consistently exceeding performance benchmarks while mentoring and training new coders to certification. Adept at coding audits, educational reviews, and interdepartmental collaboration to support compliance and quality outcomes. Strong analytical skills and deep understanding of medical terminology and coding guidelines ensure compliance and efficiency. Collaborative team player, adaptable to changing needs and focused on delivering high-quality results. Known for reliability and precision in maintaining detailed patient records.
Seeking to advance into a leadership role to continue developing coders, supporting educational initiatives, and contributing to operational excellence across the the remote environment.
Overview
13
13
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Inpatient Coder & Preceptor – Virtual Coding Center
Encompass Health
12.2017 - Current
- Have been remote/virtual since March 2019 and joined VCC in 2022.
- Selected as Preceptor (2023) and began precepting In Feb. 2024 with first preceptee certified by May 31, 2024.
- Mentor and train new coders through formal preceptorship program, ensuring readiness for certification and independent coding.
- Competed Coding Educational Review training in Fall 2024
- Conduct and document educational reviews for VCC coders to support continuous improvement.
- Regularly assist in identifying patterns and trends to guide coder education initiatives and process improvement.
- Code diagnoses and procedures per ICD-10-CM/PCS in inpatient rehabilitation.
- Assign impairment group codes and CMS 13 group codes with consistent accuracy.
- Maintain top-tier productivity (2 discharges/hr or 4 admissions/hr).
- While working in-house, provided education and guidance to hospital admission liaisons and presented at Medical Executive meetings.
- Query physicians to clarify documentation for accurate coding.
- Collaborate with multi-disciplinary teams (wound care, case management, therapy) to ensure compliance and data accuracy.
- Track and report CMS statuses, tiered comorbidities, and COVID-19 diagnoses for trend monitoring and reporting.
- Use 3M Encoder, Cerner (Ace-It), Patcom, and UDS Pro Ware for coding and data management.
- Utilize Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote) for reports and presentations.
- Enhanced the accuracy of medical coding by consistently reviewing and validating medical records for inpatient services.
- Increased job satisfaction among peers by fostering a positive work environment that encouraged collaboration, support, and open communication among team members.
Medical Staff Credentialing Coordinator
Encompass Health
11.2014 - 12.2017
- Maintained medical staff services & all aspects of credentialing/privileging for 250+ medical staff and allied health professionals in a timely and quality-based standard.
- Conducted primary source verifications such as background checks, licensure status, insurance information, and board certifications by obtaining data from required credentialing resources for credentialing and re-credentialing.
- Received and evaluated applications to look for missing and inaccurate information and prepared provider credentialing and re-credentialing files for approval processes, and contacted providers for information to comply with federal, state, and local guidelines.
- Tracked expiration dates on documents and communicated with appropriate staff to avoid late filing.
- Coordinated all meetings, (Performance Improvement, Medical Executive, Pharmacy, and Governing Body meetings) including agenda creation, minute taking, PowerPoint presentations, and catering.
- Spearheaded implementation of new EMR and transition from paper-based medical records by becoming a EMR super-user.
- Collaborated with medical staff to set them up in new EMR system, helped set up powerforms specific to providers, enrolled physicians in Dragon Dictation, and trained new medical staff on EMR (Cerner Ace-It) systems as needed.
- Assistant/Secretary to Medical Director and Physician Assistant, compiling patient rosters, call schedules, and billing information for his physician office.
- Assisted CEO, DCM, CNO, Director of HIM as needed with various reports and projects.
- Assisted with desktop support and technical issues hospital wide.
- Tracked data and compiled information for OPPE/FPPE, Performance Improvement, and patient Satisfaction and monitored for compliance.
- Maintained knowledge of Medical Staff policies and procedures, Bylaws, and Rules and Regulations.
- Improved organizational filing systems for confidential medical records, resulting in improved accessibility and efficiency.
- Maintained accurate files and current documentation, and requested updates for expiring information, in well-maintained databases using Microsoft Office Excel.
- Served as the company resource of information regarding the status of credentialing activities.
- Prepared records for site visits and file audits according to JCAHO standards and CMS regulations.
- Used Microsoft Office including Excel, Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, and other software tools to create documents and other communications.
Case Management Assistant
Encompass Health (formerly HealthSouth)
07.2012 - 11.2014
- Assisted DCM & 6 case managers with workflow, communications, information tracking, report creation, and links with community resources.
- Accessed lab reports, medications, progress notes, history and physicals, discharge summaries, and radiology reports to accompany transport packets to skilled nursing facilities, primary care providers, insurance organizations, and home health agencies.
- Faxed and confirmed orders to external vendors to support continued care and discharge planning.
- Built initial Case Management file on admission.
- Thinned and expunged old files.
- Completed follow up calls to patients for status updates.
- Assisted Medical Records in determining Length of Stay information when needed by obtaining FIM scores and appropriate admission diagnosis to assign IGC codes.
- Scheduled & confirmed appointments and arranged post-discharge services.
- Reviewed patient choice letters for required signatures and provided follow up Important Message to Medicare’ to Medicare patients prior to discharge.
- Filed, copied, scanned, faxed, and emailed high volume of communications.
- Managed supply inventory and ordered as needed.
- Attended regularly scheduled case management and staff meetings.
- Used Microsoft Office including Excel, Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, and other software tools to create documents and other communications.
Education
Bachelor of Business Administration - Business Administration
Faulkner University
Montgomery, AL08-2013
Associate of Applied Science - Health Information Technology
Wallace State Community College
Hanceville, AL12-2017
Skills
ICD-10-CMS/PCS Inpatient Rehabilitation Coding
Certification
Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) – Active since 2017
Accomplishments
- Ranked in Top 5 most productive VCC East coders for entire year of 2023 while maintaining 95 % expected coding accuracy.
- Selected as Preceptor in 2023 and successfully trained multiple new coders to certification (first certified May 2024).
- Completed Coding Educational Review training (Fall 2024); have since completed numerous reviews.
- Consistently rated “Exceptional” on annual performance evaluations (2023 – 2025).
- Achieved Top 20 overall productivity (2024 – 2025) while simultaneously precepting and completing educational reviews.
- Continued mentoring several additional new coders through to certification and independence.
- Joined the National Society of Leadership and Success (NSLS) in 2025 to further strengthen leadership development.
Affiliations
- American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA)
- Alabama Association of Health Information Management (AAHIM) – Elected President of Council (2020–2021)
- National Society of Leadership and Success (NSLS) – Member since 2025
Work Availability
monday
tuesday
wednesday
thursday
friday
saturday
sunday
morning
afternoon
evening
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Quote
There is a powerful driving force inside every human being that, once unleashed, can make any vision, dream, or desire a reality.
Tony Robbins
Software
Adobe
3M Encoder
Cerner
Languages
English
Native or Bilingual
Spanish
Elementary
French
Elementary
Interests
Animals & Homesteading
Gardening
Painting
DIY projects
Websites
Timeline
Inpatient Coder & Preceptor – Virtual Coding Center
Encompass Health
12.2017 - Current
Medical Staff Credentialing Coordinator
Encompass Health
11.2014 - 12.2017
Case Management Assistant
Encompass Health (formerly HealthSouth)
07.2012 - 11.2014
Bachelor of Business Administration - Business Administration
Faulkner University
Associate of Applied Science - Health Information Technology
Wallace State Community College