A profile of coding staff in Sydney metropolitan public hospitals

This survey assessed the profiles of ICD-10-AM coding staff employed in 13 major, acute care public hospitals in Sydney, Australia, during a two-week period in 1999. Approximately 90% (56/61) of respondents gave their job title as Clinical Coder or Coding Clerk; of these, 20 (36%) were qualified Health Information Managers, of whom 10 coded for >or=90% of their work-time and three for <75% of the time. One quarter of all Clinical Coders/Coding Clerks spent >25% of their work time performing duties other than coding. Five Health Information Management (HIM) Clinical Coders/Coding Clerks were paid under the Clerical, rather than the HIM, Award.