Clinical auditors are professionals who analyze healthcare providers’ medical claims and financial documents to make sure that they are legitimate and accurate, and that they meet the requirements of established standards. If you would like to become a clinical auditor, you should complete four years of post-secondary training during which you take health and finance courses. You then need to acquire field experience via an internship to make yourself more attractive to hiring managers.
A person who wishes to become a clinical auditor needs to pursue a four-year bachelor’s degree in nursing. Enrollment in this type of program involves submitting his or her high school diploma or the equivalent certification as well as his or her high school transcript. You also have to turn in your latest standardized exam results along with a completed college admission application to the school of your choice.
Healthcare courses provide you with the foundation that you need to succeed in this career field. For example, you should study anatomy so that you understand the different parts of the human body that require various medical treatments. This is helpful if you seek to become a clinical auditor because this type of professional has to understand health terms when reviewing claims for different types of medical procedures. Courses also prepare you to pass an industry exam so that you can become a licensed nurse, a common requirement to excel in this line of work.
Finance and business courses additionally are essential for someone who works in this job area. You need to take classes on auditing, which teach you how to read financial statements and analyze accounts so that, when you become a clinical auditor, you can help an organization to remain in compliance with government regulations by verifying the accuracy of billing practices and medical record documentation. In addition, courses on how to manage electronic health records along with how to produce spreadsheets and written auditor reports will prepare you to succeed in a role in this vocational area.
Completing an internship gives you the first-hand experience necessary to be competitive in the industry. You can contact your college’s career services department to find out about companies near you that are willing to work with interns. During your hands-on training opportunity, you must sharpen your communication skills so that you can collaborate effectively with information technology personnel, regulators, and medical providers when tracking and resolving financial issues related to healthcare procedures. Building solid research and analytical skills is critical as you strive to become a clinical auditor.