Inpatient Coder (DRG Coder) Recruiters
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Hire an inpatient coder who can defend DRG assignment when the record is incomplete or conflicting.
No upfront fee. You pay only if you hire.
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- DRG Coder
- Inpatient Coding Specialist
What does this hire really come down to?
Open inpatient coding seats can leave discharged charts waiting for review and delay follow-up on documentation questions. We recruit permanent DRG coders who review the encounter, apply ICD-10-CM and ICD-10-PCS, assign MS-DRGs or APR-DRGs, and identify supportable clarification needs. A strong inpatient coder reads beyond a diagnosis list.
No upfront fee. You pay only if you hire.
They compare the admission record, discharge summary, operative report, progress notes, pathology, and other relevant documentation. They determine the principal diagnosis, reportable conditions, procedures, and resulting DRG. We ask how they resolve differences among those records.
Production pace matters, but unsupported coding creates rework, denials, and audit questions. We screen for candidates who can explain when documentation supports coding, when a query is appropriate, and what they do after an unanswered query. Your team conducts its own credentialing, coding assessment, and final hiring review.
What do we check before you see anyone?
CCS credential. We confirm whether the candidate holds the Certified Coding Specialist credential and how recently they used inpatient coding knowledge. CCS may be preferred for your opening, but it does not replace your own case review. MS-DRG and APR-DRG assignment.
- We ask for a de-identified example involving principal diagnosis selection, secondary diagnoses, procedure coding, and DRG review. We ask what they investigate when the grouping result does not match the encounter.
- CDI query workflow. We ask how the candidate identifies a documentation gap, gathers record-based indicators, and submits a neutral clarification through the established workflow. We also ask how they handle a provider response that does not resolve the issue.
- ICD-10-CM and ICD-10-PCS updates. We ask how candidates review current coding changes and apply new guidance during chart review. This matters when operative documentation contains detailed procedure components.
- EHR record review. We ask where candidates look for operative details, discharge documentation, pathology, and provider notes. We also ask how they record corrections and route a coding question for internal review.
- Privacy and work history. We review employment dates, stated reasons for changes, and experience handling protected health information. A coder may seek broader inpatient work, a permanent department seat, different schedules, or clearer audit feedback.
These are recruiting discussions about experience and stated credentials, not a substitute for clinical assessment. Your organization completes formal credentialing, license and privilege checks, and the hiring decision.
Where do we find them, and why would they move?
Hospital HIM departments are an important source pool. Coders from community hospitals may bring broad medicine and surgery exposure and may seek a different case mix, closer CDI contact, or a permanent role. Coding vendors and outpatient coders moving up are additional source pools.
Vendor coders may have worked across varied documentation styles. Outpatient candidates receive closer screening for inpatient DRG logic, ICD-10-PCS, and query work before interview.
Which mistakes stall the search?
A common mistake is treating years in coding as proof of current inpatient skill. Ask whether the candidate recently assigned MS-DRGs, APR-DRGs, and inpatient procedure codes after discharge. Another is interviewing only for pace. Ask what the candidate does when notes conflict, an operative report lacks detail, or a provider does not answer a query.
Assuming general coding experience transfers to your record system. Ask how the candidate finds late documentation, documents corrections, and escalates a disputed coding decision.
How would we run the search for this opening?
We discuss your DRG model, case mix, common procedures, EHR, work location, audit process, and CDI handoff. We screen credentials, work history, location interest, compensation alignment, and coding judgment. You meet candidates and assess the choices that matter in your department.
Describe the open seat
If the role covers surgery, oncology, rehabilitation, or general medicine, we screen for recent matching work.
Review permanent candidates
We present candidates whose background fits the discussion. We offer a candidate replacement guarantee on standard search agreements. The applicable period and exact terms are set out in the signed client recruiting agreement.
Interview against real decisions
If useful, use a hypothetical incomplete operative note or conflicting diagnosis documentation. You select the hire and complete credentialing.
Tell us the role and setting. We will discuss the work and terms with you before a search begins. There is no fixed shortlist or placement promise.
What happens next
- The initial conversation clarifies the work, location and search terms.
- Ivan or a senior team member will reach out soon.
- When we recommend someone, you get reasons for fit and open questions to assess. We support interviews and offer discussions.
- Fees.
- No upfront fee. Pay only if you hire, under the signed agreement.
- Exclusivity.
- Set out in the signed client agreement.
- Confidentiality.
- We agree the brief before outreach. This is not a promise of absolute anonymity.
- No hire.
- No hire means no fee on standard searches.
Where this search connects
National median annual wage. SOC 29-2072, Medical Records Specialists.
BLS reports Medical Records Specialists as one occupation. It does not publish a separate estimate for Inpatient Coder (DRG Coder), its setting or its engagement terms.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, 2025-05, released 2026-05-15. View source. See the full guide.
Open roles
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Can you provide temporary coding coverage?
Permanent/direct-hire recruitment is our core service across clinical, operational and leadership roles. If you need a temporary or other arrangement, describe the need so we can discuss whether we can help. Responsibilities and terms must be confirmed separately for that engagement. Your organization retains clinical assessment and credentialing responsibility.
Do inpatient coders need a license?
This role is usually evaluated through coding credentials and demonstrated inpatient work rather than a professional license. Tell us if your organization or location has a license-related condition, and your team makes the final credentialing decision.
Can you recruit for either MS-DRG or APR-DRG experience?
Yes: tell us which grouping model drives daily work and whether the coder must handle both. We ask for recent assignment examples rather than treating all inpatient backgrounds as interchangeable.
What if the coder works closely with CDI?
We screen for direct query workflow experience and ask how the candidate supports a clarification with record-based indicators. We also ask how they respond when a query is unanswered or a provider disagrees.
What do we owe if we interview but do not hire?
No upfront fee. You pay only if you hire. The written agreement covers the fee and replacement terms for a standard permanent search.
What should you send us about this role?
Send us the role, where the person will work and what needs to change with this hire. We will ask about the work, not just the title. Share any license or schedule limits that could rule someone out before we begin the search.
Tell us which records create the most coding rework, which DRG model your team uses, and how CDI questions move through your department. We will begin a permanent search around that daily work.
No upfront fee. You pay only if you hire. We offer a candidate replacement guarantee on standard search agreements. The applicable period and exact terms are set out in the signed client recruiting agreement.
What happens next
- The initial conversation clarifies the work, location and search terms.
- Ivan or a senior team member will reach out soon.
- When we recommend someone, you get reasons for fit and open questions to assess. We support interviews and offer discussions.
- Fees.
- No upfront fee. Pay only if you hire, under the signed agreement.
- Exclusivity.
- Set out in the signed client agreement.
- Confidentiality.
- We agree the brief before outreach. This is not a promise of absolute anonymity.
- No hire.
- No hire means no fee on standard searches.
Which other positions in this family should you consider?
Medical Coder (Certified Coder, CPC, CCS) · Outpatient & ED Coder
What happens beyond the introduction?
We explain our recommendation in writing and flag what your team still needs to assess. We gather interview feedback, resolve practical questions and support offer discussions. The goal is the right person for the work, not simply a shortlist.
Read the full six-step search process · Compare recruiting models
What are the fee and payment terms?
No upfront fee. You pay only if you hire. The signed agreement sets the fee and when it is due, along with the placement terms. We agree those terms before the search starts and before any candidate introductions. Temporary or contract coverage is a separate arrangement.
How long will it take to see a short list?
That depends on the job, schedule, available people, and what your employer can offer. We discuss those constraints before outreach and update you as candidates respond. We do not promise a fixed shortlist date. We check the job brief before arranging interviews. Tell us which parts of the role you can change.
What if a candidate receives a counteroffer?
We ask why the person wants to move and discuss competing decisions before an offer. A counteroffer can still change their choice. Keep the duties and offer clear rather than assuming more money settles every concern. Tell us early if parts of your offer cannot change, so the candidate hears it from us first.
What are the replacement terms?
We offer a candidate replacement guarantee on standard search agreements. The applicable period and exact terms are set out in the signed client recruiting agreement. Ask us to walk through those terms before you sign, so you know how a replacement would work for your opening and who would start it.
What do we not do in a standard permanent search?
We do not bill standard contingency search by the hour or simply repost your job. Temporary coverage is a separate arrangement. Any retainer or different engagement must be agreed, not assumed. Tell us early if you need coverage while the permanent search runs.