Employee Spotlight: Diana Brown, Inpatient Coding Auditor
We’re proud to introduce our employee spotlight for the month of May. Meet Diana Brown, Inpatient Coding Auditor! Dive into her Q&A to learn more about her career journey and life outside of work.
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Tell us a little bit about yourself and your work! How did you get to where you’re at now?
I have been in the business for 28 years this month. I started out as a coder in a local hospital after graduating from college but after 3 years became bored and went into consulting. I was a coder traveling to hospitals in the US for many years. When EMR became the way of the world, I started working from home. I got into auditing at that point and that led to auditing and education.
What energizes you at work?
My personalized workspace that’s geared just to me. My flexible schedule (though I rarely stray from it), but I have control over when and how I work. Working early and getting off early makes my day fly by it seems. Autonomy-Being trusted to mange my own time makes me feel pretty good. Routine and structure.
Who or what has had the biggest impact on your career?
Working with some fabulous managers who taught me so many things that have been beneficial to my career. Working in consulting, as opposed to the hospital environment, has also had an impact on my career. I was a traveling coder in the beginning, that taught me a lot about independence, life and responsibility. I met a lot of people along the way and was exposed to many different things medically speaking.
What skills or qualities do you think are most essential for success in your role? Deep knowledge of coding systems, attention to detail, ability to think critically and have an educational mindset. I think as an auditor you should be able to think objectively also.
What does a typical day look like for you? Up very early to start work where I basically work two jobs for On Point. After work I will usually do some things around the house or outside on our property. Then I cook dinner, watch a little tv with my husband then its off to bed by 8:00.
What do you love most about the work you do? Independent, focused work. Constant learning. Detail oriented precision. Mentoring and educating other coders.
Do you have a morning routine? Ha! I always joke that my life is like Groundhog Day (the movie) because it is the same routine every day. Get up, make my husband’s lunch and coffee, make my coffee, go to my office. After a couple of hours, I get dressed.
Describe your perfect day off. A day where I can wake up naturally and not by the alarm. Enjoy my coffee while I read a book. Then I like to lay by the pool or spend a day at the beach. Maybe have brunch or lunch with friends. In the evening, I enjoy watching a movie with my husband with dinner and some wine. Oh and not feel guilty because I feel like I should be doing other things. If I can keep the guilt out of it, then it is truly the perfect day.
What’s your go-to coffee (or tea) order? Coffee first and then hot tea later
What has been the highlight of your year? I think it hasn’t happened yet 😊
What is something you’ve always wanted to learn? A foreign language, or even multiple. To play piano.
What’s the most adventurous thing you’ve ever done? I climbed the Syndey Harbor Bridge in Australia. This was truly an accomplishment because I am afraid of both heights and ledges.
If you could live anywhere in the world for a year, where would it be? Somewhere in the Caribbean because I never tire of that view. We love the ocean and try to visit once a year at least.
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Don’t forget to check back each month to get to know our featured employee of the month! We love sharing the different stories and personalities behind OnPoint, and we hope you enjoy learning more about our team.