Medical Coding
What Is Medical Coding? A Complete Beginner's Guide
Dr. Meena Iyer — Senior Medical Coder February 18, 2026 6 min read
Medical coding is the process of translating healthcare diagnoses, procedures, medical services, and equipment into universal medical alphanumeric codes.
The diagnoses and procedure codes are taken from medical record documentation, such as transcription of physician's notes, laboratory and radiologic results, etc.
Medical coding professionals help ensure the codes are applied correctly during the medical billing process, which includes abstracting the information from documentation, assigning the appropriate codes, and creating a claim to be paid by insurance carriers.
“Medical coding converts healthcare diagnoses, procedures, and services into universal alphanumeric codes. Learn how it powers the entire healthcare revenue cycle.”