'Twas the night before coding, and all through the ward,
The coders were working, their focus restored.
The charts were all stacked with care on their desks,
Ready to tackle each case and its tests.

The screens lit up brightly, with codes to align,
While modifiers and guidelines were all so divine.
The coders, all steady, their fingers on keys,
Translating the language of diagnoses with ease.

From ICD-10 to CPT, they knew what to do,
Each procedure and visit had a code, that was true.
The coding was flawless, the charts in the queue,
No errors in sight, not a single one new.

With eyes that were sharp and minds that were clear,
They worked through the night, with passion sincere.
No claim left behind, no detail too small,
For coders know well, it's precision that’s all.

When out of the office, the evening would creep,
The coders would sigh, their work now complete.
They’d shut down their systems, their screens all aglow,
With a sense of fulfillment, their skills on show.
And as they departed, with heads full of care,
They whispered, “Good night, we’ll be back here to share.”
For tomorrow, they knew, there’d be more codes to find,
And with each new chart, they’d stay sharp and aligned.
And so, with the night calm, and work at a close,
The coders had done what they love to propose-
A job well done, each code placed with grace,
For a coder's true joy is in keeping the pace.

Betty A Hovey, BSHAM, CCS-P, CDIP, CPC, COC, CPMA, CPCD, CPB, CPC-I, is a nationally recognized healthcare consultant and speaker. She is an expert auditor and loves to help practices stay compliant and profitable. Betty states, "Physicians work hard for their practices and they should be paid properly for what they do."