Master 35 Medical Records Abstractor interview questions covering ICD coding, data accuracy, and HIPAA compliance.
Question 5 of 35
How to Answer
Example Answer
Community Answers

Krista Wenz has been on thousands of interview panels hiring EMS professionals and firefighters for public and private agencies.
Everyone makes mistakes, and the interviewer wants to hear that you have the integrity to admit to a mistake and learn from it. Since the Medical Records Abstractor position requires attention to detail, the interviewer wants to see that you realize how important it is to pay attention to minor details so mistakes don't happen in the future. Start by explaining the mistake. Then describe the actions you took to resolve the error. Be sure you emphasize the positive aspects of the situation and how your actions after recognizing the mistake affected the outcome positively.

Krista Wenz has been on thousands of interview panels hiring EMS professionals and firefighters for public and private agencies.
"I made a mistake early in my career as a Medical Assistant when I inadvertently wrote a patient's blood pressure down as 182/70 instead of 128/70. When the physician saw the chart, they ordered a referral to a cardiologist for further evaluation. I thought that was odd since the patient had normal vital signs and was not complaining of chest pain. I asked why the physician ordered a referral, and they said because the patient's blood pressure was so high. I was confused as to why 128/70 was high, so I looked at the chart again. I realized my mistake and immediately told the physician that I had transposed the numbers. They had me retake the patient's blood pressure, which was within normal limits. The physician laughed it off and told me to be more careful in the future."

Interview Coach
Jaymie
A real coach, not AI. I read every answer myself and write back with personalized feedback.
Typically responds within 24 hours.
0 - Character Count
Unlock expert responses that demonstrate medical terminology knowledge and chart review proficiency.
Get StartedJump to Question

Written by Krista Wenz
35 Questions & Answers • Medical Records Abstractor

By Krista

By Krista