No industry or profession is immune to the budget crunch. Unfortunately, many coding departments fall into a routine and neglect to assess their costs and look for innovative ways to save money.
Editor's note: In 2011 we're celebrating MRB's 25th birthday with special content each month. For October, we've put together a report on the latest quarterly benchmark survey findings, this time on ICD-10 implementation efforts. Just a few of the highlights from the report are included below.
According to a survey on coder productivity published in the May edition of MRB, 83% of those with remote coding programs reported that coder productivity either remained the same or increased after a remote coding program was implemented at their facility. That's great news for those considering establishing a remote coding program. And there are many reasons to do so, both for your coding staff and for your hospital.
Coding productivity will decrease at least initially with the switch to ICD-10-CM/PCS. Coders will also need complete, accurate documentation to take advantage of the new code set's increased specificity. So HIM and coding managers need to know how productive their coders are and the extent of their clinical knowledge base, as well as how accurately and completely physicians are documenting.
The staff at St. Francis Hospital-the Heart Center in Roslyn, NY, recognize that ICD-10 is more than a one-person job, which is why Elizabeth Heller, RHIA, HIM director, and Adelaide M. La Rosa, RN, BSN, CCDS, clinical documentation improvement (CDI) program director, are cochairing efforts.
