Behavioral health is a highly specialized area of coding that many coders and billers are unfamiliar with. There are hundreds of ICD-10-CM codes for mental disorders with unique characters to specify symptoms and complications.
Case managers have long faced challenges related to caring for patients who are affected by social determinants of health. These factors have become even more of an issue since the implementation of healthcare reform, with the introduction of accountable care organizations and other innovative projects.
The most important means of identifying and documenting social determinants of health (SDoH) is establishing a strong patient screening program. Recording codes for SDoHs in the medical record can be time-consuming, so streamlining your screening process can make this job less arduous and more accurate.
HIPAA training is required by the HIPAA rules, under § 164.530, Administrative requirements. But just because it’s required doesn’t mean it has to be repetitive, boring, or unappealing. There are ways to make your healthcare staff excited about HIPAA training. At the very least, you can do your part to make sure they’re engaged.
