Most HIM directors have October 2013 looming in their minds as the ICD-10 implementation deadline. But according to many experts, coders should be coding in both ICD-9 and ICD-10 well in advance of that date.
They are becoming as common in healthcare as a stethoscope draped around a physician's neck. Check the pocket of a doctor's white coat, and you're likely to find a mobile device, whether it be a tablet computer or a smartphone.
Technology is changing rapidly, and it's creating big challenges for healthcare organizations when it comes to protecting PHI. Privacy and security officers should keep an eye on these changes-from more mobile devices to social media to cloud computing-over the next several months, according to a group of industry prognosticators.
So you've looked at your readmission data, and you've found a problem. One nursing home or SNF is sending back a large number of patients for readmission within 30 days.
