Establishing coder productivity standards can be challenging if you don't know where to begin. There are many factors affecting productivity levels, from record type to the tools coders have available to them.
However, establishing fair standards for your coders is important, as is knowing whether your department is running efficiently.
HCPro conducted a detailed benchmarking survey earlier this year of HIM directors and managers nationwide to bring you the latest information on coder productivity levels and standards so you can compare your department to its peers.
Efforts to educate medical staff members on Medicare or other payer policies can be like herding cats. However, it is necessary to ensure compliance. The case management department cannot improve level of care decisions without cooperation from medical staff members.
Hardware, software, people, policy, and process must work together to achieve your organization's EHR goals. One of the earliest matters that policy must address surrounds organizational readiness for an EHR. In fact, having a policy of regular readiness assessment is an important step toward success. Even if a certain project with a certain group goes smoothly, that doesn't guarantee success for another project. You may think a policy that focuses attention on planning is not necessary, but implementing an EHR is a spiral of change, with each cycle repeating itself in many ways, often with new twists and turns.
Managing the changeover to ICD-10 may be so completely overwhelming for some HIM directors and managers that just getting started is the most difficult part.
Legible.Complete.Dated, timed, signed, and authenticated.That's what section 482.24 of the Medicare Conditions of Participation requires of your medical records.