Taking today’s challenges head on will demonstrate the HIM professional’s ability to adapt to a changing landscape and provide its organization with a reduction in operating costs and the provision of superior service.
Many HIM directors and coding managers say it takes all three to recruit high-quality, experienced medical record coders post-ICD-10. While coder shortages are nowhere near what they were in ICD-9, new challenges have emerged for HIM staffing.
A successful outpatient CDI program will be invaluable to an organization, but without a focus and plan the program can become overwhelmed and ineffective. HIM and CDI need to work closely together to identify the greatest areas of opportunity in the outpatient setting and ensure that goals are aligned throughout the continuum of care.
Working remotely can seem like an attractive option to CDI specialists but it comes with its own challenges. A few simple steps can help CDI specialists thrive in a remote environment.
Resolving claims returned with National Correct Coding Initiative edits or Medically Unlikely Edits can be a time-consuming process. Organizations need processes to promote best practices and keep appeals on track, as well as coding and billing policies that address common front-end problems that lead to these edits.
The specificity of ICD-10 ushered in a stronger focus on clinical coding audits. From internal reviews to external coding audits, healthcare organizations nationwide are revisiting tried-and-true audit practices with ICD-10 coding quality in mind.
Hiring remote CDI specialists can help ease staffing shortages and improve efficiency. But starting or expanding a remote CDI program takes planning and preparation to be successful.
The new ICD-10-CM codes for FY 2018, effective October 1, represent significant changes in our documentation and coding practices. In follow-up to last month’s column, let’s discuss additional new codes and their potential impact upon your diagnostic decision-making and documentation.
