What have you done about ICD-10 since April?

Summer Relaxation???

Have you felt relaxed this summer with the ICD-10 delay?  Or, have you been hard at work using this bonus time to do the preparations that weren’t done last year?  No need to answer that question.  Summer is coming to an end and the school year is about to start again which makes us all look at our calendars to get ready for what lies ahead.

It’s time to re-energize your ICD-10 Committee, make sure your HIM Department is ready and reach out to your key stakeholders to get to the finish line.

Do you have a coding backlog?Now is the time to address your staffing ratio or to find a business partner.  Use this time to find a coding partner that has outstanding customer service.  Make sure you will get the reporting you need in a timely manner with 24/7 coverage through the ICD-10 implementation date.  Find a partner that will help you identify documentation issues and offer resolutions.
How is your CDI program doing?Are you tracking and trending your CMI?  Have you analyzed your DRG pairs/triplets?  What kind of feedback are you giving to your medical staff on the implications of ICD-10?  Now is the time to change documentation behaviors, revamp your forms, review your EMR systems to make sure the highest specificity is being captured.

Have you started dual coding?
A dual coding program for one year prior to the go live will give you data to act upon in preparation for the change.  Engage a coding vendor to help with the current ICD-9 codes while your team masters ICD-10.  Or find a vendor to code the ICD-10 portion while your team is getting up to speed.

What is your ICD-10 education plan?

Are your coders prepared for ICD-10?  How about the ancillary departments that perform registration?  Can they identify the difference between an I-9 and an I-10 code?  Will they know if they have a valid physician order?  Have you done an assessment of the clinical documentation systems that use ICD-9 codes? 

How are you preparing your physician staff?  Consider assisting them with their office super bills and offering training sessions for their staff.  When they see that you are taking a vested interest in their practice, they are more apt to embrace the hospital training programs.

Now is the time to get back into your ICD-10 preparation routine.  Make sure your team has monthly meetings scheduled and keep moving forward!

Need help?  Just call us at 239.908.4104.