The climb to conquer Mount ICD-10 is going to get steeper and more difficult. Be sure you have an experienced guide to help you on this perilous journey. The ICD-10 transition difficulties were lessened by CMS by not dropping all of the thousands of new codes on the healthcare industry at one time. That is going to change.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently added for review about 1,900 diagnosis codes and 3,651 hospital inpatient procedure codes to the ICD-10 coding system for healthcare claims in fiscal year 2017. The large number of new codes is due to a partial freeze on updates to the ICD-10-CM and ICD-10 PCS codes prior to implementation of ICD-10 on Oct. 1, 2015. The new diagnosis codes are included in the hospital inpatient prospective payment system proposed rule for FY 2017.
There is time to get prepared for onslaught of these new codes. Begin your search for an outsourcing partner who has the expertise to lead your facility on this journey and ensure your revenue cycle is not impacted.
While patient volumes are on the rise with the newly insured, your ability for achieving patient satisfaction, profitability, and compliance goals are increasingly at risk. A robust Health Information Management (HIM) program has never been more critical to the success of healthcare organizations than it is now.
This is precisely the time to engage with a partner who brings a deep understanding of the revenue cycle. An experienced outsourcing partner can help you cut through the complexity of the new ICD-10 codes with expertise, operational excellence, and a sophisticated technology approach.
An experienced outsourcing partner can offer a comprehensive range of HIM solutions that will help you comply with these new codes using a diverse portfolio of services, including:
– Clinical Documentation Improvement (CDI)
– ICD-10 Evaluations, Education and Staffing
Make sure your facility has an “experienced Sherpa” to help you master the climb to the pinnacle of “Mount ICD-10.”
