A spinal fusion is a major surgery used to fuse together two or more vertebrae so they can heal into a single bone. This article breaks down spinal anatomy and simplifies CPT and NCCI guidance for reporting spinal fusions. Note : To access this free article, make sure you first register here if you do not have a paid subscription.
Yvette DeVay, MHA, CPC, CPMA, CIC, CPC-I, writes that in the 2018 OPPS final rule, CMS removed total knee arthroplasty (TKA) from the inpatient-only (IPO) list, effective January 1, 2018. Although some guidance was provided at the time, providers and physicians alike were left confused with a significant number of questions regarding documentation and inpatient status.
Assigning the appropriate ICD-10-PCS code for spinal procedures can be a challenge for inpatient coders, as they need to correctly assign the entirety of a seven-character ICD-10-PCS code.
Joe Rivet, JD, CCS-P, CPC, CEMC, CHC, CCEP, CHRC, CHPC, CICA, CPMA, CAC, CACO, writes that proper reporting and documentation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) will help ensure accurate MS-DRG assignment and strengthen cases during inpatient audits. Note : To access this free article, make sure you first register here if you do not have a paid subscription.
A transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is an interventional cardiology procedure that has proven to be an important life-saving cardiac intervention frequently seen by inpatient coders. In this article, Stephen Houlahan, RN, MSN, MBA, CCDS, reviews TAVR history, clinical background, and documentation and reimbursement methodologies to ensure proper education and compliance for facilities.
Q: I know that the tumor, nodes, and metastasis (TNM) staging system can be used for ICD-10-CM coding purposes, but I’ve never used it before. As an inpatient coding professional, should I know how this system works and how to apply it?
Sepsis is a leading cause of death in U.S. hospitals, but in most of cases, sepsis alone may not be the true cause of the majority of inpatient, septic hospital deaths, according to recent research published by the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Cheryl Manchenton, RN, explains CMS’ Hospital-Acquired Condition Reduction Program (HACRP) and says inpatient coding professionals can play a significant role in HACRP success by understanding the basis for hospital-acquired condition scores and ensuring that documentation and coding accurately and fully captures patient conditions and complications.
Coders often wonder how to define realistic productivity benchmarks. Different facilities establish the responsibilities and expectations of their coding teams, so productivity standards are not uniform.Coders often wonder how to define realistic productivity benchmarks. Different facilities establish the responsibilities and expectations of their coding teams, so productivity standards are not uniform.
Providers will find significant leeway in how they can approach and report advance care planning services for physicians given CMS’ open-ended coding requirements, which should push the already strong growth of the codes to new heights.
