Sarah Nehring, RHIT, CCS, CCDS, writes that ICD-10-CM/PCS reporting for the cardiac system is complex and requires frequent review in order to report the most accurate codes. In this article, Nehring covers ICD-10-CM/PCS coding and clinical indicators for cardiogenic shock, intra-aortic balloon pumps, and more. Note : To access this free article, make sure you first register here if you do not have a paid subscription.
Dawn Valdez, RN, LNC, CDIP, CCDS, says that the clinical indicators used to validate sepsis can also have other possible etiologies that could be equally responsible for the clinical indicators that are present—these are known as competing diagnoses.
Q: We recently had a patient admitted with severe acute meningitis causing respiratory decompensation. A diagnostic lumbar puncture and mechanical ventilation were both performed during the inpatient stay. Which of these two procedures would be the principal procedure?
The Office of Inspector General (OIG) recently released its fiscal year (FY) 2020 Healthcare Fraud and Abuse Control Program report. During FY 2020, the federal government won or negotiated more than $1.8 billion in healthcare fraud judgments and settlements, according to the report.
Judith L. Kares, JD, details pertinant changes found in the fiscal year (FY) 2022 IPPS final rule, including payment rate updates and the repeal of the MS-DRG relative weight (RW) methodology.
The American Medical Association (AMA) recently announced that it updated the CPT code set to include new codes for third doses of the Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines.
To select the most specific CPT codes for prenatal care, physician coders must have a solid understanding of complex guidelines for reporting pregnancy-related office visits. Lori-Lynne A. Webb, CPC, CCS-P, CCP, CHDA, COBGC , unpacks services included in the global obstetric package and CPT coding for routine prenatal care.
Hospital coders often review charts for patients with diarrhea, ulcerative colitis, and other colorectal problems. Review ICD-10-CM coding for common conditions of the large intestine and CPT coding for proctosigmoidoscopies, sigmoidoscopies, and colonoscopies. Note : To access this free article, make sure you first register here if you do not have a paid subscription.
Read up on ICD-10-CM code updates for fiscal year 2022, including new codes for post-COVID-19 symptoms, social determinants of health, and poisonings by cannabis and synthetic cannabinoids.
CMS released the fiscal year (FY) 2022 IPPS final rule on Monday, August 2, which finalizes its efforts to cushion the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on hospital revenue and resources. Along with payment rate updates, the final rule also repealed the MS-DRG relative weight methodology and hospital cost-reporting requirement finalized in the 2021 IPPS final rule.
In this article, Laurie L. Prescott, RN, MSN, CCDS, CCDS-O, CDIP, CRC, reviews Coding Clinic , Second Quarter 2021, advice for reporting encephalopathy, a laparoscopic salpingo-oophorectomy, and more.
Howard Rodenberg, MD, MPH, CCDS, and Lynn Shay, CPHQ , say that making sense of varying COVID-19 case-mix index metrics is an important endeavor that will sometimes require a bit of DIY. In this article, they explain how they were able to unscramble their departments’ COVID-19 case-mix index data.
Lori-Lynne A. Webb, CPC, CCS-P, CCP, CHDA, COBGC, writes that inpatient coding for pacemaker Insertions can be confusing to both novice and experienced coders. Because of this, it’s important for all inpatient coders to regularly review ICD-10-PCS reporting for these procedures. Note : To access this free article, make sure you first register here if you do not have a paid subscription.
HIM and coding directors and managers report some gains in salary but have fewer staff in the department with no plans to hire new staff, according to the results of an HCPro’s 2021 HIM director and manager salary survey. Although directors’ and managers’ salaries and benefits appear to have weathered the financial effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, HIM departments may continue to see resources stretched thinner than ever.
The kidneys filter waste and excess fluid from the blood. As kidneys fail, these wastes build up. The symptoms of chronic kidney disease (CKD) generally develop slowly and aren't specific to the disease. Often, there are no noticeable symptoms, and the condition is noted incidentally from a diagnostic testing, or the symptoms first appear once the disease course has reached significant impairment.
With most patient charts now housed in EHRs, technology has become a standard part of the healthcare industry. Growing technological adoption, however, means physicians spend an increasing amount of time on computers and using technology.
