Queries will no doubt increase due to the increased specificity in ICD-10-PCS. John C. Alexander Jr., MD, MBA, James Fee, MD, CCS, CCDS, and George W. Wood II, MD, offer insight into which specialties will be most impacted and how coders can talk to surgeons about the query process.
Coders will need to master root operations in order to be successful in ICD-10-PCS. Cindy Basham, MHA, MSCCS, BSN, CCS, CPC, writes about which root operations will be most frequently used for cardiovascular procedures and how to interpret the guidelines related to them.
Six ICD-10-PCS root operations require a device, including Revision, Replacement, and Removal. Gretchen Young-Charles, RHIA, and Anita Rapier, RHIT, CCS, review how to differentiate these root operations and report associated devices.
ICD-10 implementation will arrive very soon, and many facilities are putting the final touches on their preparations. In the rush to complete coding education, documentation improvement, and system updates, HIM managers may not have looked at looming MS-DRG shifts.
The only difference between ICD-10-PCS root operations Excision and Resection is the amount of the body part removed. Jennifer Avery, CCS, COC, CPC, CPC-I, Anita Rapier, RHIT, CCS, and Cheree Lueck, BSN, RN, provide tips for determining the correct root operation.
ICD-10-PCS will completely change the way coders report inpatient procedures. Shannon E. McCall, RHIA, CCS, CCS-P, CPC, CPC-I, CEMC, CCDS, and Lynn Kuehn, MS, RHIA, CCS-P, FAHIMA, reveal potential trouble spots for the new coding system.
Drainage procedures can be therapeutic in nature or diagnostic, such as when a physician removes a fluid or gas for biopsy. A nita Rapier, RHIT, CCS, Nelly Leon-Chisen, RHIA, and Shannon E. McCall, RHIA, CCS, CCS-P, CPC, CPC-I, CEMC, CCDS , highlight the differences in coding diagnostic and therapeutic thoracocentesis and lumbar tap procedures in ICD-10-PCS.
ICD-10-PCS root operations Excision and Resection differ only in how much of a body part is removed. Review these situations to clarify which root operation to report.
Physician groups have led much of the resistance against ICD-10 implementation. At its June Delegates meeting, the AMA approved a resolution from W. Jeff Terry, MD, for a two-year grace period to protect physicians from errors and mistakes related to the code set. Terry also authored an AMA resolution to delay ICD-10 in November 2011, which led to postponing implementation until October 1, 2014.
The Cooperating Parties added a 17th section to the ICD-10-PCS Manual for 2016: Section X (New Technology). Pat Brooks, RHIA, and Rhonda Butler, CCS, CCS-P, highlight how and when to use codes in this new section.
ICD-10-PCS root operations Drainage, Extirpation, and Fragmentation involve removing material from the body, but in different ways. A nita Rapier, RHIT, CCS, Kristi Stanton, RHIT, CCS, CPC, and James Fee, MD, CCS, CCDS, offer tips for distinguishing between the root operations.
The AHA’s Coding Clinic for ICD-10 continues to provide updates and guidance for a variety of inpatient procedures, both routine and not so routine. J ames S. Kennedy, MD, CCS, CDIP, Anita Rapier, RHIT, CCS, and Sharme Brodie, RN, CCDS, highlight some important advice from Coding Clinic.
With fewer than 100 days until ICD-10-CM/PCS implementation, plenty of questions still remain about ICD-10-PCS coding. The AHA's Coding Clinic for ICD-10 continues to provide updates and guidance for a variety of inpatient procedures, both routine and not so routine. We examine some of that guidance in this article.
Sharme Brodie, RN, CCDS , highlights guidance on ICD-10-PCS root operations and seventh characters for ICD-10-CM from the latest issue of Coding Clinic .
ICD-10-PCS does not include unspecified options so coders will need information for each of the seventh characters in the code. Cheryl Ericson, MS, RN, CCDS, CDIP, and Lynn Salois, RHIT, CCS, CDIP, review some of the areas where a surgical query might be needed.
ICD-10-CM will still allow coders to report unspecified codes. However, coders will not have that option in ICD-10-PCS. Every character has to have a value, which will lead to an increase in surgical queries.
Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) is a minimally invasive procedure to open up blocked coronary arteries. Laura Legg, RHIT, CCS, AHIMA-approved ICD-10-CM/PCS trainer, Mary H. Stanfill, MBI, RHIA, CCS, CCS-P, FAHIMA, and Sara Clark, RHIA, MLS, AHIMA-approved ICD-10-CM/PCS trainer, explain how coders will report PTCA in ICD-10-PCS.
Coronary artery bypass graft procedures are not the only ones coders will report using the root operation Bypass in ICD-10-PCS. Jennifer E. Avery, CCS, CPC-H, CPC, CPC-I, and Lisa Crow, MBA, RHIA, explain how to code for other bypass procedures in ICD-10-PCS.
