Not many clinical conditions cause more consternation for inpatient coders and CDI specialists than acute and chronic respiratory failure. In this article, William E. Haik, MD, FCCP, CDIP, details acute and chronic respiratory failure and the critical elements in the health record that validate their reporting.
The benefits outweigh the difficulties when it comes to retrospective reviews. How do you get started with this new venture? Like many aspects of CDI, there are many ways to approach the problem. This article details these approaches, including how to enhance coder and CDI collaboration for these reviews.
Laurie L. Prescott, MSN, RN, CCDS, CDIP , details the basics of ICD-10-CM/PCS for newer inpatient coders including a review of the ICD-10-CM seventh-character extension, placeholder use, and ICD-10-PCS root operations. Note : To access this free article, make sure you first register here if you do not have a paid subscription.
Adrienne Commeree, CPC, CPMA, CCS, CEMC, CPIP, reviews ICD-10-CM/PCS cardiac coding for American Heart Month and writes that since accurate coding improves data quality for these conditions, which in turn is used for statistics and tracking trends, ensuring the disease process is captured correctly is imperative. Note : To access this free article, make sure you first register here if you do not have a paid subscription.
CDI professionals can improve documentation and data scores via a mortality review process. This article discusses the various types of mortality reviews and publicly reported data and gives tips on how to implement a successful mortality review process.
Joe Rivet, JD, CCS-P, CPC, CEMC, CHC, CCEP, CHRC, CHPC, CICA, CPMA, CAC, CACO, explains that reporting sepsis has long been a challenge for many coders even with the continual release of Coding Clinics and guideline revisions. In this article, Rivet reviews common coding traps for this condition including reporting urosepsis, severe sepsis, and sepsis on admission.
Julian Everett, BSN, RN, CDIP, details her experience reviewing pediatric mortality cases for the first time and gives tips on how the different revenue cycle departments can work together to improve their processes and outcomes.
Shannon McCall, RHIA, CCS, CCS-P, CPC, CEMC, CRC, CCDS, HCS-D, reviews Coding Clinic , Fourth Quarter 2018, advice surrounding body mass index reporting and how new advice conflicts with previous guidance. McCall also reviews payment methodologies and the official guideline updates for this condition. Note : To access this free article, make sure you first register here if you do not have a paid subscription.
Denise Wilson, RN, MS, RRT, and Karla Hiravi, RN, BSN, explore why coding and clinical denials for acute kidney injury (AKI) and acute tubular necrosis (ATN) are different and the importance of different appeal strategies.
Training new inpatient coders and CDI staff is a big job that often takes several months to conclude, but the end of orientation doesn’t mean that staff members never have to undergo education ever again. As most are keenly aware, the ground is always moving under our feet. From new regulations, to coding guideline changes, to new clinical definitions, education never truly ends.
Adriane Martin, DO, FACOS, CCDS, reviews Coding Clinic’s Third and Fourth Quarter 2018 advice including reporting for coronary artery bypass grafting, drainage of an abscess in the submandibular space, and diabetes. Note : To access this free article, make sure you first register here if you do not have a paid subscription.
The mechanics of the concurrent coding process can cause headaches for both CDI and coding professionals. Plus, one could argue that CDI’s presence itself limits the number of necessary post-discharge clarifications without the process of concurrent inpatient coding. This article reviews ways that CDI programs can get involved with this process and work collaboratively with coders.
This article reviews HCPro’s 2018 coding productivity survey and reviews data on factors that have affected coder productivity, remote coders, and collaboration between coders and CDI specialists, including charts coded per hour and coding accuracy standards.
CMS recently made several updates in its latest version of its Hierarchical Condition Category (HCC) list, including revisions to the mental health and chronic kidney disease categories. And, while HCCs may not be a common review focus for inpatient coders and CDI professionals, capturing HCCs for these conditions is paramount for accurate reporting and reimbursement.
Assigning the appropriate ICD-10-PCS code for spinal procedures can be a challenge for inpatient coders as they need to correctly identify each character of the seven-character code. In this article, Nena Scott, MSEd, RHIA, CCS, CCS-P, CCDS , offers coding tips for reporting spinal surgery cases in ICD-10-PCS and examines the correct use of each character. Note : To access this free article, make sure you first register here if you do not have a paid subscription.
Adriane Martin, DO, FACOS, CCDS, writes that with the complexity of malnutrition—and the complexity of updated criteria—even the most seasoned inpatient coder should review ICD-10-CM malnutrition coding guidelines and criteria frequently to ensure compliant reporting.
Sepsis has been notoriously hard to report in ICD-10-CM, which means coders should not only fully understand coding guidance and guidelines for sepsis, but they should also have a thorough knowledge of its clinical aspects as well. Cesar M. Limjoco, MD , breaks down these clinical aspects and sheds light on the various sepsis definitions coders have encountered over the years.
The original DRG system aimed to categorize similar patients with theoretically similar treatments and charges based on the patient’s principal diagnosis and up to eight secondary diagnoses. As time has gone by this system has expanded and become more complicated, making it essential for inpatient coders to understand to ensure accurate reporting and facility reimbursement.
Adrienne Commeree, CPC, CPMA, CCS, CEMC, CPIP , writes that while reporting mental illness is on the radar for outpatient coders, inpatient coders should be up to date with these diagnoses as well. Capturing this data in the inpatient setting not only substantiates reimbursement, it is also used to identify national trends for tracking and understanding these serious conditions. Note : To access this free article, make sure you first register here if you do not have a paid subscription.
Sarah Humbert, RHIA, and Catrena Smith, CCS, CCS-P, CPCO, CPC, CIC, CPC-I, CRC, CHTS-PW, explore three scenarios for onboarding new inpatient coders and provide valuable advice to prepare them for success.
