Erica E. Remer, MD, FACEP, CCDS, reviews recent Coding Clinic guidance surrounding the code assignment of a Salter-Harris type I physeal fracture of the third metatarsal bone of the left foot.
Just like their inpatient acute care counterparts, inpatient psychiatric facilities use ICD-10-CM codes, but their payment structure, documentation requirements, prevalent clinical conditions, and additional documentation requirements needing capture are vastly different.
James S. Kennedy, MD, CCS, CDIP, CCDS , writes that ICD-10-CM/PCS documentation and coding rules surrounding patient safety indicators (PSI) must be honored in order to ensure proper compliance and reimbursement.
According to the National Institute of Health, approximately 100,000 Americans have sickle-cell disease. In this article, Peggy Blue, MPH, CCS, CCS-P, CPC, CEMC , breaks down the complexities of the disease and clarifies reporting of the diagnosis. Note : To access this free article, make sure you first register here if you do not have a paid subscription.
Allen Frady, RN-BSN, CCDS, CCS, CRC, reviews proposed changes applicable to coding and CDI teams within the fiscal year (FY) 2019 IPPS proposed rule including HIV disease, ARDS, and CC/MCC changes.
A common question that coders often ask is when to report a secondary diagnosis. In part two of this two-part series, Gloryanne Bryant, RHIA, CDIP, CCS, CCDS , looks at the chapter-specific coding guidelines related to secondary diagnosis coding found in the ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting.
Allen Frady, RN-BSN, CCDS, CCS, CRC, reviews various guidance related to clinical validation to help coders and CDI teams better navigate the complex topic.
Shannon McCall, RHIA, CCS, CCS-P, CPC, CEMC, CRD, CCDS, writes that while the fiscal year (FY) 2019 IPPS proposed rule is considering the downgrade of ICD-10-CM code B20 (human immunodeficiency virus [HIV] disease) from an MCC to a CC, it does not mean that diagnosing and coding for HIV has lessened in complexity.
A common question that coders often ask is when to report a secondary diagnosis. In part one of this two-part series, Gloryanne Bryant, RHIA, CDIP, CCS, CCDS , looks at the general coding guidelines related to secondary diagnosis coding found in the 2018 ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting.
Allen Frady, RN-BSN, CCDS, CCS, CRC, writes about guidance related to documenting acute respiratory insufficiency and gives tips to coders and CDI teams on what to do when the conditions are over-documented postoperatively.
A diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) now includes several conditions that used to be diagnosed separately: autistic disorder, pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified, and Asperger’s syndrome. Peggy Blue, MPH, CCS, CCS-P, CPC, CEMC , reviews these terms to aid accurate coding. Note : To access this free article, make sure you first register here if you do not have a paid subscription.
James S. Kennedy, MD, CCS, CDIP, CCDS, writes that the various approaches hospital systems use to optimize their DRG-based case-mix index or HCC-based risk adjustment factor scores will likely conflict with how an accountability agent will see those measurements.
James S. Kennedy, MD, CCS, CCDS, CDIP, writes that clinical validity, documentation, and ICD-10-CM coding applicable to liver disease remains a great challenge to those invested in severity and risk-adjustment coding compliance. In this article, he reviews several pitfalls that could await facilities.
Danielle Richmond says that while inpatient coder shortages are nowhere near what they were with ICD-9-CM, new challenges have emerged. This article shares important advice for any managers trying to improve their coder recruitment and hiring process.
Coders often seek definitions for realistic productivity benchmarks, and standards depend on how a given facility establishes the responsibilities and expectations of its team. Therefore, before assessing a coder’s success, a facility must set goals that define that success. Note : To access this free article, make sure you first register here if you do not have a paid subscription.
Yvette M. DeVay, MHA, CPC, CPMA, CIC, CPC-I , reviews the anatomy of the brain and details treatments and surgeries associated with the brain and how to report them in ICD-10-CM/PCS.
Laura Legg RHIT, CCS, CDIP, looks at the results of Central Learning’s second annual ICD-10 Coding Contest and highlights ways facilities can use the data to improve coding performance and accuracy. Note : To access this free article, make sure you first register here if you do not have a paid subscription.
Laurie L. Prescott, RN, MSN, CCDS, CDIP, CRC, writes that even though CDI specialists are not coders, it’s important to learn the rules and guidelines that coders follow. CDI teams need to reference guidance and guidelines in their daily work to ensure documentation is clear, concise, and supportive of accurate code assignment true to the patient’s story.
Osteoarthritis is the most common joint disorder in the United States and one of the leading causes of chronic pain and disability, according to the National Institutes of Health. In this article, Shannon McCall, RHIA, CCS, CCS-P, CPC, CEMC, CRC, CCDS, examines ICD-10-CM/PCS coding and associated guidance for this condition. Note : To access this free article, make sure you first register here if you do not have a paid subscription.
Paul Evans, RHIA, CCDS, CCS, CCS-P, tackles the various characteristics of creating a query and says that while all portions of any program, such as education and metrics, are important, the proper formulation of a query represents the most important task for a CDI professional.