Risk is the new buzzword in healthcare, right up there with denial. In fact, CDI programs often deploy physician advisors to assist with shared risk payment models, denial prevention, and improved outcome performance.
Cancer is so prevalent that it is virtually impossible to find anyone who hasn’t personally been affected by or known someone who has this disease. According to the American Cancer Society , in 2017, there were an estimated 1,688,780 new cancer cases diagnosed and 600,920 cancer deaths in the United States.
Jennifer Cayce, RHIT, CCS, CCS-P, CPC , explores the conundrums of reporting acute kidney disorders due to confusing clinical terminology and addresses some of the problematic areas of nephrology diagnoses.
Adrienne Commeree, CPC, CPMA, CCS, CEMC, CPIP , provides background on vaccinations and writes that coding for vaccine administration isn’t relegated to the outpatient coder; inpatient coders also have codes to report for vaccine administration. 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, says that knowledge of coding guidelines and Coding Clinic advice, as well as an understanding of the spine anatomy and the spinal fusion procedure itself, can go a long way toward helping put together the pieces of the fusion puzzle.
Chris Simons, MS, RHIA, details way to improve querying across health information management (HIM), coding, and CDI departments since querying providers is a key strategy for improving documentation. Note : To access this free article, make sure you first register here if you do not have a paid subscription.
As I sit down to summarize the proposed fiscal year (FY) 2019 ICD-10-CM update, the number of changes proposed are significantly less than the prior two years. This makes me think we’re getting back to the norm of expected yearly changes.
Numerous Briefings on Coding Compliance Strategies (BCCS) advisory board members will be presenting at the 2018 AHIMA Convention and Exhibit in Miami, Florida, from September 22–26. The advisory board members will cover topics including ICD-10-PCS accuracy basics, surgical complications, and HIM leadership.
As with many diagnoses in the inpatient setting, acute kidney disorders can be confusing for coders to report due to multiple abbreviations and varying clinical criteria. Although the ICD-10-CM codes for the genitourinary system may seem straightforward, they don’t always line up precisely with the provider’s documentation in the medical record.
Amy Sanderson, MD, says that the term “dysphagia” has many synonyms used by providers in medical documentation. However, not all of these symptoms are able to describe the diagnosis with enough specificity so that it can be translated into its corresponding code assignment.
Adriane Martin, DO, FACOS, CCDS, summarizes the proposed changes found in the fiscal year (FY) 2019 IPPS proposed rule, broken down by Major Diagnostic Category (MDC), that would impact ICD-10-CM/PCS codes. Note : To access this free article, make sure you first register here if you do not have a paid subscription.
William E. Haik, MD, FCCP, CDIP , AHIMA-approved ICD-10-CM/PCS trainer, Jonathan Besler, CPA, MA , and Mary Devine, RN , write that while it is well-known that ICD-10-CM/PCS code assignment impacts hospital reimbursement and compliance, there is an additional code that often flies under the radar for inpatient coders and has a huge impact on reimbursement: the discharge status code.
Emergency departments (ED) at designated trauma centers encounter some of the most complex patients—and with them, a complicated documentation web that’s difficult for even the most experienced CDI specialists and coders to untangle.
Greek philosopher Heraclitus once said the only constant is change. With the release of the fiscal year (FY) 2019 IPPS proposed rule , and all of the changes it contains, CMS has certainly proven Heraclitus correct. The rule applies to 3,257 acute care hospitals, and once finalized, will affect discharges on or after October 1.
In many cases, knowing when to query is simple, but the more challenging cases contain clues that require additional interpretation. Drew Siegel, MD, CCDS, takes a look at a few of the more interesting and often undocumented diagnoses, including respiratory failure and acute kidney injury, and points out the diagnostic clues to form a compliant query.
Rose T. Dunn, MBA, RHIA, CPA/CGMA, FACHE, FHFMA, CHPS , writes that beyond auditing for code assignment, coding reviews also provide an opportunity for you to conduct a thorough compliance evaluation that not only addresses other components of the coding process but also the integrity of the patient’s record. Note : To access this free article, make sure you first register here if you do not have a paid subscription.
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.
