ICD-10 Hub Blog
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ICD-10: It’s Time to Dive In
13 May
By Phil Dolan
While it passed quietly and almost completely unnoticed, May 1 represented an important marker for ICD-10 preparations. The beginning of May was exactly a year and a half before the ICD-10 implementation deadline on October 1, 2014. Although 18 months might seem like more than enough time to prepare, the reality is that ICD-10 is a transition of historical proportions that will affect everyone in your organization. Despite this, many practices are struggling, or worse, haven’t started preparing because it is an overwhelming process.
Navicure recently hosted a free webinar, ICD-10: It’s Time to Dive In, to help practices prepare for ICD-10. AAPC expert, Shelly Cronin, CPC, CPMA, CPPM, CPC-I, CANPC, CGIC, CGSC, led the webinar and discussed:
- An overview of ICD-10, including the major differences between it and ICD-9
- Tips on how to build awareness, educate and obtain buy-in from stakeholders to achieve the benefits of ICD-10
- How ICD-10 impacts clinical and office staffs, systems and processes
- Various ICD-10 documentation challenges, coding examples and more
To learn more, download a free recording of the webinar. Be sure to let us know if you have any questions in the comment box below.
By Phil Dolan
I recently spoke with Brad Justus, a healthcare IT professional and ICD-10 blogger about where providers should be in their ICD-10 preparations and how to face the challenges associated with getting the whole organization ready for implementing the new code set. This first part of our interview focuses on why practices should have already created an implementation strategy. Stay tuned for future posts that will take a look at additional strategies and tools for implementing ICD-10 with other new industry regulations.
Where do you think practices should be in their preparation for ICD-10, and from what you can tell, are practices where they should be?
Everybody needs to be prepared for this big movement. I like to describe it as a combination of Y2K, Sarbanes-Oxley, and maybe a little bit of the Mayan apocalypse. We’re at that point in the timeline where everything needs to be taken seriously. If practices haven’t started preparing, they need to start right away. I like to say that time and talents are running out, and since everyone has to comply at the same time, there are only so many resources to go around—the sooner you start, the better.
By Ken Bradley
With a year and a half to go, your practice should be well on its way to preparing for the ICD-10 implementation. There are several timelines available to help, including one detailing plans for this year, that can help keep you on track. This month you should start developing a timeline for IT installations, in addition you should be sure that previous steps have been completed or at least being worked on diligently.
While developing this plan, there are several questions you should keep in mind as you determine the best way to work with vendors on IT updates:
By Phil Dolan
Most practice administrators understand the urgency of ICD-10 education for physicians. It’s no secret that practices face reduced revenue streams if clinical documentation fails to support the high degree of specificity built into ICD-10 codes. Yet convincing providers of the importance of ICD-10 training is often another matter entirely.
On the whole, providers’ objections to ICD-10 education can be boiled down into one of three main concerns: lack of time, reluctance to change habits or lack of ICD-10 awareness. Some advanced preparation on the part of practice administrators can go a long way toward addressing each of these concerns, and setting the stage for a smoother ICD-10 transition.
By Ken Bradley
With less than two years to go for the October 1, 2014, ICD-10 implementation deadline, everyone in the industry is ramping up for the transition. This includes practices, hospitals and health networks, vendors, and health plans. Every organization should be in the beginning stages of communicating their timelines and planning expectations with each other to ensure a smooth transition.
Health plans, in particular, should be well on their way with planning and preparations, since much of the industry is looking to them for advice and leadership through the transition. Your practice and the vendors you work with will rely on health plan updates to determine how to proceed, since you’ll both have to work with health plans to submit data.
By Ken Bradley
History is a great teacher. The recent 5010 transition, for example, can provide many lessons. Consider letting your history with 5010 guide your expectations of vendors in regard to the upcoming ICD-10 transition.
In general, practices should expect vendors to be able to describe all proposed ICD-10 capabilities, as well as: when they’ll be tested; when the test results will be released; and when upgrades should occur. Ask your vendors for dates—and then hold them accountable. Mark on your calendar the date halfway between now and when the vendor predicts each stage will be complete. That’s when you should follow up to be sure they are still on track.
By Ken Bradley
It’s officially official – according to a recent American Medical News article the ICD-10 implementation deadline will be October 1, 2014, and there will be no additional delays. The report is based on a letter that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) wrote to the American Medical Association (AMA) explaining that the industry must move forward with ICD-10 to “modernize the health care system,” among several other reasons.
The article says one of the main reasons there won’t be an additional delay is that another delay could cause more harm than good. Private and public hospitals, health plans and physician practices alike have already devoted large amounts of resources to preparing for the transition. A delay might cause them to lose many benefits of the investments they’ve already made in buying new technology and training staff.
By Jeff Wood
Open communication with vendors is essential to help set the stage for a smooth transition to ICD-10. It’s important to hold regular conversations with your vendors, and it’s equally important to know the right questions to ask. Questions about logistics, training and education, and system functionality all should be addressed.
Consider logistics, for instance. Practices will need answers from their vendors to questions such as:
• When will an ICD-10 update be available?
• How big is the update? For example, is it only necessary to load the new ICD-10 values or will there be significant changes to screens and interfaces?
• Will there be any costs associated with upgrading the software/hardware to comply with ICD-10?
By Phil Dolan
I recently spoke with Steve Sisko, a healthcare IT business professional and blogger, about how payers are preparing for the ICD-10 transition. In the first part of our conversation we discussed where payers are in their preparations, and in this part of the conversation we discussed how ICD-10 preparation is different for payers and providers. Stay tuned for another post about the questions your practice should be asking payers.
By Ken Bradley
There is no question that implementing ICD-10 will be costly; the real question is how costly. Practices must carefully analyze the financial impacts of the transition and plan accordingly. Hopefully by this point, most practices have at least started this process.
When budgeting for ICD-10, you should look at both the direct costs of implementation and the back-end effects to cash flow and revenue.