Author:

Source: AHIMA newsletter

Publication Date: August 2009

Author: NHICA; WEDI

Source: External web site

Publication Date: July 15, 2009

Author: Nelson, Tanai S; Benjamin, Christina

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes

Publication Date: July 2009

Correctly coding casts, splints, and strapping can be confusing. Much of the confusion is related to what type of materials are classified as casts, splints, or strapping; whether the CPT application codes or the HCPCS level II codes should be assigned; and whether the work performed is includ....

Author: Rose, Eric

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: July 2009

America’s physician practices are facing the biggest change in healthcare coding in decades: the replacement of ICD-9-CM by ICD-10-CM. This article discusses ICD-10-CM from a clinical perspective and reviews how electronic health record (EHR) systems will need to adapt to the transition.....

Author: Garrett, Gail S.

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: July 2009

Hospitals have nearly two years of POA reporting under their belts. With time, effort, and updates, assigning POA indicators is becoming routine business for coding professionals.

For the past several years, HIM professionals have served as a conduit for a rapidly evolving pay-for-pe....

Author: Blevins, Ida K.

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes

Publication Date: July 2009

Sweeping PPS changes for home health went into effect January 2008, making much of the prior coding guidance issued by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) incompatible with changes in the revised data collection set. Home health coding professionals anxiously awaited further i....

Author: Brownfield, Cathy; Didier, Donna M.

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: July 2009

Getting a full return on an external audit requires that HIM directors commit to the process from start to finish—preparing, managing, and following up.

Is your coding good, bad, or great? Not knowing for certain creates risk and stress. Audits offer visibility into department....

Author:

Source: AHIMA newsletter

Publication Date: July 2009

Author: U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

Source: Government (U.S.)

Publication Date: June 26, 2009

Author: Bowman, Sue E

Source: AHIMA testimony and comments

Publication Date: June 10, 2009

Author:

Source: AHIMA newsletter

Publication Date: June 2009

Author: Cook, Jane; D'Amato, Cheryl; Garrett, Gail S.; Ruhnau-Gee, Becky; Hyde, Linda A.; Novak, Natalie

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes

Publication Date: June 2009

Present on admission indicators, hospital-acquired conditions, serious reportable events, and “wrong” surgical events are each hot topics. However, they also can be a hot topic together, because a number of these reporting requirements are interrelated. HIM professionals must under....

Author: Barta, Ann

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes

Publication Date: June 2009

One of the keys to a successful transition to ICD-10-CM/PCS is a thorough understanding of the ICD-10-CM Official Coding Guidelines, which were posted to the National Center for Health Statistics Web site in January 2009. Similar to the ICD-9-CM coding guidelines, the ICD-10-CM guidelines are....

Author:

Source: AHIMA Advantage

Publication Date: June 2009

Author: U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services; U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Source: Government (U.S.)

Publication Date: May 15, 2009

Author: Peterson, Patt

Source: AHIMA

Publication Date: May 14, 2009

Author:

Source: AHIMA newsletter

Publication Date: May 2009

Author: Thomas, John R

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes

Publication Date: May 2009

Each year healthcare adds programs, initiatives, and regulations to improve transparency and create efficiency. Unfortunately, many, if not all, add further complication, leading to higher CPT rejects. To effectively control the increasing time pressure of identifying, measuring, and repai....

Author: AHIMA

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: May 2009

With the emergence of health IT, the rules of health data creation, management, exchange, and use are changing. A need for national standards on both data creation and use is emerging in place of the local, organizational policies that served in a time of more limited data mobility.

I....

Author: Bowman, Sue E

Source: AHIMA Advocacy and Policy

Publication Date: April 12, 2009

Author:

Source: AHIMA newsletter

Publication Date: April 2009

Author: Carol, Ruth

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: April 2009

Reporting quality measures may become an easier and more fruitful task as technology’s ability to glean data from physician documentation matures.




Healthcare organizations have been asked to report quality measures since the 1990s. The activity wen....

Author: Bodnar, Cathy; Willard, Dianne

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes

Publication Date: April 2009

The key to ensuring coding compliance in the ever-changing world of healthcare is to have a solid foundation. This includes ensuring effective processes throughout all departments in the organization.

Coding managers can visualize each process that contributes to correct coding as a....

Author: Butler, Rhonda R.; Mills, Ronald E

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes

Publication Date: April 2009

Starting October 1, 2013, healthcare claims will be submitted to payers using ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes and ICD-10-PCS procedure codes. Some payers such as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) are converting their reimbursement systems to use ICD-10 codes directly. However, som....

Author: AHIMA ICD-10-CM/PCS Academic Transition Workgroup

Source: AHIMA practice brief | Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: April 2009

The content in this practice brief has been retired. It is made available for historical purposes only. More recent information is available here.

Author: Rollins, Gina

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: April 2009

EHRs will improve the accuracy of quality measurement...one day. Until then, blending limited clinical data with administrative data may offer a solution.

Administrative data based on discharge abstracts or claims have widely acknowledged limitations, but they remain the primary mean....

Author:

Source: AHIMA newsletter

Publication Date: March 2009

Author: U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

Source: Government (U.S.)

Publication Date: March 03, 2009

Author: Rynberg, Sally J.

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: March 2009

An efficient revenue cycle is critical to ensuring timely and appropriate reimbursement for patient services. That efficiency requires that multiple systems, departments, and processes work together to smooth workflow, promote consistency, and reduce rework.

Most hospitals employ e-H....

Author: Dunn, Rose T

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: March 2009

Maybe HIM professionals can’t ease tight credit or reduce bad debt, but they can make sure their organizations get full, correct reimbursement on the first submission. HIM professionals help improve cash flow by contributing to revenue cycle management.

In these tough economic....

Author: Malone, Sue M.

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes

Publication Date: March 2009

Coders often believe that jaundice in newborns is expected, minor, and not of much concern. In general, they tend to add the unspecified fetal and neonatal jaundice code 774.6, when they code it at all. Additionally, documentation of hyperbilirubinemia is not always accurate. This article advo....

Author: Clark, Andrea

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes

Publication Date: March 2009

The final rule for the 2009 Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) includes multiple revisions that hospitals must address in their practices, policies, and operations. Hospitals should develop strategies for analyzing the financial impact and operational challenges by reviewing the foll....

Author: Pine, Michael; Fry, Donald E.; Jones, Barbara; Meimban, Roger

Source: Perspectives in Health Information Management

Publication Date: February 2009

Abstract

Present-on-admission modifiers for International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) diagnosis codes are rapidly becoming a standard coding requirement. Inaccurate coding of these modifiers can distort analyses of risk-adjusted outcomes....

Author:

Source: AHIMA newsletter

Publication Date: February 2009

Author: Lefert, Charlotte

Source: Long Term Care Insights | AHIMA newsletter article

Publication Date: February 2009

Determining the principal diagnosis in long term care facilities can be challenging. With the adoption of HIPAA, definitive guidance for coders in nursing homes was established. It is important that staff performing the task of ICD-9-CM coding is aware and adhere to the requirements and gu....

Author: Majerowicz, Anita

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes

Publication Date: February 2009

Changes to CPT codes for 2009 include 293 additions, 133 revisions, and 92 deletions. This article highlights some of the more notable changes; a comprehensive list can be found in appendix B of the 2009 CPT code manual. The changes took effect January 1.

E/M Codes


Nu....

Author: Zeisset, Ann M.

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes

Publication Date: February 2009

Although the ICD-10-CM/PCS final rule sets an implementation deadline of October 2013, facilities should start preparing now for the new code set. All facilities reporting ICD-9-CM codes for diagnoses must transition to ICD-10-CM for diagnosis reporting.

ICD-10-CM implementation will....

Author: Rode, Dan

Source: AHIMA regulation analysis

Publication Date: February 02, 2009

Author:

Source: AHIMA newsletter

Publication Date: January 2009

Author: AHIMA

Source: AHIMA

Publication Date: January 2009

Author: AHIMA

Source: AHIMA

Publication Date: January 2009

Author: Walk, Gerri

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes

Publication Date: January 2009

Because coding and radiology departments often share accountability for the quality of outpatient radiology coding, it is important that coding professionals share coding issues and charge capture expectations with radiology staff. This article outlines methods to improve the quality of coded....

Author: AHIMA

Source: AHIMA

Publication Date: January 2009

Author: AHIMA

Source: AHIMA

Publication Date: January 2009

Author: AHIMA

Source: AHIMA

Publication Date: January 2009

Author: AHIMA

Source: AHIMA

Publication Date: January 2009

Author: AHIMA

Source: AHIMA

Publication Date: January 2009

Audience: Admitting


Medical Terminology/Terms need to be accurate even in the registration/admitting process.

Learn the basics of ICD-10-CM/PCS, the who, what, where, when and why





Audience: Payers/Finance



Conduct a busine....

Author: AHIMA

Source: AHIMA

Publication Date: January 2009

Author: AHIMA

Source: AHIMA

Publication Date: January 2009

Author: Bowman, Sue E

Source: AHIMA regulation analysis

Publication Date: January 02, 2009

Author: Lenahan, Monica

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes

Publication Date: January 2009

Cardiac catheterization procedures involve the insertion of a catheter into a chamber or vessel of the heart for investigational and interventional purposes. A small puncture is made most commonly in the femoral artery in the groin region. A guidewire is then inserted into the incision and thr....

Author: AHIMA

Source: AHIMA leadership model

Publication Date: December 30, 2008

Author:

Source: AHIMA newsletter

Publication Date: December 2008

Author: Schwab, Linda

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes

Publication Date: November 2008

The final rule for the FY 2009 hospital inpatient prospective payment system (IPPS) went into effect October 1, 2008. Although there are relatively few changes to MS-DRGs and the complication and comorbidity (CC) and major CC (MCC) lists, the final rule signals that the Centers for Medicare an....

Author: Bowman, Sue E

Source: AHIMA regulation analysis

Publication Date: November 02, 2008

Author: Hernandez, Jeannette

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes

Publication Date: November 2008

Although most Medicare beneficiaries receive their health coverage through the traditional Medicare Part A and B fee-for-service programs, more and more beneficiaries are enrolling in Medicare Part C, referred to as Medicare Advantage (MA), to manage their healthcare costs.

By June 2....

Author:

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: November 2008

AHIMA held its 80th Convention and Exhibit October 11–16, 2008, in Seattle, WA. It was a time for members to share ideas, challenges, and solutions and hear about some of healthcare’s hottest topics from industry experts. A full exhibit hall offered a collection of the latest in HIM....

Author:

Source: AHIMA newsletter

Publication Date: October 2008

Author: Schade-Boyce, Joanne; Walk, Gerri; Weber, Joe

Source: AHIMA Convention

Publication Date: October 17, 2008

(Note: Gerri Walk will cover the radiology coding section of this session: Keys for Successful Documentation Improvement in Radiology.)
Background

With its own unique challenges and opportunities, radiology services play an important role in a healthcare organization’s bot....

Author: Blackford, Gwendolyn

Source: AHIMA Convention

Publication Date: October 17, 2008

Health Information Management Department at the University of Michigan Hospitals and Health Centers
Introduction

What changes will be next for the inpatient coding world? October 1, 2007 had a tremendous impact on hospitals as it relates to clinical documentation for facility re....

Author: Bowman, Sue E; Butler, Rhonda R.

Source: AHIMA Convention

Publication Date: October 17, 2008

Introduction


The ICD-9-CM classification system is obsolete and unable to meet current healthcare needs and cannot support the transition to interoperable health data exchange. The US is the only industrialized nation not using an ICD-10 based classification system for morbidit....

Author: Pinson, Richard D.; Tang, Cynthia L.

Source: AHIMA Convention

Publication Date: October 17, 2008

Introduction

MS-DRGs were introduced by CMS on October 1, 2007 in an effort to incorporate severity of illness in adjusting hospital reimbursement for inpatient acute care. In response, as CMS predicted, clinical documentation integrity (or improvement) programs [CDI] are springing up eve....

Author: Perez, Mario A. III; Tully, Melinda

Source: AHIMA Convention

Publication Date: October 17, 2008

Introduction




The most important changes in the Medicare inpatient prospective payment system in 25 years were initiated October 1, 2007. CMS began paying for inpatient hospital services using the CMS-developed Medicare severity DRGs (MS-DRGs). MS-DRGs represent....

Author: Morsch, Mark; Kaul, Rebecca; Briercheck, Scott

Source: AHIMA Convention

Publication Date: October 17, 2008

Introduction

Computer assisted coding (CAC) is growing rapidly in the ambulatory setting, which prompts many administrators, coding managers, and HIM professionals to ask whether CAC can also be successful in their hospitals. Looking at the successful deployment of CAC in the ambulatory s....

Author: Butler, Rhonda R.

Source: AHIMA Convention

Publication Date: October 17, 2008

Introduction

In previous seminars and publications, ICD-10-PCS (PCS) has been taught in its academic form: definitions, guidelines, and textbook examples. A theoretical understanding of PCS is essential, but coding in the real world is anything but academic. Coding is an art that goes bey....

Author: Longosky, Sean; Main, Renee; Wood, Shirley; Helbig, Susan

Source: AHIMA Convention

Publication Date: October 17, 2008

Background

The amount of coding required in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is hefty, with more than seven million inpatient discharges and 37million outpatient encounters. VHA employs approximately 1,400 professional coders who code in the traditional manner of reading documenta....

Author:

Source: AHIMA Today

Publication Date: October 13, 2008

Highlights from 80th Convention and Exhibit, Seattle, WA

Author: Bowman, Sue E

Source: AHIMA Advocacy and Policy

Publication Date: October 12, 2008

Author: Medicare Learning Network

Source: U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

Publication Date: October 03, 2008

Author: AHIMA

Source: AHIMA practice brief | Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: October 2008

The content in this practice brief has been retired. It is made available for historical purposes only. More recent information is available here.

Author: Miller, Jackie

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes

Publication Date: October 2008

Coding biliary procedures requires in-depth knowledge of anatomy as well as coding guidelines. This article outlines the correct coding for biliary procedures in outpatient and physician settings.



The Biliary System




The biliary system consist....

Author: Buck, Stacie L

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes

Publication Date: October 2008

The saying “The only thing that is constant is change” certainly describes the HIM profession and the role of coding professionals.

Over the last three decades the coding professional’s role has evolved dramatically, and it will continue to do so in the decades to c....

Author: U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services; National Center for Health Statistics

Source: Government (U.S.)

Publication Date: October 01, 2008

Author: AHIMA

Source: AHIMA Advantage

Publication Date: October 2008

Author:

Source: AHIMA newsletter

Publication Date: September 2008

Author: Bowman, Sue E; Zeisset, Ann M.; Czarkowski, Lynette

Source: AHIMA online training

Publication Date: September 08, 2008

Author: Morsch, Mark; Stoyla, Carol; Sheffer, Ronald Jr.; Potter, Brian

Source: AHIMA Computer-Assisted Coding Meeting

Publication Date: September 06, 2008

Author:

Source: AHIMA newsletter

Publication Date: September 2008

Author: Lojewski, Tedi

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes

Publication Date: September 2008

Since the implementation of the Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS), the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has required hospitals to report facility resources for emergency department (ED) visits using CPT evaluation and management (E/M) codes.

However, CMS re....

Author:

Source: AHIMA newsletter

Publication Date: September 2008

This special issue of Academic Advisor is dedicated to ICD-10 and what you, as an educator, need to know to prepare yourself and your students for this transition.

Author: Schraffenberger, Lou Ann

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes

Publication Date: September 2008

The new ICD-9-CM diagnosis and procedure codes go into effect October 1, 2008, for fiscal year 2009. This article highlights some of the diagnosis code changes. The complete ICD-9-CM tabular and alphabetic index (volumes 1 and 2) can be found on the National Center for Health Statistics Web si....

Author: Bowman, Sue E; Haugen, Mary Beth; Kuehn, Lynn; Rode, Dan

Source: AHIMA online training

Publication Date: August 26, 2008

Author: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Source: Government (U.S.)

Publication Date: August 19, 2008

[Federal Register: August 19, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 161)] [Rules and Regulations] [Page 48433-49083] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr19au08-13] [[Page 48433]] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Part II Book 2 of 2....

Author:

Source: AHIMA newsletter

Publication Date: August 2008

Author: AHIMA

Source: AHIMA practice brief | Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: August 2008

This practice brief has been retired. It is made available for historical purposes only.

Author: Dimick, Chris

Source: Journal of AHIMA - website

Publication Date: July 22, 2008

Clinical documentation improvement programs can enhance the clinical record and capture lost reimbursement. But they can be a challenge. Getting physician buy-in, avoiding turf wars between documentation specialists, coders, and nurses, and measuring program succes....

Author: U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

Source: Medicare Learning Network

Publication Date: July 15, 2008

Author:

Source: AHIMA newsletter

Publication Date: July 2008

Author: Kloss, Linda L

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: July 2008

This is a demanding time for coders. MS-DRGs and present on admission requirements would have been challenging on their own; however, both came at virtually the same time, straining coders already stretched to meet their job requirements.

Recruitment and retention of coding staff is....

Author: Dimick, Chris

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: July 2008

Change is the constant in coding. And while it is a coding supervisor’s job to stay current and implement these changes, sometimes just getting the day-to-day coding work accomplished is a challenge.

Staying ahead of the changes can be difficult, but it is important that manage....

Author: Bower-Jernigan, Patricia L

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes

Publication Date: July 2008

Coding professionals rely on the American Hospital Association’s Coding Clinic to resolve issues and questions they have in their daily coding duties. Accordingly, the editorial advisory board process for resolving coding questions for Coding Clinic advice is extensive.

The pro....

Author: Dimick, Chris

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: July 2008

Clinical documentation improvement programs are increasingly common, but who leads them varies. Here’s a look at three successful programs led by HIM departments.

Tammy Love knew they were coming. She needed to take action.

It was April 2006, and Love, RHIA, CCS, knew....

Author: Schraffenberger, Lou Ann

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes

Publication Date: July 2008

Last October hospitals began reporting secondary diagnoses that were present on admission (POA). These indicators are reported as Y, present on admission; N, not present on admission; U, unknown; or W, clinically undetermined. Beginning October 1 of this year, N and U indicators will affect Me....

Author: Heubusch, Kevin

Source: Journal of AHIMA

Publication Date: July 2008

Coding departments are hectic places in 2008, busy adapting to new requirements. To meet the challenges, they are seeking the right staffing, education, and coordination.



How many challenges does coding face today? Open positions, revenue cycle, MS-DRGs, POA, RACs,....

Author:

Source: AHIMA newsletter

Publication Date: June 2008

Author: Bryant, Gloryanne H.

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes

Publication Date: June 2008

The patient status code reflects the level of care a patient was discharged or transferred to when leaving an acute care hospital as an inpatient or outpatient (i.e., emergency department or emergency room). A recent Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services MLN Matters publication provides a....

Author: Medicare Learning Network

Source: Government (U.S.)

Publication Date: June 02, 2008

Author: Schraffenberger, Lou Ann

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes

Publication Date: June 2008

On October 1, 2007, hospitals began reporting secondary diagnoses that were present on admission (POA). The POA indicator can be reported as Y, present on admission; N, not present on admission; U, unknown; or W, clinically undetermined.

Beginning October 1 of this year, N and U indi....

Author:

Source: AHIMA newsletter

Publication Date: May 2008

Author: Barta, Ann; McNeill, Gale C.; Meli, Peggy L.; Wall, Kathleen E.; Zeisset, Ann M.

Source: Journal of AHIMA - Coding Notes

Publication Date: May 2008

Although the US is still waiting on legislative or regulatory action establishing an ICD-10-CM implemention date, HIM professionals should start familiarizing themselves with the classification system to prepare for its future use.



What Is ICD-10-CM?