The ICD-10 changeover, regardless of implementation date, will not be a quick fix. We know that the process will take time and a great deal of effort. “Practices can’t simply buy a new code book and be ready the next day,” says Rhonda Buckholtz, CPC, CPMA, CPC-I, CENTC, CGSC, COBGC, CPEDC vice president of ICD-10 training and education in the May/June issue of Health Imagining magazine.

Highlighted in the piece is how the specifics of ICD-10 will aid physicians in their coding procedures. “Physicians can spell out to payors the exact clinical condition of a patient with ICD-10. When additional services or procedures are billed under ICD-9, the codes may not justify the additional procedure. Often, additional paperwork or audits are required. ICD-10 should clearly spell out the condition without the extra paperwork,” says Buckholtz.

Read the full article here.

Do coders and physicians speak the same language? With ICD-10 looming that potential language barrier could widen. Just Coding recently discussed this topic highlighting presentations from the AAPC National Conference in Las Vegas last April. VP of ICD-10 training and education Rhonda Buckholtz and Dr. Joseph Nichols, MD were the presenters during a conference session, Michelle Leppert, CPC-A authored the article.

“At the end of the day, good documentation is really about good patient care …ICD-10 also has the potential to change the way coders and physicians interact,” Buckhotlz says. The level of specificity will present challenges for both clinicians and coders, so teamwork is essential.”

Read the full article here.

With ICD-10 still looming on the horizon, many of us have begun the process of implementation, but there is still much to be done. Some have not begun either and AAPC ICD-10 trainer Jackie Stack, CPC, CPC-I, BSHA wrote that “taking a medical terminology or anatomy and pathophysiology course is a great way to prepare for ICD-10,” in the most recent HFMA Revenue Cycle Strategist.

“Many coding resources are available that will aid the transition to ICD-10,” she continued. “For the training to be successful, it should be completed in phases and at the appropriate time.”

Read the full version in hard copy version or by subscription in the May issue of the Revenue Cycle Strategist.

How much do each of us really know about the ICD-10 changeover? AAPC’s vice president of ICD-10 education and training, Rhonda Buckholtz, CPC, CPMA, CPC-I, CENTC, CGSC, COBGC, CPEDC will discuss ICD-10 and the issues surrounding it in an upcoming webinar hosted by Advance for Health Information Professionals.

The webinar is August 15 and is free to attend. Read the full details here.

*Update—Attendees to this free webinar can now earn 1.0 CEUs for attending.*

The ICD-10 implementation date is a popular topic in health care. We all know how important it is and most of us are making the needed plans to prepare. AAPC ICD-10 trainer Annie Boynton, BS, RHIT, CPC, CCS, CPC-H, CCS-P, CPC-P, CPC-I, CPhT recently wrote an article on ICD-10 for JustCoding.com.

“Now is the time to think strategically and plan accordingly for ICD-10 training and education,” she stated.  “Managers must not underestimate the size and scope of ICD-10 educational needs and must begin educational planning early. Without careful, thoughtful strategic planning, ICD-10 training could easily be one of the larger expenditures in any overall ICD-10 implementation budget.”

Read the full article here.