The high frequency of errors seen during HIMSS’ ICD-10 test pilot program indicates physicians have a long way to go before October’s big transition date. Perhaps the best way to ensure October 1 doesn’t bring chaos to your practice is by adopting ICD-10 into your workflow early.
Sutter Health, a large not-for-profit health system in Northern California, is doing just that by planning to implement ICD-10 codes starting May 31. Although claims coded using ICD-10 won’t be accepted until months later, the plan is to work out any kinks by the time the switch comes around.
In preparation for their expedited implementation date, Sutter has taken a multi-pronged approach that involves getting key staff and physicians on board, appointing ICD-10 champions, and beginning training in advance. These tactics can all be implemented at the individual practice level as well.
Get Key Staff on Board
There is going to be resistance to early ICD-10 implementation because an early switch involves coding using both ICD-9 and ICD-10 simultaneously. And because the latter aren’t actually accepted yet, convincing key leaders at your practice it’s the right step to take is a serious challenge.
But imagine if the real transition date finally arrives and your practice isn’t already using ICD-10. There will be many costly mistakes before the new system is successfully integrated. During early implementation, these mistakes wouldn’t cost your practice money, but once the go-live date hits, the same mistakes will cause claim denials.
Paint that scenario for key personnel at your practice, and ask if they would like to deal with the financial burden of making adjustments on the fly.
Appoint a Champion
With all the duties you have to worry about as a physician – namely taking care of patients – it can be extremely difficult to spearhead the effort to implement such a drastic change. That’s why it’s important to have a right hand man, so to speak.
Your champion should be someone with a stake in how well the ICD-10 transition goes — a medical coder or practice manager for instance. The champion should be charged with organizing a plan of action, so he or she can serve as a resource for other employees.
It’s not a bad idea to reward them for their hard work by providing a financial incentive contingent upon a smooth implementation.
Start Training Now
ICD-10 training needs to begin right away. This is especially true if you have a desire to be an early adopter. Simply put, switching early without any training beforehand is a waste of time.
Luckily, there are some training methods your practice can start right away. Webinars are a popular option. Many are free and can be located using a simple Google search. There are also sites like FindACode.com that offer training games to help make the exercise more interesting for your coders.
Don’t wait until the last minute to adjust to ICD-10. Sutter Health has the right idea by getting an early start on the new coding system. In the end, it’ll make for a much smoother transition come October 1.
