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Sunday, September 30, 2012

ICD-10 Coding

By Mel Rivers


There are numerous different and important aspects of the health care field and one of those is medical coding. The current set of codes that is used for medical coding is that of ICD 9-CM set of codes. This is used as the method to code and report for diagnoses, procedures and services presented for clients as logged in the client charts and information. The United States Department of Health and human Services has recently put into place a new set of codes that will be used instead of the current set. The new set of codes, called the ICD 10 codes, has numerous different transitions and developments in comparison to the ICD 9 set of codes.

This new set of codes will not go into full effect until October of 2014, but a number of health care companies are already starting to focus on shifting to the new method of coding. This is because a number of health care suppliers and billers will need to put in a lot of effort into learning the differences and transitions that the new set of codes entails. Numerous professionals in the medical coding field believe that it is already time to start training with the new set of codes. The quicker these medical coders are instructed on this new system the better that the shift will be from ICD9 to ICD10.

In fact there have been numerous health care businesses who have already reported that they have started to make the shift and started training their staff on the new ICD-10. In fact, numerous businesses already consider themselves fully prepared and arranged to start using the new set of codes. It is important to become arranged early because the new system will not only affect the medical coding department, but will also affect other areas of a health care practice.

The new coding set and system will transition processes in almost all of the departments of a medical practice. From working the front desk, to the nurse's process, it will be vital for all the different areas of a practice to recognize and understand the new system and transitions.

There are a number of ways to get a health care practice prepared for this new transition. Numerous health care companies are offering ICD 10 training for persons as well as for full offices. This will help to make the shift smooth and as easy as possible.




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