First, some background info about ICD-10:
ICD stands for “International Classification of Diseases,” and the 10 refers to the fact that the upcoming version is the 10th edition. ICD-10 consists of two parts: ICD-10-CM for diagnosis coding, and ICD-10-PCS for inpatient procedure coding. Here’s where it gets a bit tricky. ICD-10-CM is for use in all U.S. health care settings. Diagnosis coding under ICD-10-CM uses 3 to 7 digits instead of the 3 to 5 digits used with ICD-9-CM, but the format of the code sets is similar. ICD-10-PCS is for use in U.S. inpatient hospital settings only. ICD-10-PCS uses 7 alphanumeric digits instead of the 3 or 4 numeric digits used under ICD-9-CM procedure coding. Coding under ICD-10-PCS is much more specific and substantially different from ICD-9-CM procedure coding. The transition to ICD-10 is occurring because ICD-9 produces limited data about patients’ medical conditions and hospital inpatient procedures. ICD-9 is 30 years old, has outdated terms, and is inconsistent with current medical practice. Also, the structure of ICD-9 limits the number of new codes that can be created, and many ICD-9 categories are full.
A recent a survey of healthcare providers revealed one of the greatest challenges and concerns in the upcoming ICD-10 conversion is a lack of available skilled and knowledgeable resources. That challenge will become more evident the further we get into 2012 as those resources with specialized skill sets are swallowed up quickly by those who are or have been planning ahead and are ready to begin implementing their strategy. But there is a silver lining! Healthcare IT professionals can find themselves in high demand over the coming months if they plan appropriately and are aware of what Healthcare Providers (and Payers) will be looking for in meeting their resource needs throughout their compliance initiative.
One of the things that employers and recruiters will be searching for is a high level of ICD-10 domain knowledge. There is no better way to demonstrate a mastery of the various ICD-10 skill sets than to earn an ICD-10 Consultant® Certification. A Certified ICD-10 Consultant® possesses skill, knowledge, and proficiency of medical coding and billing, ICD-10-CM, ICD-10-PCS, GEMs, HL7 Basics, HIPAA 5010, and Regulatory Compliance framework.
A Certified ICD-10 Consultant® can:
• Understand ICD-10 coding guidelines and structure
• Interpret GEM files
• Train and develop ICD-10 implementation team
• Understand Forward and Backward Mapping
• Lead ICD-10 implementation project
• Understand and interpret HL7 messages (Version 2.6)
• Understand Mandatory HIPAA 4010 and 5010 standards
Furthermore, employers searching for ICD-10 professionals will look for a candidate who:
• Denotes proficiency and excellence in migrating and implementing ICD-10
• Demonstrates a choice to lead and specialize in ICD-10 implementation
• Display steadfastness towards continual professional development
The Certified ICD-10 Consultant® exam looks for a combination of analytical skills as well as professional ability to use and understand the ICD-10 in its entirety. Most consultants who earn this credential are planning to lead the ICD-10 migration and implementation projects. In addition, many payers, healthcare providers, and facilities use Certified ICD-10 Consultant® credentials as a proof of knowledge for their ICD-10 projects. This certification is for experienced professionals that will lead or have a critical role in ICD-10 implementation teams (HIT professionals, trainers, project managers, healthcare consultants, HIM directors, CIOs, etc.).
After researching the multiple options available for this type of training, Healthcare IT Central has teamed up with the Institute of Technology and the ICD-10 Academy to offer both training and certification opportunities – all conducted online! The ICD-10 Academy is the only organization offering the Certified ICD-10 Consultant® designation. Click on the links below to learn more about each offering:
Comprehensive ICD-10 Online Training
Certified ICD-10 Analyst® Exam
Certified ICD-10 Consultant® Exam
ICD-10 Made Easy Coding Training Tool
The deadline to convert to ICD-10 is fast approaching, so if you’re interested in working to help facilitate this transition, now would be an excellent time to secure the training and/or certifications necessary to be a leader in this space.
I think it’s entirely feasible that a good IT resource – either analyst, developer, or QA/tester can become knowledgeable about ICD-10 in a pretty quick timeframe.
A while back I wrote a blog post about the types of ICD-10 topics that are important to payers. Most, if not all, of these topics would be included in a good ICD-10 training program for technical resources.
See my post titled “ICD-10 Awareness Education & Training for Healthcare Payers”
http://shimcode.blogspot.com/2011/07/icd-10-awareness-education-training-for.html