Most likely you’ve either heard about or are up to your elbows in the mandated transition to ICD-10. In case you’re a little foggy on the whole ICD system, here’s an ICD primer, courtesy of the CMS and the AMA:
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 ICD-9 is 30 years old, has outdated terms, and is inconsistent with current medical practice.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.
It’s no surprise that a recent HIMSS Vantage Point report pointed out through a survey of healthcare providers that 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.
To help you navigate the ICD-10 waters, First Choice Professionals invites you to our upcoming Webinar, “ICD-10 Resourcing Strategies and Positioning Yourself for Success in the ICD-10 Marketplace for 2012 and Beyond.” Mark your calendars for Wednesday, February 8th at 7pm Eastern to attend the free Webinar presented by our knowledgeable team at FCP. Find out what we’ve learned about ICD-10 resource needs and what you can you do to best position yourself to take advantage of the shortage in expertise. If you are a consultant, a hospital employee, or you work for a vendor, we will provide a high level ICD-10 update, talk about what 2012 and 2013 have in store for resource needs and provide some great resources for you to stay informed. I highly recommend making this investment in your career. Follow this link to register for the Webinar – see you there!
