New Codes For Conditions
As of October 1, 2016, the Coordination and Maintenance Committee will introduce 3,651 new codes to the ICD-10 repertoire. They will also apply 487 revisions to already existing codes. Remarkably, about 97% of those changes will be in the section for cardiovascular issues. These new codes are meant to add greater detail to patient status and condition. With the new changes, there will be a total of 75,625 codes in the ICD-10 PCS system. Coordination and Maintenance Committee members reportedly discussed adding even more codes during a meeting in March. Most of these changes are at the request of special interest groups. This is in response to the fact that coding tends to simplify inherently complex matters regarding patient conditions. As a result, new CDI software is transforming the medical field.
New Codes For Diagnosis
Aside from the additions that the committee will make to coding for conditions, they will also add a number of new codes for diagnosis. Most notably, they’ve applied various new codes related to the Zika virus. Zika has been spreading at a rapid pace, creating growing concern. Researchers drew a direct connection between Zika in pregnant women and microcephaly in their newborns. As a result, physicians want to be as detailed as possible with sick pregnant women. That’s why there’s been a recent expansion in coding.
You can watch the full meetings on Youtube by clicking here.
The Dilemma In Adding New Codes
Expanding the coding the system is a difficult matter with advantages and disadvantages. On the one hand, coding should not be a simple matter. It’s important to be exact with these issues, not only to help streamline processing and billing, but also so that physicians can make more informed decisions. On the other hand, as the committee continues to amend and adapt the system, training has grown increasingly challenging. With over 70,000 codes to sift through, making the correct assessment and selecting the appropriate codes became more of a challenge than ever.
How Technology Makes For A Better Coding System
It’s for that reason that the utilization of technology is the logical next step in this evolution. With the help of Hiteks’ HCC coding software, the issue regarding the complexity of the system is solved. We offer an EPIC clinical CDI software that has a diagnosis calculator. Our software provides its users with a risk adjustment factor score within seconds. It’s with our state of the art physician concierge software that physicians and coders can organize, categorize, and utilize those tens of thousands of codes more effectively than ever.
Hiteks is a pioneer in the clinical documentation improvement industry. We operate all throughout the New York City area. Our mission is to make sure that physicians and coders can be as detailed, effective and efficient as their industry demands of them. We believe a more intricate and detailed system is necessary in the world today, and that with the our software, we can stay one step ahead of the latest diseases and health concerns. To learn more about our AdvocateMD, CAPD360 Insight Real-Time CDI and VigilantQA software, give us a call at 212-920-0929.