May is a time for change….weather change that is! Good-bye cold weather and hello warmth and sunshine! What a wonderful time of the year!
Just like the season changes, we find ourselves in a constant state of change in healthcare. One of the biggest changes is the implementation of ICD-10 which is mandatory October 1st. The industry buzz on end-to-end testing is heard on webinars, read in articles, and are the focus of conversation with some of our legislative leaders. Do you think there will be another delay with ICD-10 implementation? The verdict isn’t out yet, however, there are advocates out there pushing for another delay.
ICD-10 will improve the specificity of medical coding and will allow for future expansion. On the flip side, ICD-10 is a burden to roll out due to training expenses and resources to ensure accurate execution and coding when the focus should be on patient care and improving the lives that we touch.
Regardless of where you stand on ICD-10 implementation, there is one thing for certain, either you are prepared in case it’s a “go” or you will be scrambling if it is a “go”. ICD-10 will affect all providers and all disciplines, even SNFs. If you are not ready, why aren’t you? After all, isn’t it better to be safe than sorry?
Gina Tomcsik
Director of Compliance
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