(This sponsored blog was written by Lee Ann Bryant, associate product manager, HealthStream.) Many think ICD-10 is only a coding problem, but the true challenge of ICD-10 is the need for increasing specificity and granularity in documentation in order to receive optimal reimbursement, meet all reporting requirements, and most accurately reflect ...

In anticipation of the HIMSS 2013 Annual Conference and Exhibition to be held March 3 to 7 at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, New Orleans, ADVANCE interviewed Bonnie Cassidy, MPA, RHIA, FAHIMA, FHIMSS, senior director of HIM Innovation at Nuance and AHIMA approved ICD-10-CM/PCS trainer. Cassidy spent the majority of her career on the ...

(Editor's Note: This guest blog was written by Angela Carmichael of Pyramid Healthcare Solutions) After a thorough assessment of one's current CDI program, health information managers (HIMs) then must address eight essential ''to-dos'' to ensure successful transition to ICD-10. Ensuring clinical data and revenue integrity under ICD-10 ...

(Editor's Note: This guest blog was written from AHIMA 2012 by Sandra Kersten, MPH, RHIA, who is AHIMA director of HIM Solutions.) Aneesh Chopra, the former first American federal chief technology officer of the U.S., described President Obama's overall vision for innovation, or ''how will this country get its mojo back?'' within the context of ...

  (Editor's Note: This guest blog was written from AHIMA 2012 by Karen Kostick, RHIT, CCS, CCS-P, who is AHIMA director of HIM solutions.) How do you define coding? How do you define the present and future HIM coding professional? These are a few questions presenter Nancy Hirschl, CCS, of Hirschl and Associates, posed at the Clinical ...

(Editor's Note: This guest blog was written by Shelly Guffey and Dawn Duchek.) The comment period on the proposed rule to delay ICD-10 closed on May 17, and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is still in the process of reviewing those comments and deciding how the industry will proceed. Providers are uncertain about when ICD-10 ...

The proposed rule to delay the compliance date for ICD-10 from Oct. 1, 2013 to Oct. 1, 2014 is posted to the Federal Register, and there is only 1 week left in the 30-day comment period. When proposing the delay to ICD-10, HHS took into consideration feedback that some provider groups have concerns about their ability to meet the Oct. 1, 2013 ...

For the first time in years, information technology (IT) leaders at healthcare organizations did not identify a lack of financial support for IT as an obstacle to implementation. So what's the problem? According to the 23rd Annual HIMSS Leadership Survey, released on Tuesday, one-quarter of respondents said adequate staffing resources within their ...

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will host a follow-up national provider conference call on ''ICD-10 Implementation in a 5010 Environment.'' Subject matter experts will review basic information on both ICD-10 and 5010 and explain how they are interrelated. A question and answer session will follow the ...

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has posted on its website 11 new frequently asked questions (FAQ) about the ICD-10 Implementation. To access these FAQs, please visit the CMS ICD-10 web page, select the Medicare Fee-for-Service Provider Resources link on the left side of the page, scroll down the page to the ...