ICD 10 – And how it could change the way you work
Everybody who is anybody seems to be having an opinion on ICD 10, and the way it could be a game changer. It’s got its share of supporters who feel it could streamline the insurance process and lead to less confusion. But there is no denying the fact that it could mean more work and missing out on dinner with family
Much ado about nothing
One of the primary complaints about ICD10 is that it pushes the boundary, way too far. ‘There are just so many details in there, and some of them are shockingly inconsequential or downright absurd, like the one for macaw bites. I’ve never heard of a macaw biting anyone”, sighs Annette Jason, the practice manager of a medical facility in New Jersey.
There are a lot of other physicians who share her opinion and feel implementing the ICD10 is going to be a lot of hard work. And not very sure of whether it could, at the end of the day, have a positive impact on their bottom line. Medical practices need to revamp their entire medical billing process and hire additional staff to handle the onslaught of 55,000 new codes.
Physician productivity can take a beating
Physician productivity is a major factor that influences the profitability of a medical practice. Handling more codes than patients can be detrimental to physicians who are always given the short end of the stick, when it comes to the changing climate of healthcare informatics. It could mean spending mote time and effort on medical coding than on treating patients.
The drastic reduction in the time spent with a patient, and the lack of emphasis on maintaining a healthy patient relationship, leaves physicians facing a no-win situation.
A solution that works for all!
Most advances in the healthcare field such as the recent ICD10, strangely do not work in the favor of physicians, at least in terms of short term benefits. It is small practices that are feeling the heat and enormity of the change. Hiring additional staff and training medical coders on the new coding system could be very expensive for a practice run on a small budget.
The most cost effective solution would be to outsource the medical coding and billing. The worries and headaches of revamping and changing overnight the way your practice functions, can lead to decreasing revenue and increasing workload. Outsourcing can unburden your staff, cut down on costs and help you take a chill pill. And god knows, physicians do need it at this juncture!
