Health Information Management

Prepare for miscellaneous costs that may arise during the transition to ICD-10

HIM Connection, November 10, 2009

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Despite an HIM director’s best efforts to prepare for a smooth transition to ICD-10, there may be unforeseen challenges along the way, says Tori Sullivan, RHIA, MHA, PMP, manager of Capgemini Government Solutions in Reston, VA. Having money in reserve is always a good idea. “Set aside money in case you don’t get reimbursed or can’t process claims for a period after go-live,” she advises. Use your hospital’s highest average daily reimbursement and multiply that amount by five. Set aside this amount for reserve in the event of claims submission errors or denials, she says.
 
One potential challenge for critical access hospitals is the likelihood that ICD-10 will require an encoder, an extra expenditure for hospitals that don’t have one, says Debbie
Mackaman, RHIA, CHCO, regulatory specialist at HCPro, Inc., in Marblehead, MA. “[An encoder] will make things so much easier for coders who are trying to work out of books because it will do an automatic crosswalk for them,” she says.
 
Editor’s note: This tip is adapted from the December 2009 issue of Medical Records Briefing.



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