By now you are probably well aware of the upcoming ICD-10 compliance date of October 1, 2015. To help make this transition as smooth for your facility as possible, we will continue to update you with the latest ICD-10 news, FAQs and system enhancements.
In June, 2015, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a new, helpful document which explains many of the classification enhancements that users can expect with ICD-10-CM codes.
For example, the Benefits of using ICD-10-CM codes include:
ICD-10-CM incorporates much greater clinical detail and specificity than ICD-9-CM. Terminology and disease classification are updated to be consistent with current clinical practice. The modern classification system will provide much better data needed for:
- Measuring the quality, safety, and efficacy of care
- Reducing the need for attachments to explain the patient’s condition
- Designing payment systems and processing claims for reimbursement
- Conducting research, epidemiological studies, and clinical trials
- Setting health policy
- Operational and strategic planning
- Designing health care delivery systems
- Monitoring resource use
- Improving clinical, financial, and administrative performance
- Preventing and detecting health care fraud and abuse
- Tracking public health and risks. (http://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Coding/ICD10/downloads/ICD-10QuickRefer.pdf, 2015)
This guide also shows the similarities and differences between the current and future code set, in addition to listing new features users will expect.
Please take a few moments to read over this helpful guide. If you have any questions, please email our ICD-10 experts at ASKICD10-Hospital@nextgen.com