Making ICD-10 a “Non-Event” for Physicians

[Sally Buta]

For all its potential to cause administrative chaos at McKesson hospitals, the upcoming transition to ICD-10 does not have to be a nightmare for physicians. Even though under ICD-10 there will be four-times the number of diagnosis codes as exist currently in ICD-9, physicians need not bear the brunt of the added complexity. The key is for hospitals to implement thoughtfully designed electronic systems that automate physician workflows most directly impacted by ICD-10, such as charge capture and documentation. Those solutions should:

• Start with a proven workflow that already works for physicians (and the support team), and add structure to it. This is the first key to gaining physician adoption; and without physician adoption, ICD-10 implementation just isn't going to work.
• Enter data once; don't make providers re-enter the same data across multiple applications. Whatever data elements are required, such as ICD-10 codes, add them once – as part of placing an order (indicating the diagnosis that justifies it), or within the clinical documentation, or as part of the charge – and have it automatically cascade through physicians' workflow.
• Enable physicians to speak “clinician," not “data." Physicians cannot be expected to memorize the myriad of codes within the ICD-10 scheme. Better to provide them a set of clinician-friendly terms that in turn are mapped to a preferred ICD-10 code, so physicians can use the clinical terminology (including abbreviations, eponyms and synonyms) they're familiar with when writing notes and entering charges.
• Have physicians start coding with ICD-10 now. When they are choosing the diagnosis code today, have them choose both the ICD-9 and ICD-10 codes. Ideally this can all be done behind the scenes and stored in the system, so when the cutover dates comes around, they’ve already started using ICD-10 codes so there is no workflow change, and a patient’s problem list will already be using ICD-10 codes.

Implementing systems that streamline the transition to ICD-10 is more than a “necessary evil”; hospitals can use ICD-10 as the catalyst for beneficial business process changes, some of which (such as electronic charge capture) can positively impact billing and revenue. But bear in mind the changes won't work without large-scale physician adoption. So in implementing new electronic systems, make it a priority not to upset physicians’ established workflow.

 Join PatientKeeper for their webinar:

How to Make ICD-10 a 'Non-Event' for Physicians

Tuesday, September 24th

11:00am PT / 2:00pm ET

Click here to RSVP!

Sally Buta is the Director of Product Marketing and Co-Founder of PatientKeeper, a sponsor of "The Floor Plan"on McKesson Social.