DENVER, CO – Five top challenges of ICD-10 have been outlined by PatientKeeper, a data management system for physicians, at their User Group Conference for financial applications in Denver, Colo.
The conference, held from September 18-20, comprised 15 sessions featuring presentations by PatientKeeper customers and product experts, as well as discussions focusing on technologies for and trends in revenue cycle management.
During the conference, PatientKeeper held a user survey to identify the top challenges of ICD-10. Here are the results:
1. Resourcing the transition
The ICD-10 transition will require significant investment of time and money to ensure that all systems that use and record diagnosis data are updated to comply. It will be a complex and painstaking process, and many are worried about the costs involved.
2. Training
The amount of time trainees can devote to learning the ins and outs of ICD-10 is a concern, as well as the expertise of the trainers. One of the more daunting issues is the depth of training needed to make sure all stakeholders understand how ICD-10 works and how to accurately submit claims to payers.
3. Maintaining two coding systems
Private payers, such as worker’s compensation plans, are not required to change to ICD-10. Therefore, providers could have to maintain both coding systems, depending on payers’ strategies.
[See also: After ICD-10, will coders ever regain ICD-9 efficiency levels?.]
4. Sustaining momentum
Most physician incentive programs use reporting based on CPT and ICD-9 codes. To continue correct submission, systems collecting data for incentive programs need to support ICD-10. Updating systems and ensuring that long-term reporting continues smoothly during the transition will be a concern.
5. Avoiding payment delays
Training physicians to code accurately, making sure that codes are entered correctly in billing systems and depending on payers to efficiently review claims under ICD-10 are all likely to lead to delays in payment.
