As reported recently in this blog, the United States department of Health and Human Services (HHS) just proposed a new implementation deadline for the coding requirements laid out under ICD-10. While the original deadline was meant to be October 2013, HHS representatives suggested that the date be extended by one year to ease the burden already being placed on facilities busy transitioning to a system of electronic medical and billing records.
Interestingly, it is reported by Healthcare IT News that the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) has been very vocal in recommending that medical facilities across the country do their best to implement ICD-10 provisions as quickly as possible, regardless of the deadline extension.
"The transition to ICD-10 is inevitable and remains the future for coding classification systems," said Lynne Thomas Gordon, AHIMA's CEO, in the article. "We are sorry to see that our members and organizations following HHS’ initial calendar may suffer from the delay, as will our many higher education colleges and universities that changed their curricula to meet this same requirement date."
Gordon went on to say that while she sympathizes with small medical facilities whose resources are already being strained with other healthcare IT implementation requirements, the continued delay will only generate losses by failing to have critical information available when and where it is needed.
Considering Gordon's recommendation, small facility managers may be wondering how to successfully complete all these transitional tasks without toppling their internal staff. An excellent solution to this problem is partnering with a medical technology consulting company that can provide the necessary implementation assistance and staff training to successfully undertake a shift to electronic medical records software and ICD-10 provisions with minimal stress.
Microwize Technology is a leading healthcare IT consultant offering products such as electronic medical records software and medical billing software from top providers like Allscripts and McKesson, including McKesson's Medisoft, Lytec and Practice Choice products.
Medisoft products provide the features necessary to help physicians and billing services with their insurance claims and billing, all at an amazingly affordable price.
Lytec is designed to help you more effectively manage your accounts receivable, as well as track authorizations and inventory.
Allscripts MyWay offers an intelligent, comprehensive “right-sized” electronic medical records (EMR) and practice management solution.
Practice Partner Patient Records provides a host of innovative tools to improve both office and clinical efficiency, while helping to improve quality of care.
Just like government, blame buseinss for the high pricesThe US Judicial System is the reason why our premiums are so high. Doctors and buseinss owners have to defend themselves from frivolous law suits. That is why we pay so much for health care.The Government will never take blame for what has happend, it will just create a new reform or bill to cover up the real reason America is failing.Want a better way of life? It takes personal responsibilty and LESS government control