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By Justin Bariso, Principal, EQ Applied Reprinted with Permission "You can't be serious." My team leader had just sent a text message, looking for an update on a task he had delegated: I was supposed to set up a team-building activity for our team's monthly meeting. Only problem was it had been a super busy month, and I hadn't done it yet. I still had a couple of weeks to get it ready, but he wanted to know where we stood. He also wanted to share some suggestions. This triggered me. I know it shouldn't have; it was a

By Jill Hietpas, WCTC HIT Student My journey from nursing to the health information technology field is not the typical choice for an LPN. I have been an LPN for the past 14 years and have spent the last nine of those years working at an Ambulatory Surgery Center. Most nurses don’t understand why I just didn’t go for my RN because it seems like the most obvious thing to do. I personally did not want to go through nursing clinical rotations ever again, as the memories and anxiety from that time was not something that I wanted to relive.

Libman Education specializes in medical coding education. Our courses and eLearning Libraries are designed for adult learners to gain in-depth knowledge of relevant coding systems. We provide structured coder education that refreshes on basic principles, advances the coder’s knowledge through challenging coursework, and presents complex concepts tailored to the specifics of the coder’s job or career aspirations. Libman Education's eLearning Libraries have been tailored to the needs of coders in specific areas of responsibility, for example coding of inpatient or outpatient services. This document will show you how to create a Personal Training Plan to address your specific needs and

By Justin Bariso, Principal, EQ Applied Reprinted with Permission Let me tell you about a recurring dream I have. In one version of the dream, I’m transported back to my 16-year-old self. I’m on my old newspaper route, about to start delivering. There’s only one problem: I’m late. I woke up late. Which means I packed my newspapers late. Which means I got to my route late. And now it’s 6:43, and I have 150 newspapers to deliver by 7:00 am—before I start getting complaints. It’s an impossible task. What follows is an immense sense of anxiety. A feeling of

By Nirmala Sivakumar, CCS, CDIP This is a common error I see while doing audits of coding at Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities. Question: How should deficits from a stroke be recorded on the IRF PAI? Do the codes differ on the UB:04? Answer: If the patient is admitted to inpatient rehabilitation following an acute stroke, the deficits from that stroke should be recorded with R codes (Chapter 18 of ICD-10-CM manual) on the IRF PAI. If patient presents with hemiparesis, G81.XX is recorded. The stroke resolves in acute care and it is the deficits that are being addressed in rehab, so

By Justin Bariso, Principal, EQ Applied Reprinted with Permission Ten years ago, if you asked me, "How long does it take to take out the trash?" I probably would’ve answered, “I don’t know. Maybe a couple of minutes.” But then, something funny happened. My wife and I had three kids. Here’s what taking the trash out looks like now: 1. Gather the trash from the bathroom 2. Gather the diaper trash from the changing table. 3. Gather the food garbage. 4. Gather the recyclables. 5. Gather the “normal” trash. 6. Replace trash bags in -the bathroom -the diaper trash -the

By Betty Rockendorf, MS, RHIA, CHPS, CHTS-IM STEM, those well-paid and technically challenging jobs, are crucial to our economy and our future. The more Health Information Management (HIM) is seen as a STEM career, the more opportunities will exist for HIM to elevate the profession, leading to increased earning potential and recognition. Have you ever stopped to consider how HIM jobs share many of the same aspects as STEM careers? Definition of STEM STEM consists of natural Sciences, Technology, Engineering, and Math related fields. STEM jobs are in high demand but many are lacking qualified candidates. In order to remain

By Justin Bariso, Principal, EQ Applied Reprinted with Permission A Story It’s actually two stories, almost identical—except for the endings. Story 1 goes like this: I wake up with a full day ahead of me. I’ve got to finish writing an article for Inc., and finish preparing a presentation I’m scheduled to deliver on the same day. Ok. I can do this. But something’s not right. I come out of the office to use the bathroom, and I can see my wife’s overwhelmed. She’s trying to write a letter and all three kids are going full on crazy: One’s crying

By Justin Bariso, Principal, EQ Applied Reprinted with Permission Have you ever seen an Elon Musk interview? I still remember the first one I saw. It quickly became obvious that Musk is extremely intelligent…and while he may not be the most polished public speaker, what he says is so interesting I ended up hanging on every word. Now, contrast that with Steve Jobs. Jobs was the most polished of public speakers. His presentations were models of dramatic poise, a masterclass in rhetoric. But despite these differences, the two men shared a somewhat unexpected habit. They both embraced what I like

by Laurie M. Johnson, MS, RHIA, FAHIMA, Senior Consultant, Revenue Cycle Solutions, LLC It’s hard to believe that we are already well into FY2022. While the changes to the codes and guidelines have been in effect for a while, if you haven’t completed all of your fall clean-up tasks, you should begin as soon as possible: #1. Identify New Technology The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) provides additional payment for using new technology items. New technology items are defined as new, high-cost technology that significantly improves patient outcomes. The cost of these items is not covered by the

By Justin Bariso, Principal, EQ Applied Reprinted with Permission “You know, you're the type of manager the rest of us hate.” I’ve never forgotten when someone told me that. I was only 23, and I was working in a factory in downtown Brooklyn. We were making encyclopedias (remember those?), and our job was to quality check these huge hardcover books before sending them through a shrinkwrapping machine. In sweltering heat. On the 12th floor, with no air conditioning. This was no easy job. And I wasn’t making it any easier. I was young and stupid, and all I cared about

By Justin Bariso, Principal, EQ Applied Reprinted with Permission Thomas Keller is an award winning chef and restaurateur. Over the years, he's developed a reputation as one of the most skilled culinary artists in the world. But in 2015 Pete Wells, the lead restaurant critic for the New York Times, made headlines when he published a harsh criticism of Keller’s New York eatery Per Se. Wells described his three dining experiences as “respectably dull at best to disappointingly flatfooted at worst," using words like “random,” “flavorless,” “purposeless,” and “rubbery” to describe the dishes he sampled. How would Keller, a noted

by Laura Gerovac, PT and HIT Student I am truly thrilled that on my career journey, both my physical therapy experience and medical coding/health information pathways have converged into that of a Trauma Registrar. This has been a perfect match for me, being able to combine and connect both fields. A Trauma Registrar is indeed a role that may be filled by a variety of professional backgrounds, not limited to those with traditional HIT or medical coding training. Level I Trauma Centers need Trauma Registrars, and they are also needed at Level II and Level III Trauma Centers. As a

By Victoria Jennings, RHIA, CCS, CPC-A Here is what you specifically need to understand about education: “When an atmosphere encourages learning, learning is inevitable.” (Elizabeth Foss) Well, that sounds very reasonable. But what makes an “atmosphere that encourages learning?” Thinking now of my providers, what will increase their willingness to learn? I have been educating providers on correct coding for 8 years. In my experience, I find that most providers want to be perceived as reputable and responsible team members. They are trying to learn what they need to know about documentation and coding so they can get back to

By Mary H. Stanfill, MBI, RHIA, CCS, CCS-P, FAHIMA For both the 9th and 10th versions of the WHO’s International Classification of Diseases, the US clinically modified ICD, significantly expanding the code set to address classification needs in the US. The ICD-10-CM code set, though based on and compatible with the WHO’s ICD-10, includes thousands more codes with much greater detail. And the US isn’t the only country to modify ICD. Other developed countries, such as Canada and Australia, also found it necessary to add additional details and create their own country-specific version. But creating a modified version of ICD

By Kay Piper, RHIA, CDIP, CCS Merriam-Webster Dictionary definitions of “uncertain” shed light on why a provider may use an uncertain term. Scan this list of definitions… Dubious – giving rise to uncertainty, doubtful outcome, questionable or suspect as to true nature or quality Doubtful – unsettled opinion, marked by qualities that raise doubts about validity, lacking a definite opinion, conviction, or determination Indefinite, Indeterminant - vague, having no exact limits, generic, unidentified Problematical – difficult to solve or decide, posing a problem, open to question or debate, unsettled, not definite Untrustworthy – not reliable, not dependable or worthy of

By Jen Flohr, RHIT, CCS, CDIP, CPCO, CAMP, COC, CPMA A Universal Patient Identifier (UPI) is a single medical identification number, much like a Social Security number, that is unique to each person and used to distinguish their medical information from anyone else’s. In a recent AHIMA survey, a majority said that policies aimed at improving naming conventions were critically important. Allow me to walk you through the fallout of what occurs when a physician dictates a procedure note in the wrong medical record. You will realize all the different departments that are affected by one honest mistake. Imagine this