by Darla Branda, MA, RHIA Lifelong learning is a lot like gardening; it takes time, commitment, patience, and money. Earning a college degree can help you blossom into your full potential. Students are often motivated to earn a degree for career advancement, reach a personal goal, or set a good example for their children. Due […]
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by Rose Dunn, MBA, RHIA, CPA, FACHE, FHFMA In response to my recent article “Using Telehealth to Mitigate the Impact of COVID-19 on your HCCs,” we received the following question. …We need information related to capture of HCC’s with telehealth visits, during and after the pandemic. In the past there seemed to be a limitation […]
read more »by Rose T. Dunn, MBA, RHIA, CPA, CHPS, FACHE, FHFMA At the end of last year, this news may not have caught your attention: Federal Auditor Renews Concerns of Medicare Advantage Gaming Axios, December 12, 2019 “A new federal audit presents more evidence that private Medicare Advantage plans are fudging the data about how sick […]
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by Lynn Kuehn, MS, RHIA, CCS-P, FAHIMA Code updates are like birthday presents; we never know what we’ll receive. We know what we asked for and what we hope will arrive, but we’re never sure. And whatever we receive, we have to try them on and figure out how to make them work. Code changes […]
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We love to hear from you! This week, readers commented on recent posts about a wide range of topics that affect their lives, their profession, and the overall healthcare industry. Using Telehealth to Mitigate the Impact of COVID-19 on your HCCs by Rose T. Dunn, MBA, RHIA, CPA, FACHE “We have had difficulty finding information […]
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by David Zielske, MD, CIRCC, COC, CCVTC, CCC, CCS, RCC Question: How would you code the following ablation procedure? 1. Pulmonary vein antral ablation was performed to isolate PV antral regions with bilateral PV isolation (PVI) confirmed on HDX mapping electrogram. 2. Additional linear ablation was performed at the left atrial (LA) roof to achieve […]
read more »Hear nationally recognized ICD-10 expert and Libman Education course author Lynn Kuehn, MS, RHIA, CCS-P, FAHIMA, discuss ICD-10-PCS: Ivor Lewis Esophagectomy in this free, brief presentation. ICD-10-PCS: Gastrointestinal Procedure Coding Learn to code advanced gastrointestinal procedures with the unique perspective and expertise offered by nationally recognized ICD-10-PCS coding expert Lynn Kuehn! ICD-10-PCS: Gastrointestinal Procedures […]
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by Mary Beth York, CCS, CCS-P, CIC AHIMA this week announced that the 2020 CCA, CCS and CCS-P coding credential exams will be launched in beta starting July 1, 2020. The 2019 exams have been extended to August 15, 2020. This will allow those who purchased the 2019 code books to test on the 2019 […]
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by Richard D. Pinson, MD, FACP, CCS While not all hospitals allow coders to assume the CDI role, increasing numbers are especially now as some CDI staff are being redeployed back to patient care in response to COVID-19. Those hospitals that have assembled integrated CDI teams of clinical and non-clinical staff benefit from the skill […]
read more »by Rose T. Dunn, MBA, RHIA, CPA, CHPS, FACHE, FHFMA If you are wondering whether the documentation for a patient seen in the emergency department is relevant to HCC coding, the answer is an emphatic Yes! In fact, claims from the emergency department and any other outpatient hospital department qualify for HCC capture. These outpatient […]
read more »By Richard D. Pinson, MD, FACP, CCS and Cynthia L. Tang, RHIA, CCS The Z16 category codes for resistance to antibiotics are now classified as CCs as of October 1, 2019. Antibiotic resistance is the result of overuse of antibiotics and occurs when bacteria (or other microorganisms) have been exposed to different antibiotics over long […]
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by Andrew Rosse, BS Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Health Information Management, 2020, Weber State University My background is not in healthcare. I graduated with my Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of Pittsburgh with the intent of going to graduate school and earning my PhD. After a short venture in academic research, I realized […]
read more »by Lynn Kuehn, MS, RHIA, CCS-P, FAHIMA Have you seen those images that look like one thing from one viewpoint and then something completely different when you concentrate on only one part? For example, the image of the young woman that is also a drawing of an older lady or the vase that can also […]
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To put your best self forward, follow this timeline during your interview journey:
read more »by Lynn Kuehn, MS, RHIA, CSS-P, FAHIMA It is not always obvious that doing something the same way we have always done it can actually be to our detriment. In coding, this can occur when we fail to investigate a procedure we thought we knew all about or when we accept a code that the […]
read more »by Rose Dunn, MBA, RHIA, CPA, FACHE, FHFMA In addition to the terrible human cost of the COVID-19 virus and the general impact it is having on the healthcare industry, there are two ways in which the pandemic may affect your HCCs. With people being told to stay home, the reduced number of visits to […]
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by Gail I. Smith, MA, RHIA, CCS-P As coding professionals, we listen to news stories with a “clinical ear.” COVID-19 has many mysteries but the most recent involves children and what is described as Kawasaki-like inflammatory disease that has a link to COVID-19. Kawasaki disease is characterized by inflammation of blood vessels that could potentially […]
read more »by Richard D. Pinson, MD, FACP, CCS As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, many CDI nurses have been repurposed to clinical care and hospitals are relying on coding professionals to fill the CDI void. What must coders do to accomplish this task for their hospital? Perhaps the most immediate need is acquiring more clinical […]
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by Rebecca Harmon, MPM, RHIA, CCA The option to work remotely seems like a dream come true for many of us. No rush hour traffic, some extra sleep, no dress code (sweatpants anyone?) and it saves a ton of money in gas. What’s not to love!? There’s a LOT to love about the option of […]
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by Angela Lehoux, BS, CDIP, CCS, CIC, CPC-I Do you need a coding credential? Perhaps your job requires it. Have you been considering sitting for the Certified Coding Specialist (CCS) or Certified Coding Associate (CCA) exams offered by AHIMA? Is the thought of attempting these difficult-to-achieve coding credentials overwhelming? You can do this! And we […]
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