The advent of CPT, HCPCS codes and especially the latest ICD-10 codes foreshadow a logistical nightmare for most healthcare facilities. In addition to their primary focus – caring for their patients – they will now have to manage an immense amount of paperwork. For most of these companies, the answer should be simple. Use a third-party vendor medical coding service to handle the coding so they can concentrate on their core competency – caring for the sick and injured.
Here are just just a few things medical coding consultants can help the healthcare business owner or manager with:
- Provides comprehensive consultation, guidance and oversight of a facility’s coding activities and accuracy
- Accurately reviews a site’s medical claims and the assurance of accurate billing and payment based upon them
- Reviews billing procedures – as well as ICD-10 compliance – to ensure that all are well within the accepted standards of the industry
- Identifies existing and potential problems and initiates corrective actions… and then follow through to ensure that such actions are accomplished
- Analyzes a facility’s policies and applications to further refine the coding process for greater accuracy and efficiency
- Recommends modifications to the existing process to further enhance payment procedures related to risk coding
As you can see, proper medical coding is not a task that should be taken lightly or given short shrift. It is essential that it be done correctly at any healthcare facility. The upside is a less stressful environment for your staff and clientele as well as a more profitable one for you. The downside is more than lost payments, it could mean the end of your business if you are identified as being non-compliant by any number of government agencies. Keep this in mind when deciding on how to handle your medical coding procedures.
Originally Published on 1/2/2015