We are about 14 months away from the ICD-10 implementation deadline. Surveys report that healthcare providers are in various states of readiness.
QualiTest Group surveyed more than 300 professionals about their ICD-10 testing plans. The two major findings are:
- Most respondents have either completed ICD-10 assessments or are in the process of assessments.
- 75 percent of respondents have not yet begun ICD-10 testing.
While starting sooner than later is important, this survey doesn’t raise too many alarm bells. It does report a great deal of planning and progress in the ICD-10 transition. Other surveys released in the past few months have found less preparation.
Perhaps a more troubling indicator is the amount of newly released literature that suggests there is an audience that hasn’t heard of ICD-10 implementation. If the healthcare industry is on its way to a smooth ICD-10 transition, we wouldn’t need so many guides to planning ICD-10 implementation.
Seriously. That’s so 2012.
The latest example I found is the white paper ICD-10: The Top 10 Things You Need To Do NOW from the medical billing firm MediGain. They advise:
- “Set up a team and appoint a leader.”
- “Evaluate current software systems and office procedures in which you use ICD-10.”
- “Pinpoint possible changes to your workflow and office processes.”
- “Communicate with your payers about any modifications that need to be made to your contracts due to ICD-10.”
- “Think about training efforts and costs.”
- “Converse with your trading partners.”
- “Test with your trading partners.”
- “Survey your current PM vendor.”
- “Assess your internal office systems and functions.”
- “Revise and account for any plan adjustments.”
Healthcare providers should have completed half those steps by now.
