While training for ICD-10 readiness can wait for the majority of your staff members, there are other key staff members that need to get started sooner than later. This includes clinic leadership, coders and key physicians. While more thorough training can continue in the spring and summer, the basics of coding for ICD-10 and global implications need to be provided so your lead staff can identify potential obstacles in advance. Additional training in areas that are specific to the staff position and specialty can also be identified through this process. In addition, having an introductory training will allow a deeper discussion of areas of the practice that may be impacted and how to effectively address these gaps going forward.
Outsource Receivables holds staff Lunch & Learn’s on a monthly basis as a regular staff education forum. Lunch gets everyone sharing and is followed by the learning and interactive portion. The sessions only last 30-45 minutes to keep retention high. It’s a great team builder and educational opportunity as well as a fun time sharing lunch.
A specific area of focus early on for ICD-10 readiness is documentation for the more specific ICD-10-CM codes. This will require changes in documentation of the medical record to support the new codes. To get started, conduct an internal documentation audit and use your top 50 or 100 codes to focus your efforts on the most common scenarios.
There are many ways that mid-size independent practices or medical clinics can access resources and training for ICD-10. Initially, think about all of the different partners you have that will be impacted by ICD-10. Your first action should be to contact your vendors and ask what they have to offer in terms of training, resources and requirements. Vendors may include your billing company, EMR vendor, Practice Management system, coding software, labs, or pharmacy software. Specifically ask about required upgrades and what training is offered for those upgrades.
In addition, there are many online training tutorials currently available. The best tutorials and training for your staff will vary depending on practice specialty and preferences. Some training is graphically intensive and light on details. Some have a humorous and fun approach while others are “just the facts.” What will work best for your group will depend on your organizational culture and training protocols. The following are examples of what many training modules will include:
- Introduction to ICD-10-CM
- Specialty Training
- Online Quizzes
- Qualified Online Course Manager
- 2014 ICD-10-CM Coding Books
- Continuing education credits
Most courses will provide the introductory materials that apply to most or all staff at your clinic and can get the conversation started internally. Topics include:
- What is ICD-10?
- ICD-10 and the Physicians Office
- Prologue to ICD-10-CM for Non-Coders
- Using the ICD-10-CM Code Book and Search Tools for Non-Coders
- Documentation for ICD-10-CM
- ICD-10 Specificity and Application
Getting connected with local resources is an excellent means of identifying resources and vetting them with your peers. If you just don’t know where to start you can make the first step by taking an online assessment to identify potential gaps. Outsource Receivables offers one such assessment for practices at www.ICD-10StressTest.com. We’ll help you analyze the results and provide recommendations and tools.