Posts by Norwood Staffing
2026 IPPS proposed rule: Seven key takeaways for CDI, coding professionals
The FY 2026 IPPS proposed rule is out… what does it contain? With the change in administration I wondered if we wouldn’t see a delay or even suspension of new IPPS rules. That wasn’t the case. The rule was published Friday, April 11. Overall, no huge changes or surprises. I wouldn’t call the 2026 IPPS…
Read MoreSocial Determinants of Health (SDOH), integral to preventive medicine and cost reduction, in jeopardy under new CMS administration
By Brian Murphy Health is far more than just biology, pathophysiology, or medical facts about a patient. Non-medical factors influence health outcomes, including the conditions into which people are born and live. Think about housing instability, lack of access to care, poor food security, and (un)employment. Today we call these social determinants of health (SDOH).…
Read MoreTop 10 Best Practices for Compliant Use of Point of Care Technology
By Jason Jobes, SVP Solutions Technology is a must for ensuring complete and accurate depiction of patient complexity. An emerging tool in the arsenal of many organizations are electronic prompts to the provider at the immediate point of care. Unfortunately, the CDI/coding industry has a notable lack of regulatory guidance on compliant use of point…
Read MoreTranscription to Trailblazer: Glenda Bocskovits’ outpatient CDI journey
Listen to the episode here. Outpatient CDI is not a traditional discipline—and so it stands to reason that its practitioners don’t always hail from traditional backgrounds. One such person is Glenda Bocskovits. I’d call her a former transcriptionist, but she still practices that craft with the Mayo Clinic. But Glenda has since expanded her…
Read MoreNorwood Inpatient CDI Boot Camp approved for AHIMA, ACDIS CEUs
Norwood is pleased to announce its new Inpatient CDI Boot Camp has been approved for 18 CEUs by AHIMA* and ACDIS ** (see full details below). This three-day in-person class offers client partners in-depth training on critical CDI concepts that improve the financial and quality health of their organization, including opportunities by Major Diagnostic Category,…
Read MoreFunctional quadriplegia still a documentation, coding headache for most healthcare organizations
By Brian Murphy Functional quadriplegia (ICD-10-CM code R53.2) was a big deal back in my ACDIS days, for a few reasons: 1). It wasn’t a term physicians typically used/documented, even though it’s a common condition among certain populations. Physicians and other caregivers are more apt to use “bedbound, total care” or other such terms. 2)…
Read MoreCould AI increase clinician burnout? The answer is yes… and the solution is human beings
By Brian Murphy Could artificial intelligence (AI) increase physician burdens—and burnout? This headline from Healthcare Dive (see link to full article in the comments) is provocative … but might not be clickbait. This is admittedly a complex issue with a lot of “it depends.” It depends on what product you’re using. It depends on what…
Read MoreNew sepsis aftercare code Z51.A: How would you assign to this clinical scenario?
By Joanne Wilson, RN, ADN, CCDS, Senior Director, Solutions We have a new ICD-10-CM code to bill sepsis aftercare. Effective October 1, 2024, coders can report Z51.A: Encounter for Sepsis Aftercare. Z51.A was long in the making, needed to fill a gap in post-sepsis care. Sepsis is nasty and can result in long-term health complications.…
Read MoreMission-Driven Medicine: Dr. Pablo Buitron de la Vega’s SDOH crusade, from capture to care
Listen to the episode here. Social Determinants of Health, or SDOH, are a buzzword these days—but often little more. We acknowledge their importance, but actual progress on capture (and subsequent patient support) has been slow. To be fair real barriers including technological limitations and limited financial incentives stand in the way. But my current…
Read MoreWhat is the obligation of a Medicare Advantage plan? Shareholder value, or patient health?
By Brian Murphy What is the obligation of Medicare Advantage (MA) plans? Maximizing shareholder value? Or, keeping members healthy? It’s both … but ultimately the latter, I believe. YMMV. Recently I stated that UnitedHealth and other MA organizations bear responsibility in keeping their members healthy. A healthcare executive disagreed: “Is State Farm responsible for keeping…
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