News
NEJM Study: AI not Ready to Perform Basic Medical Coding, Let Alone Replace People
By Brian Murphy In the battle of artificial intelligence (AI) vs. humans, score one for humanity. Yeah, a provocative opening line, and probably needlessly so. AI is after all supposed to be a tool that allows us to do more and/or focus on higher order tasks, resulting in increased efficiency and output. I just don’t…
Read MoreTransforming Episode Accountability Model (TEAM) Reconfirms CMS Commitment to Bundled Payments and Value-Based Care
By Brian Murphy Every time I think bundled payments are out, they drag me back in. I like the concept. We know that fragmented care can lead to complications in recovery, avoidable hospitalization, and increased spending. Under bundled payment models, providers assume accountability for the quality and costs of care delivered during a complete episode,…
Read MoreKDIGO Announces new Clinical Practice Guideline for the Evaluation and Management of CKD
By Brian Murphy According to the ACDIS 2023 CDI Week Industry Overview Survey, kidney disease was ranked the fifth highest denied diagnosis (29.7% of respondents) after sepsis, respiratory failure, malnutrition, and encephalopathy. So it behooves you to know the latest and greatest clinical practice guidelines from the authoritative body who establishes them. Because you can…
Read MoreGrow Your Mid-Revenue Cycle Career by Building Your Skillset
By Brian Murphy Build skills. Because you never know where they might take you, or where you’ll want to go. Even if you’re happy today, you don’t know what tomorrow may bring. But with a strong set of transferrable skills, your options are open. Over time we can get complacent, burned out. Your job may…
Read MoreNorwood a Grand Prize Best Staffing Firm to Work For winner from Staffing Industry Analysts (SIA)
Work-life balance. For many companies, just a concept. A nice-to-have. At Norwood, we live it. And now we’re proud to be recognized for it. Last year we were named a Best Staffing Firm to Work For by Staffing Industry Analysts (SIA). This year we took it up a notch and won Grand Prize in the…
Read MoreUnitedHealthcare Cyberattack Underscores need for Increased Government Oversight, Medicare Advantage Reform
By Brian Murphy I’ve been thinking about the disastrous cyberattack, which is costing providers a reported $100M per day. And what it means for the future of healthcare, including Medicare Advantage (MA). UnitedHealthcare deserves no blame for the attack itself. We can blame its lack of preparedness. We should criticize its inadequate response. But they…
Read MoreOIG to Begin Claims Analysis of Sepsis-2; Writing on the Wall for Adoption of Sepsis-3
By Brian Murphy Uh-oh, sepsis-2 defenders, the Office of Inspector General (OIG) might be coming for you. We have a new entry in the OIG Work Plan, “Medicare Inpatient Hospital Billing for Sepsis.” It reads: Sepsis is the body’s extreme response to an infection. It is a life-threatening, emergency medical issue that often progresses quickly…
Read MoreRisk Adjustment, Prior Authorization Under Federal Spotlight at RISE Conference
By Jason Jobes, SVP Solutions Jason@norwood.com Last week I was at RISE in Nashville listening to a couple sessions on compliance. The first was with Christi Grimm from the Office of Inspector General (OIG). She called out three specific areas the OIG is focused on that I want to share here. 1) Medicare Prior Authorization.…
Read MoreBreaking Down ICD-10-CM 7th Characters for Traumatic Fracture Care
Crystal May, CCS, CPC, CDEO, CPMA, CRC, AAPC Approved Instructor Sr. Risk Adjustment Consultant, Norwood Coders often get overwhelmed with coding traumatic fractures, typically due to the numerous 7th characters available. But coding them isn’t as scary as it seems once you understand how they break down. The first question you must ask is, is…
Read MoreAAIM vs. GLIM: Evaluating the Best Tool for Diagnosis of Severe and Other Forms of Malnutrition
By Brian Murphy AAIM or GLIM… which is the better tool for diagnosing severe and other forms of malnutrition? A question not without its share of controversy. For U.S. hospitals and healthcare organizations, the answer is AAIM, according to my recent guest on Off the Record, ECU Health Adult Clinical Dietitian Supervisor Ashley Strickland. These…
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