News
Telehealth: A Great Missed Opportunity for Revenue Cycle Leaders
By Jason Jobes Returning to a topic at the request of one of my readers: Let’s look at Medicare 2022 telehealth participation rates by state. Is telehealth part of your Medicare strategy? If not, it should be. Thanks for the post suggestion, I love the engagement and idea generation. For others, please continue to engage…
Read MoreNorwood Announces Collaboration with Iodine to Optimize Mid-Revenue Cycle Operations
Partnership announcement Norwood partners with Iodine Norwood Announces Collaboration with Iodine to Optimize Mid-Revenue Cycle Operations Norwood and Iodine Software have teamed up to supercharge mid-revenue cycle operations for health systems. The goal of this partnership? Empowering customers to amp up efficiency, streamline workflows, and capture all the reimbursement they’ve earned. Health systems are struggling…
Read MoreNew York Times Lawsuit casts Uncertainty over ChatGPT and its Healthcare Applications
By Brian Murphy An important update on the development of artificial intelligence, specifically the generative AI tool ChatGPT which was the subject of a recent episode of Off the Record. The New York Times has sued ChatGPT developer OpenAI and its parent company Microsoft. The Times is seeking unspecified “billions” in restitution and calling for…
Read MoreLook for Telltale Signs of Pneumonia (even when it’s not documented)
By Brian Murphy ‘Tis the time of year for celebration … but also seasonal illnesses, including pneumonias. Yuck. So here are a few things to keep in mind if you’re a coding or CDI professional. Pneumonias are diagnosed through 1) signs and symptoms—elevated temperature/fever or hypothermia, chills, fever, confusion, cough, sputum production, and 2) typically…
Read MoreNew Principal Illness Navigation Codes and More as 2024 Gets Underway
Prepare for new HCPCS, CPT codes effective Jan. 1 By Brian Murphy 2024 is here and new codes are in effect. Both CPT and HCPCS. My old friends at ACDIS reminded me as much. Take a look at the list of new HCPCS codes in the article below. One group of new codes jumped off…
Read MoreAuto-Assisted Coding without Human Oversight a Massive Compliance Risk, Legal Liability
By Brian Murphy There’s been increasing discussion about the safe and ethical use of AI in healthcare. This week the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health held a session to explore how hospitals are using the technology. See link below (AHA). You won’t find regulations outlining the safe use of AI in healthcare, though…
Read MoreNew definition of Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA): Coding, auditing, and CDI professionals take note
By Brian Murphy The clinical definition of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is changing. CDI and coding professionals take notice. A recent article on Medscape (link below) says a forthcoming definition will “de-emphasize glucose from the diagnostic criteria for DKA, along with many other updates to the last statement on the topic, which was published 14 years…
Read MoreACDIS and AHIMA add Important new Addendum to Physician Query Brief
New guidance recommends adding clinical validation language into payer contracts to head off denials By Brian Murphy ACDIS and AHIMA addended the guidelines all CDI and coding professionals should be using to write effective, compliant queries. Link below. This new addendum (you can find it on p. 27 of “Guidelines for Achieving a Compliant Query…
Read MoreNorwood takes a retreat—watch the highlights from Camp Norwood III
As a wise man once said, all work and no play make Jack a dull boy. We feel that here at Norwood too. Sometimes we all need a little retreat. The entire team at Norwood took a few days off to head to the Lucky Arrow resort in Dripping Springs, TX, Nov. 1-3. A few days…
Read MoreNew Role for Mid-Revenue Cycle Professionals: Patient Advocates
OIG report points to need for helping victims of abuse and neglect, through coded data By Brian Murphy While you’re looking for diagnoses and procedures to clarify and code to their highest level of specificity you should also be looking out for the best interests of the patient. That includes evidence of suspected abuse or…
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