Planning for ICD-10 – Part One

January 13th, 2012

By now you’re likely wrapping up 5010 efforts and well into designing a project plan for ICD-10.

In this two-part post, we’ll illustrate how dbtech Ras is addressing these industry events to help you have a profitable and worry-free 2012.

A GIFT FROM THE OESS

On November 17th, the CMS Office of E-Health Standards and Services (OESS) presented an early gift to the healthcare industry by delaying enforcement action on ASC X12 Version 5010 transaction standards.

Providers must still meet the January 1st, 2012 deadline – but, those having issues with the process will not be penalized until after March 31st, 2012.

You will be able to file complaints, but will need to show data illustrating a genuine effort to meet compliance requirements.

icd-10 enforcement march 31 image

SO WHY THE DELAY?

Feedback indicates that the number of submitters, the volume of transactions, and other testing data used as indicators of the industry’s readiness to comply with the new standards have been low across some industry sectors. OESS has also received reports that many covered entities are still awaiting software upgrades!

Early adopters of dbtech’s Ras X12 5010 module are already capturing, converting and automating tasks related to payment and remittance transaction since May 2011. Dbtech has been working with ASC X 12 technologies since early in the process, and has always been ready to assist our clients in these transformative events.

If you haven't started planning for ICD-10, start now.

But, 5010 is only a prelude to an even more momentous industry transformation! Most of us in healthcare today have never known a world other than that of ICD-9. On October 1st, 2013, all of this will change. What’s more, ICD-10 will arguably be the largest and most costly change to healthcare in the last 30 years – much larger than even Y2K.

If you haven’t started your ICD-10 project by now, you’d better get moving … and fast.




THE STEPS TO ICD-10

While ICD-10 project plans may differ slightly based on size, infrastructure and services, all projects will include the following major task categories:


  • HIGH LEVEL ASSESSMENT – First, you will gauge and spread ICD-10 awareness, categorize educational needs, and expose hidden applications and databases containing ICD-10. This is an interview process that must include every department in your hospital, taking several months to complete.



  • SYSTEM INVENTORY – Then, in this step, you’ll identify every application within your infrastructure – even those that are not supported by your IT department. A form letter to your vendors can be downloaded from the AHIMA website here.

    TIP: Keep a database of every application and vendor, and begin this step with enough time to submit any vendor expenses for your next fiscal year.



  • REPORTS DATABASE – Next, create an inventory of every report produced containing ICD-9 information or filtering data based on ICD-9 codes. For instance, if you have an ad-hoc report that uses ICD-9 code 4280 for CHF, you will now have to include 13 additional ICD-10 codes.

    TIP: Ras can help to identify ad-hoc reports containing ICD-9 quickly and easily. Open the Ras “All Reports” folder and search for documents containing an ICD-9 field name (i.e. prin_proc_cd). Cross reference this list with the Ras “Folder Report” to identify users receiving these reports.

                   


In the next installment we’ll cover the remaining steps critical to the success of your ICD-10 project plan. From interfaces, customer/employee marketing and education to contract negotiations, chart analysis, contingency planning and forms redesign, we’ll walk you through ICD-10 implementation. Stay tuned for part two!


For more information about ICD-10 planning, please contact us.