Many healthcare providers are against transitioning from ICD-9 to ICD-10. To that end, the best way to get them to embrace the new coding system is to show how it will benefit their practice and patients, Marty Fattig, CEO of Nemaha County Hospital in Auburn, Nebraska, writes at Hospitals & Health Networks.
To do this, factual data needs to be provided, Fattig says, and the physicians' voices also need to be heard.
"Physicians are very intelligent, data-driven people. We won't get anywhere by telling them what we think," he writes.
Some organizations are continuing to push for another delay--this time until 2017. In addition, the House Energy and Commerce Committee plans to have a hearing focusing on ICD-10 implementation in 2015.
In his small Nebraska community, Fattig says providers are ready for the switch. Some of the reasons for that include early implementation of electronic health records, deep trust developed over the years and an understanding that they are all in it together stand out, he says.
The culture of trust is the most important step to take; with unbelievable benefits, Fattig adds.
Recently, Robert Tennant, Health IT policy director for the Medical Group Management Association, also made some suggestions on how providers can be prepared for ICD-10, including creating an impact chart, having more complete documentation and testing at every opportunity.
The Centers for Medicaid & Medicare has extended the deadline to apply for April's round of testing, moving it from Jan. 9 to Jan. 21.
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