ICD-10 Training for Pediatric Hospitals

ICD-10 training is becoming more and more relevant for pediatric hospitals. This change will create some new documentation challenges for coders and clinical documentation specialists. With the new standards differing from ICD-9, an increased number of codes will allow for more specificity. This could mean that those who were proficient in ICD-9 could have difficulty working through the new guidelines. Healthcare providers who have not yet put in place a strategy to prepare for the changes must realize that the clock is ticking.

In addition to the new challenges with ICD-10, clinical documentation improvement programs can help children’s healthcare organizations increase case mix index, billing accuracy, and hospital profiles. Documentation directly supports coding which can affect hospital reimbursement and revenue. Starting a CDI program could be a key survival strategy for pediatric hospitals. Education is an essential first step towards finding solutions in pediatric clinical documentation improvement.

DCBA helps pediatric healthcare organizations with on site education as well as electronic resources to get ready for ICD-10. They can also analyze processes and put strategies into place that help create quality documentation results. Keeping staff on the same page is important so giving the proper tools to physicians, nurses, and billing and coding specialist provide a cohesive effort toward more accurate documentation. Children are not adults, and thats why DCBA has created CDI programs specifically for children’s healthcare.